The Potters’ Place
- Creativity is a family affair for, from left to right, Lee, Sparky, Peggy, Charlotte and Grace Potter. Credit: Angelo Lynn
Tucked into woods on a steep mountainside in the idyllic ski town of Waitsfield, Vt., is a compound of work sheds and a three-story residence that take their inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It’s where wood carver and custom-sign maker Sparky Potter and his wife Peggy, whose handpainted bowls are exhibited nationally, have built their home and business, and raised three artists of their own: Charlotte, a glass blower, Grace, a budding rock star, and Lee, a poet.
On the outside, the structures have a common Tudor style—that drippy, thatched-roofed look of Old World architecture with heavy doors etched with carvings of fairies and wizards. Sunken horizontal windows capture an English-style cottage, and a German-inspired tower is muted by large decks overlooking the Green Mountains. Inside, an eclectic array of styles reflects the organic manner in which the Potter family thrives.
“The outside of the building maintains a strong, medieval Tolkien character,” says Sparky, a lifelong skier who, at age 61, still wakes before dawn on powder days to catch fresh tracks at nearby Mad River Glen. “But the inside of each room is a different story. Each room can take on its own personality.”
Web Exclusive: View more images of the Potters’ home:
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
The Potters spend most of the summer on the front porch of their Waitsfield, Vt., home, even sleeping in an outdoor bed.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
The former site of the Potters’ sign shop, Wood & Wood, is now their daughter Grace’s music studio, and a popular hang-out spot.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
A corner of Grace Potter’s music studio.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
The Potters drew from a number of influences to create their handcrafted home. This porch support detail was inspired by a monastery in Albuquerque, N.M.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
Stained glass windows add a colorful detail to the four-story tower in the Potters’ home.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
Handmade details find their way into the upstairs bathroom. The glass antlers and wall art are by the Potters’ daughter Charlotte. The soap dish is by Michael McKenna.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
Sparky Potter is pictured at his custom-sign business, Wood & Wood.
- Credit: Angelo Lynn
Peggy Potter is pictured in her studio with her handpainted maple bowls.
For more of “The Potters’ Place,” pick up the Spring 2010 issue of AmericanStyle today! Subscribe now and never miss an article!
