Kettle Cove Farmhouse

Kettle Cove Farmhouse by Flavin Architects is located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, on a site adjacent to wetlands leading toward Kettle Cove. Completed in 2020, the project was shaped by its relationship to the local New England landscape, with design references to the region’s traditional farmhouses. The orientation and form respond directly to the neighboring wetlands, setting up long views across the site and fostering a sense of openness to the surroundings. The house draws on an austere geometry, with a silhouette and roofline inspired by vernacular forms. Cedar shingle cladding and a standing seam metal roof establish a restrained material palette. A screened porch sits at the edge of a descending slope, offering vantage points toward the wetlands. Inside, exposed heavy timber beams combine with tongue-and-groove ceilings and steel elements to echo the structural language of early colonial homes. A wood-burning fireplace with reclaimed railroad ties and a monolithic hearth provides a focal point, tying the interior to the landscape. Generous east-facing windows further the connection between interior spaces and the outdoors, allowing daylight and wetland views to organize the living areas.