Where Dreams Rest in the Meadows

Designer Michael Halpern and architect Nate Dalesio of Multitude Studio Architecture forge a creative collaboration that realizes a picturesque paradise

When he saw an idyllic open meadow set on a slanted lot in Litchfield, Connecticut, designer Michael Halpern was instantly struck with a vision to build his forever home that would embrace every angle of the land. He enlisted architect Nate Dalesio of Multitude Studio to help bring his concept to life after seeing a house that Dalesio designed for his family in New York. “Michael’s three top goals with the project were first and foremost to capture and take advantage of the spectacular views provided by the site, which immediately meant that the windows would be a crucial element to the design,” Dalesio recalls. “Secondly, he had the goal of realizing a warm and modern design aesthetic that fit into the vernacular architecture of the area and provided unexpected indoor/outdoor opportunities, and thirdly he wanted a clear separation of the public and private spaces to allow for seamless entertaining while maintaining a secluded environment for the bedrooms, study and master suite.”

They quickly connected over a shared visual identity and passion for architecture that honors origin, which served as the guiding light for the ground-up project. “While Michael brought his own vision and design direction to the project, elements of the design language and style were parsed from my own house, which Michael toured prior to hiring me as his architect,” Dalesio notes. The two devised a plan to meet the desired need for integrating the primary suite and study while positioning the guest bedrooms downstairs by melding the structure into the landscape and sloping lot. “Windows became a crucial component to accomplishing that and resulted in a lower level with deep penetrating light and an airy presence that hides the truth that it’s a walk-out basement,” says Dalesio. 

They turned to Marvin to curate a selection of windows and doors that enable the 4,000-square-foot barn-style structures to absorb as much of the natural light and surrounding landscape as possible. “The agrarian barn masses of the project are highly reflective of the agricultural heritage of the area, and the vertical wood siding is reminiscent of historic tobacco barns and storage sheds found across Connecticut,” Dalesio says. “The Marvin products were chosen for their elite performance as well as their narrow sight lines and optional white oak interiors, which fit seamlessly with the design and have elevated the aesthetic quality throughout the house. The ability for Marvin to provide large opening sizes with minimal mulls and fewer frames was also a deciding factor.”

By installing Alaskan yellow cedar siding and a galvanized standing-seam roof on the exterior, the collaborators paid homage to the regional use of pine cladding and tin roofs while ushering in a more elevated, durable aesthetic. Inside, significant details include dramatic vaulted wood-clad ceilings, expansive skylights and full-height windows and sliding doors from the Marvin Ultimate Collection—all perfectly framing the serene views. “The most significant feature of the home from the exterior is the polygonal window following the roofline in the stairway, which communicates that while the house looks like the surrounding agricultural structures, there is something very different going on inside,” Dalesio proclaims.  

Halpern and Dalesio, in collaboration with S J P Sons & Construction, created a pristine connection between interior and exterior spaces through a series of thoughtfully crafted moments. “The great room is anchored by the sliding doors leading out to the cantilevered deck and the floating fireplace situated in front of a full-height fixed window that visually connects the great room to the screen porch,” says Dalesio. 

What once seemed like a field of dreams turned into a forever reality for Halpern thanks to his wildly successful partnership with Dalesio. “Michael has described the house as a dream, and his reaction said as much,” the architect remarks. “The calm aura within the home, the scale and proportions of the spaces and the framed views in every corner of the house—balanced by the solid walls and privacy toward the road—created a sense of direct connection with the outside while being secure and sheltered at the same time.”

Step further inside this custom home designed by Michael Halpern and architect Nate Dalesio of Multitude Studio Architecture:

Presented in partnership with Marvin

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