A wooded landscape overlooking a tidal marsh provides the relaxed setting for this family’s rural retreat. Inspired by simple farm structures, the house is designed as an informal gathering of buildings, suitable for just a couple or for extended family gatherings. The main house contains the principal living spaces: a living-dining area with a stone fireplace; a double-height kitchen; master bedroom suite; and a screen porch. Family bedrooms are housed in a wing connected by an enclosed link while a guesthouse is joined by a covered outdoor walkway. Naturally aging materials - western red cedar, fieldstone, copper and slate - merge the house with its surrounding landscape.