DesignNJ-Dec23Jan24-Digital Issue

stylenewjersey | EXPERT ADVICE
Roxie, a Bernedoodle, rests
in the sunny pergola that
connects the three wings
of the house. “The pergola
overlooks the garden,
allowing the homeowners
a view of the changing
seasonal plantings,”
architect Michael Wu says.
The family room features
a peaked ceiling clad in
wood.
what I call the shed. Each structure is imagined as a stylized image of
New England homes and farm buildings.
DNJ: What are the characteristics of the main house?
MSW: The main building — conceived of as a “farmhouse” — relies on
a simplified Colonial-style form to convey a sense of tradition without
reverting to historical details. The first floor is organized around
an entrance hall that runs the length of the house and connects a
drawing room, den and stair hall. The second floor is devoted to
family quarters. The roof is cedar. Clapboard siding and fenestration
are overscaled to reduce the apparent building scale. The geometry is
simple, direct and formal.
DNJ: How did you give the garage wing its distinctive appearance?
MSW: The three-car garage space is imagined as a “barn,” so I used a layout
and materials associated with that aesthetic. That’s why the building is
34 December 2023/January 2024