Name: Pete and Sandy
Location: East Washington, New Hampshire
Size: 1660 sq/ft (includes porch)
Years lived in: 36 Years; Fully Restored 2006-2008
We were in the rural town of East Washington, New Hampshire visiting family when we dropped by neighbors Pete and Sandy's house. They recently finished remodeling their kitchen - the finale of a complete restoration they have been working on since 2006 - so we walked over and remembered to bring the camera...
This tour is amazing to us because we dropped by without notice, meaning that the following photos are of how they live day to day, not styled for photographs. The house seems to effortlessly mix styles and eras and plays the perfect backdrop for many of Peter’s sculptures. The well proportioned spaces and careful attention to natural light make this modestly scaled home feel light and airy, while the pared down interior matches the colonial sensibility. The minimalism creates a lovely contrast with the historic elements that we find inspiring in their authenticity.
Don’t miss the rock garden between the house and the porch, the attic stair pantry in the kitchen, and the glossy white painted bedroom floors. And in case anyone notices, yes, there is only one appliance in the kitchen - the stove. The fridge is located downstairs in a root cellar to allow the kitchen to be truly minimal. Pete and Sandy’s house is surrounded by vegetable and flowering gardens, and Peter's modern post-and-beam sculpture studio (which he built) is nearby. But that's for another tour!
AT Survey:
My/Our style: A mix of country, classic, modern, minimalist, cozy, and quietly chic
Inspiration: Nature, peace, love, and understanding
Favorite Element: The small scale; The directions: south facing house, north facing porch, east facing bedroom; Sculptures; Colors; Morso stove
Biggest Challenge: To allow the early 19th Century cape keep its character and, at the same time, live with ease and a modern, minimalist sensibility
What Friends Say: Charming and lovely, empty and minimalist
Biggest Embarrassment: Always so many things still to do
Proudest DIY: Restoring the entire house; Choosing colors and furnishings
Biggest Indulgence: The sink, stoves and three small tables made by a dear fine furniture maker friend
Best advice: Simplicity; Less is more; Quality whenever possible; Create the feeling of the space you want, not "the look"
Dream source: Many things Swiss and Asian
Inspiration: Le Corbusier, Giacometti, Scarpa and many more
Resources:
Appliances: Wolfe, KWC, Miele
Hardware: Old/original
Furniture: Mostly non-expensive antiques - auctions and small shops
Lighting: Hubbardton Forge, Peter France, and standards like Lightolier
Rugs and Carpets: Little River Oriental Rugs, Concord, NH; A Candle in the Night, Brattleboro, VT; auctions
Tiles and Stone: Marble and Granite, Westwood, MA
Window Treatments: As few as possible
Beds: Made our own
Artwork: Mostly sculpture and prints by Peter France, Crow Studio; also, small old English and French prints and antique shops finds
Paint: California Paints and Farrow & Ball
Flooring: Old soft and hard wood; lots of oriental rugs, old and new
(Thanks, Pete and Sandy!)
The Roeders' Modern Life is Beautiful 
Kitchen Transformation: Photos of a Step-by-Step Renovation Process
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunter Bennie Garde...
Make Chocolate Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping with Only 2 Ingredients
How to Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time
Comments (18)
What a beautiful house. Every inch of it feels so loved and special -- I actually feel touched by this tour. Thank you.
I love the glossy white floors upstairs. Would you mind sharing the process you followed to get them so shiny? I'm about to paint all of my bedroom floors white, and your photos are great inspiration.
Really lovely.
My dream country home. It's perfect.
so refreshing! such calm and inspiring home! outstanding tour! many thanks!
GORGEOUS. It's like a Shaker house, but with a sense of humor.
Thanks for showing your lovely home. It is a pity your slide show didn't run it takes a while to look at 39 thumbnails.
I love it all ... except the fridge in the basement. It's nice to have a minimal kitchen and all, but it still needs to be functional.
Your home is beautiful and it is wonderful to see that it has been well loved by you and your family and friends for 36 years!
A labor of love, and lovely!
I thought I was the only one who had to use the thumbnails, and lucky if those work.
such a truly beautiful house. thank you for the peek.
one of my favorite tours--everything is just gorgeous!
blech
I can see nothing. Thumb nails or slideshow. I'm very sad.
I can't see thumbnails or slideshow.
I love the kitchen! What a great sculpture you are, Peter! I had no problem seeing the slideshow, by the way...
Although I love the spare look of the house; I can't imagine the starkness, and the preference for darker colors, in the middle of a long NH winter.
I love it. There are so many things I love about this tour - the glossy floor is definitely at the top of the list.
Would love to know what paint colors were used in the sitting room, and below the wallpaper in the dining room.
Thanks for the tour!
Normally I don't like wall paper, but in this instance the total look is well done -- very charming. I like the wall paper detail on the light switch.