When a roof fire damaged the shingle-style home of architect Michael McKinley and his wife and designer , Kathy Calnen , they were ready to reimagine their space . They wanted something sustainable that more closely reflected the style of the nearby farms in Stonington , Conn . Also on their must-have list : geothermal heating and cooling , solar panels and other features incorporating recycled , maintenance-free and fireproof materials .
“ As far back as ten years before , we ’ d used geothermal in other projects ,” says McKinley , principal of Michael McKinley and Associates . “ I ’ d be envious of clients ’ homes with radiant flooring , for example , but ours wasn ’ t suitable for retro fitting ,” he says . “ The fire forced us into the position of our clients who were doing their forever house . Now here we were in the same position . We hadn ’ t planned it , but we became like our clients ,” he adds . “ The bright side of losing a house is you get to do a new one . That ’ s not always the case .”
THIS PAGE , ABOVE : The downdraft induction cooktop is Thermador . BOTTOM : The house ’ s south exterior .
70 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2022