Open Door Farm is the last remaining 12 acres of what was once a 1,000 acre hunting and fishing lodge owned by a group of doctors at the turn of the century. By the time we started with it (see the before photo), it was a cape that had been added onto and was poorly preserved.

The property however, boasted a pond, beautiful trees, a barn and great horse fields for our clients horses.

Our goal was to preserve the original horse driven heritage of the Great Falls Virginia country side and to build a home that felt at home in that culture.

Two of the rooms of the home had been build from chestnut and apples trees from the property. We preserved these rooms and added a house around it that felt of the farm.

The name Open Door Farm stems from the open arms of our clients who had a hard time getting our contractors to leave when the project was over. Their friends and children's friends love the property and everyone feels comfortable inside and out there.

The project was featured in Home and Design Magazine, top 100 designers, and MTV Teen Cribs ... though this episode of teen cribs was more about how the house teaches kids to appreciate nature instead of just being a house for spoiled children like many of the other shows featured homes.

Architect: Seth Ballard, AIA, NCARB