“The client wanted a warm, welcoming central living space for gathering that included a kitchen, dining area, and screened porch, conceived as a modern interpretation of a traditional Maine camp. The somewhat unusual part of the design is that the plan is quite narrow and linear—the kitchen itself fronts onto a glass wall that opens onto a stone terrace and overlooks a lake, so there’s hardly anything separating the space from the outdoors.

“A service pantry with kitchen appliances is tucked behind and to the side of the primary area. It’s still open to the kitchen but hidden around the corner and away from the main space. A woodstove from Stuv forms the end element of the island, facing the dining table. It provides additional warmth in the kitchen, both literally and figuratively, and creates a focal point.

“The flooring, accent walls, cabinetry, and island are all white ash. It’s a tree that’s found on the property and all over the midcoast area, similar to oak but lighter in tone. A custom tile backsplash was commissioned by the owner from a local artist, Anneli Skaar, and the small painting pictured to the left of the kitchen is by Jeff Colquhoun. The windows are a triple-glazed European system from Unilux.

“Located on a conservation easement in Camden, the house is perched in the woods and sits about 250 feet from a lake. The general concept is that there’s a darker volume of bedrooms and private spaces that sits above this very open, glassy lower level, which is all about the experience of the trees in the woods. It’s a simple, linear layout of kitchen and dining, plus a screened porch element on the end. The trio of spaces really works together as a single space.”

—Riley Pratt, design partner at OPAL