Rustic charm and comfort
Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Washington, Maine, New Found Farm stands as a testament to dedication, vision, and collaboration. Conceived over two decades by Knickerbocker Group’s design operations leader and architect Sue Mendleson and engineer Todd Bennett, this remarkable home merges the rustic charm of a barn with modern comforts, all on land inherited by Mendleson’s family.
The idea sprouted simply from a shared admiration for barns. Drawing from Mendleson’s early career experience in post-and-beam construction, the couple embarked on a meticulous planning phase. They pored over coffee-table books, took countryside drives for inspiration, and settled on an English barn design with distinctive features like weathered shingles, a cupola, and sliding doors—a nod to an inspirational Union, Maine barn they discovered. The project soon became a true collaboration of community and craftspeople, with builder Lorraine Construction, interiors builder Tim Fortune Carpentry & Design, Landscaping visionary Hall Landscaping, and the expert team at Knickerbocker Group working in harmony to bring the vision to life.