Hobby Farm Home
THIS COUPLE BUILT THEIR DREAM HOME IN SHEBOYGAN WITH THE HELP OF GALBRAITH
CARNAHAN ARCHITECTS.
NESTLED NEAR THE CREST OF a hill in Sheboygan County, this new home, designed by John Annis of Galbraith Carnahan Architects, incorporates thoughtful placement and environmentally friendly design features that integrate the house into its pastoral surroundings.
The owners, a couple looking for a change of pace, fell in love with the rural property and bought the land to start a hobby farm. Anchoring this ambitious endeavor is their new threebedroom 2.5-bath home completed in late fall.
The vast property supports over 70 animals, including sheep, goats, five guardian dogs, and even a guardian llama. After a long day of work on the farm, the couple can relax and take in elevated views of the property from the intimate library & bar loft, a defining feature of the home.
One of the more technical aspects of the design is the home’s energy systems. A solar array field behind the house powers the electrical system and a boiler to heat the building through a radiant floor slab. The warm floor surface feels luxurious underfoot, and it’s all accomplished economically by harnessing the latent solar energy on the site.
The elegant design is a careful balance of natural materials like wood, stone and large expanses of glass. These south-facing windows allow the winter sun to naturally heat the interior spaces, while large overhangs block the excessive sun during the warm summer months. Rather than dominate the landscape with the building, Annis chose to site the home just below the hilltop and capture the sweeping view of the land they first fell in love with. ◆
DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
JOHN ANNIS is the Lead Residential Designer at Galbraith Carnahan Architects and the visionary behind Norwal Farm. Annis’ passion for cohesive design allows him to work with clients to ensure individual elements of a home seamlessly blend with the overall composition, resulting in designs that feel balanced and intentional. Annis holds a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from UW-Milwaukee and is a 2018 AIA Wisconsin Honor Award recipient.