CHILMARK GLASS HOUSE

Inspired by the purity of a restrained palette, this house was created with a completely glass envelope, exposed steel and locally sourced materials. The marble counters from a Vermont quarry, Martha's Vineyard artisan-crafted dining table and local window and door fabricator all draw from makers within the region. Even the coffee mugs were thrown on the island from clay unearthed on the building site.

See a curation of the products and furnishings selected for this house on our shop page.

Architecturally designed mid-century modern inspired glass house on 10 acres of open land and privacy in Chilmark.
In addition to Interior Design, we offered Interior Architecture services: specifying stone, tile, paint, lighting; as well as sourcing and procuring all furnishings, window treatments, and accessories.
Entry bench by Chris Earl
Handmade live-edge table by Nate Morgan + Collins Heavener
Dining chairs by Sobu
Custom oak closet by local cabinet maker Thayer Cabinetry
Hand-finished, custom metal work by local metalsmith Paradis MetalWorks
Side tables + stools by Marshall Farm Woodworks

REVERENCE FOR NATURE

The core design concept for this project was teaching our children about nature. We wanted to show them the changing of the seasons, the native wildlife that inhabits our island, and the life patterns of living by the sea. The all-glass home allowed us to show them rather than just tell them. In the mornings, our young daughter, Summer, points out the birds in the trees at our breakfast table.

Exterior image of glass house with open floor plan and surrounding grass

MATERIAL HONESTY

The windows and doors were a critical design component. We worked with local makers to custom fabricate the wood, window and door package and finished them with a natural oil to express the wood grain patterns. Maximizing the glass size was a priority.

The building materials were chosen for their durability, but also for their material honesty. It was important for us to create a project with design integrity and to achieve that all the materials that we used had to be hand selected for those traits.

A SPECIAL, LIVE-EDGE CUSTOM TABLE FIT FOR CO-ENTERTAINING

The live-edge custom table was co-designed by Nate Morgan (Morgan Studio) and Collins Heavener (Marshall Farm Woodworks) on Chappaquiddick Island (a small, neighboring island next to Martha's Vineyard).

Nate sourced the unusually shaped black walnut slab while Collins designed the base, crafting a wider leg supporting the wider end of the table and scaled the wedge mortise and tenon at each leg.

Typically separated at the table during their dinner parties, Nate selected the slab with the intention of being able to sit together — next to his wife, Lauren, at the same end of the table.

"THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE REMINDS US DAILY THAT IT WAS ONCE A LIVING, GROWING TREE, WHICH FEELS REALLY SPECIAL AND RESPECTFUL, ESPECIALLY WHILE SITUATED AMONGST THE TREES."

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU CLAY…

While excavating for the house, we discovered most of the soil is clay, which added a large complication to the building process. We confronted a giant mound of clay every time we drove up to the house and were told we would have to pay (quite a hefty sum) to haul it off the island.

Around the same time, we met a local potter who mentioned he used local, native clay in his work. Serendipitously, we were able to offload a few truck loads of our clay for his use! And, as a house warming gift, he made a set of mugs for us from the clay.

It’s such a special experience to drink our morning coffee from mugs made with this unique clay from our homesite.