Modern, Naturally Prefab Houses

A steel-and-glass prefab home connects to the outdoors.

Modern and Natural Prefabricated House Picture

When Boston architect Jim Higgins purchased a little gray house and an adjoining plot of land on Spinney Creek in Eliot, Maine, he thought he had found the perfect project. His plan was to fix up and sell the existing house and build another traditional New England-style home next door. Instead, he built a low-lying, rectilinear house sheathed in corrugated galvanized steel -- a far cry from the shingled Cape Cod-style homes that surround it.

Back in November 2006, Higgins, 48, a principal with PH Partners, fell in love with a prefab home he saw in Dwell magazine. The house, designed by architect Rocio Romero, so intrigued him that he traveled to Perryville, Missouri, to see Romero's own home and learn more. He bought a kit. "I really like her," Higgins says, "and appreciate her whole shtick about making modern design affordable."

Romero's LV Series kits, manufactured in Missouri, include the components for the exterior shell of the house (minus windows and roofing material) and construction plans that a general contractor can follow. The materials can be erected onto the foundation, which is also not part of the package, in about a week. Interior finishes are the owner's responsibility.

Inside, Higgins chose a crisp white palette with pops of color to complement the airy design, and did so on a budget; he says he spent about $350,000 on the completed house. The main level (there is a full basement, too) is 1,453 square feet and includes an open living area, master suite, guest room, and bath. The kitchen is outfitted in glossy white and stainless steel IKEA cabinetry, white tiles, and white Caesarstone counters. The dining table is from a wood-slat-and-steel set bought on sale at Sears; it's destined for the outdoors when Higgins is ready to splurge on a Florence Knoll model. Throughout, Higggins mixes chain-store finds with pieces designed by modern masters like Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen.

The home offers a striking juxtaposition to the New England landscape. The entire back of the house is glass, so from the living room, mere steps from the creek, inside and out are barely distinguishable. Higgins says he "loves to sit here staring out the window, to watch the sun set, the moon glow, the snow fall." It's like being outdoors, he says, "without the cold."