For this waterfront home on Little Sunapee Lake, Bennett Builders and Bonin Architects used ICON® Reserve Douglas Fir to create a defining architectural feature. A nickel gap ceiling extends across the full wraparound porch, with the beams wrapped in the same material. Continuing the detail over the entrance and carport brings warmth, rhythm, and visual continuity to the home’s exterior.
Little Sunapee Lake, NH
Bennett Builders
Bonin Architects
Belletetes
James Reed
ICON® Reserve
Douglas Fir
Porch ceiling, Soffit, Wrapped beams, Carport & entrance overhang ceiling
Bennett Builders had previously used ICON® for a porch ceiling and knew the material could deliver the natural character and refined detailing this project required. Cedar was also considered, but ICON® Reserve Douglas Fir achieved the intended warmth of natural wood and could be supplied in the required profile to meet the project’s timeline.
ICON® Reserve transforms the underside of the wraparound porch into a continuous architectural plane. Wrapping the beams in the same nickel gap material allows the ceiling lines to carry through the structure rather than stop at each transition. Extending the treatment across the entrance and carport unifies these distinct exterior spaces and creates a strong first impression of the home.
The waterfront setting called for a material that could respond to the project’s exposure requirements without sacrificing the visual character of natural wood. Alternatives such as PVC and composites presented a different aesthetic and would not have brought the same warmth and depth to the design.
See for yourself how you can turn an architectural statement into a timeless ICON®.
