This Lincoln Home Boasts a 20-Foot Cathedral Ceiling Perfect for Fall Foliage Views

Architect: Black River Architects. Contractor: Harper Elm. Floor Tile Installer: K&B Tile / Photo by Edua Wilde Photography

The Problem

While building their forever home atop a bluff overlooking scenic conservation land in Lincoln, a Bay State couple yearned for an open, formal living room that showcased the impressive views. The catch? They also needed enough wall space to display pieces from their extensive art collection.

The Solution

To create a space that celebrates both the scenery and the homeowners’ artwork, designer Jim MacPhee dreamed up a 460-square-foot room with a 20-foot cathedral ceiling. Working alongside contractor Ian Harper (of Acton-based Harper Elm), the team then installed scissor trusses made of fir—an homage to the landscape—to prevent the white ceiling “from feeling sterile,” Harper says. A wall of triple-glazed windows, meanwhile, provides visual interest all year long. “As the season progresses, you see the foliage come and go,” Harper notes. “And as the leaves drop, the views open up.”

With the bones in place, MacPhee set about creating a home for the family’s treasures along one wall. Now, two framed paintings flank a recessed shelving unit filled with heirlooms. The homeowners rotate the display, which includes such pieces as antique kettles and extravagant chalices. “This living room intends, quite simply, to delight,” MacPhee says.