March 4, 2025 | Maddie Brisbane
(Builder: Costello Fine Homes, Interior Design: Stephanie King Design, Photography: Somerby Jones Photography)
When it comes to luxury home design, secondary spaces are no longer just functional additions. They are now fully realized extensions of the home, blending comfort, style, and innovation. These stunning projects showcase how top designers and builders are redefining these spaces to create elegant, multi-purpose retreats.
1. Harborside Party Barn: E.J. Jaxtimer Builder
Once an aging structure used primarily for storage, this barn was reimagined into a fully-equipped entertainment space, featuring a full kitchenette, a serving bar, and custom cabinetry. The exterior mingles with the landscape, offering an inviting indoor-outdoor experience with new decking, a sparkling new pool, and a custom pergola.
(Architectural Design & Remodel: E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc., Landscape Design: Michael Curadossi, Windows & Doors: Andersen Windows + Doors, Photography: Chris Rucinski)
2. Barn Revival: Carpenter & MacNeille
A historic 1800s barn transformation, this project required meticulous preservation and creative repurposing. With the barn’s crumbling fieldstone foundation, extensive restoration was required to meet Concord Historic District’s exacting standards.
"The overriding objective was the preservation of an important historic structure,” says Michael Gray, Managing Director. “Our design goal was to repurpose the barn for a contemporary family to use and enjoy.” The post-and-beam interior was reconstructed with reclaimed beams, and original horse stalls were reimagined into a large entertaining space—complete with a basketball hoop.
(Architecture and Construction: Carpenter & MacNeille, Photography: Tamara Flanagan)
3. Beach House Guest Suite: Costello Fine Homes
In a beach house in Mattapoissett, classic New England coastal design glistens in shades of blue and white in the guest space.
The space features shiplap siding, sleek and functional tile flooring, and cozy furnishings ideal for quiet time by the coast.
(Builder: Costello Fine Homes, Interior Design: Stephanie King Design, Photography: Somerby Jones Photography)
4. Contemporary Cabana: Fallon Custom Homes
This contemporary cabana offers a deliberate contrast to the traditional facade of the adjacent main house. The cabana features custom wraparound transom windows and Kolbe double sliding pocket doors that open up on all sides.
Between the cabana and the pool, a streamlined design of native evergreen hedges serves to soften yet complement the sleek architecture of the pool, cabana, and peaceful morning garden.
(Builder: Fallon Custom Homes, Landscape Architect: LeBlanc Jones Landscape Architecture, Interior Design: Nicole Hirsch Interiors, Photography: Sean Litchfield, Chris Rucinski)
5. Artist’s Loft: Platt Builders
During a kitchen renovation, the team at Platt Builders and designer Sage Conti discovered the untapped potential of the home’s unfinished third floor, transforming it into a dynamic artist’s studio. Dividing the space into “work” and “play,” Conti designed expansive custom cabinetry for books and displays, along with an award-winning, split-apart desk.
The studio features an integrated drafting table with adjustable height and custom inserts for organizing pastels and watercolors. The loft’s “play” area features a three-sided fireplace, custom cabinetry for puzzles, and a kitchenette with soapstone counters and hand-cut mosaic tile, ensuring the artist has everything she needs at her fingertips.
(Builder/Custom Cabinetry: Platt Builders, Interior Design: Sage Conti, Photography: Greg Premru)
6. Dream Guest Cottage: ARCHWRIGHT Fine Homes
Originally a seaplane hangar built in the 1900s, this Tudor-style waterfront property is an architectural treasure. The estate consists of a primary residence, a guest house, and a carriage house, all unified in design.
Archwright conducted a full interior restoration, preserving its historic charm while modernizing key elements, as illustrated by this spectacular guest house.
(Builder: ARCHWRIGHT Fine Homes, Architect: SV Design, Interior Design: Jennifer Miller Studio, Landscape Contractor: Schumacher, Photography: Greg Premru)
7. Putney Carriage House: Yankee Barn Homes
Inspired by an original Yankee Barn Homes design—the Bennington Carriage House—this carriage house merges antique elements with modern features. Located in Mashpee, MA, the home boasts heated concrete floors, reclaimed wood, and soaring windows that flood the space with natural light.
"We love how our home weaves the past into modern features,” the homeowners note. “The passion that Yankee Homes had for our home was consistent from the design process to the construction crew.”
(Builder: Yankee Barn Homes, Photography Ryan Maheu Photography)
8. Waterfront Pool House: KVC Builders
Nestled between ocean and conservation land, this waterfront estate required careful planning to navigate a private access road and floodplain location. KVC Builders, alongside a talented team of architects and designers, adapted their methods to meet the site's challenges. The result is a stunning collection of structures, including an airy, light-filled pool house with panoramic bay views.
"Despite the constraints, the project team, through collaboraiton and hard work, were able to provide the owners with an authentic, high-quality, and long-lasting home," says Matt Kaufman, Partner and Project Executive.
(Builder: Koulopolous Vona & Co., Architect: Catalano Architects, Landscape Architect: Hawk Design, Interior Design: Manuel de Santaren, Photography: Trent Bell)
9. Wellness Wonderland: JW Construction
A vision of harmony between the built and natural environment, this property features two new contemporary buildings: a pool house and a yoga studio. Practical considerations of environmental sustainability were paramount in the design of both buildings.
“The yoga studio has a complex structural undercarriage so as not to disturb the coastal embankment,” says Paul Pfeiffer, Director of Operations at JW Construction. Both structures utilize a geothermal system for heating and cooling, and the pool house incorporates solar panels, ensuring energy efficiency throughout the year.
(Builder: JW Construction, Architect: Nicholaeff Architecture + Design, Landscape Architecture: Hawk Design, Photography: Michael J. Lee)
10. Grand Guest Quarters: CM Ragusa Builders
Designed for both comfort and elegance, this guest house is enriched with soaring windows and rich mahogany wood accents.
The spacious layout includes multiple bedrooms, making it perfect for hosting guests, while a gorgeous floor-to-ceiling fireplace serves as the heart of the living room. Above, a loft space offers a quiet retreat, ideal for unwinding and taking in the beauty of the guest home.
(Builder: CM Ragusa Builders, Architect: Fiorentino Group Architects, Interiors: P & H Interiors, Photography: Rob Karosis)
11. Fairytale Oasis: Soderholm Custom Builders
Situated on a hill that overlooks the Boston city skyline, this private stretch of property makes the most of its vast site. The gorgeous millwork shown on the main home continues in the poolside retreat, where the finishes give it a personality all its own.
The carefully planned sequence of spaces on the family compound brings every square foot to life, with something incredible to be discovered at every turn.
(Builder: Soderholm Custom Builders, Architect: Shope Reno Wharton, Landscape Architecture: Sudbury Design Group, Photography: Richard Mandelkorn)
12. Sleek Multi-Car Garage: Kistler & Knapp Builders
For a newly built Weston property, the garage is a standout feature, outfitted with compressed air, high-pressure water, white terrazzo floors, a luminous LED ceiling, and a glass door that opens outward to create a canopy for additional parking.
With the homeowner’s office overlooking the garage, automotive-inspired details are echoed in the office space, including a carbon fiber waterfall desk and a bucket seat-style leather chair.
(Architecture and Interior Design: LDa Architecture & Interiors, Builder: Kistler & Knapp Builders, Landscape Architect: Dan Gordon Landscape Architects, Photography: Greg Premru)
13. Smart Cottage: B.M.W. Builders
A pool house with personality, this project was designed to seamlessly blend with the main house while maintaining its own identity. With two bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a fully equipped bar area overlooking the pool, the space was built for summer entertaining.
The entire cottage is a smart home, with remote-controlled music, shades, and climate settings. Bi-fold windows at the exterior bar allow guests to enjoy the poolside view while sipping cocktails or watching TV from either side.
(Builder: B.M.W. Builders, Architect: Paul Muldoon Architects, Interior Design: Washashore Home, Photography: Amber Barricman Photography)
14. Earth-Friendly Patio + Garage: S+H Construction
Designed to accommodate frequent guests and capture natural light, this newly constructed home was built with exceptional energy efficiency. Though it prioritizes modern, low-carbon living, the residence maintains the local charm of the surrounding neighborhood.
Off of the kitchen, S+H built a spacious deck overlooking a lush, zen-like garden to maximize limited outdoor space. A green roof/roof garden was also installed on top of the garage, featuring raised planters and a built-in watering system.
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