When Robert and Judith Marak bought 5.8 sloping, wooded acres overlooking Exeter's Yorker Mill Pond, there was never a doubt what type of house they'd build.

The couple had raised their children in a modular deck house and loved its solid post-and-beam construction, open floor plan and large windows designed to frame the natural surroundings.

The 2,200-square-foot house they built in 1990, on 100 Mill Pond Rd., also included the latest in passive solar efficiency.

The design not only fits in aesthetically on the rural property but, with the help of a wood-burning stove, has proved to be a cost-saver. Annual oil use has consistently been less than 600 gallons.

"On a sunny winter's day it can get so warm you have to open a door to let the heat out," Judith said.

A gravel driveway winds through woodland and rock formations that cover the property. The house's sloping roof peaks above a ledge that once may have been part of a granite mine.

"We were the first ones to build in this patch" of town, Robert said proudly.

Visitors enter through a mahogany waffle-style door to a small foyer.

One of the benefits of building their own house was the chance for Robert, a retired biologist and a recreational carpenter, to design parts of the interior.

To the left of the entrance is an example of his handiwork: a built-in glass display case flanked by mirrored closets. The case holds small dolls collected from around the world.

Light streams in from a skylight, which opens to let in cool breezes.

The foyer steps down to the house's largest space, a great room that includes a dining area and kitchen. The room is dominated by a wall of windows and sliding doors that overlook the pond, stately oaks and a gazebo.

Remote-controlled shades on the top row of windows help control the heat on hot days.

The house also has central air conditioning on both floors.

Marble flooring helps conduct heat in the winter.

The room's open floor plan "is nice for entertaining," Robert said. "If you are in the kitchen, it is easy to talk to people out here."

A large wood-burning stove rests on a bluestone floor. There's a granite wall behind the stove.

At its peak, the ceiling is about 19 feet high, making the expansive room seem even larger. Exposed beams add to the house's rustic feel.

Built-in teak cabinets and a buffet counter, both made by Robert, provide handsome storage and display space near a dining table.

The kitchen is small and utilitarian. There's a desk built neatly into one corner. A hidden pantry fills one wall.

Most appliances are about 15 years old. They include a Jenn-Air stove and oven.

Pink ladyslippers painted on a ceramic backsplash echo the property's natural surroundings.

On the opposite side of the great room is an enclosed patio with brick flooring, four sunscreens in the ceiling and sliding doors on all sides.

From the patio, the Maraks watch birds flit among the trees, while deer, foxes, turtles and other wildlife roam the woodland.

The first floor also includes access to a partial basement that was literally blasted into the ledge. There's enough room for a washer, dryer, freezer and storage shelves.

Near the basement entrance is a full bath and a small den.

Stairs lead to a landing that offers more expansive woodland and water views.

The second floor has two bedrooms and two baths.

The master suite has a double closet. Sliding doors lead to a square, open space overlooking the dining area. The Maraks have set it up as an office, with shelves on one wall.

The house has an attached two-car garage with a loft and fiberglass doors that let in natural light.

The house has cedar siding and asphalt shingles that were replaced four years ago.

The property is mostly wooded. It includes a fenced vegetable garden and a screened gazebo, the latter near a small dock. Canoes, kayaks and fishermen are regular sights on the pond.

The Maraks are selling because the property has become too much work to maintain. They plan to move to a condominium.

The rural neighborhood is sparsely populated, with houses tucked into the woods along the pond on narrow, winding roads. The Yawgoo Valley Ski Area and Sports Park is a half-mile drive from the property. Route 4 is about four miles away.

The property was listed in February for $579,900. Real-estate taxes last year were $4,293. There's also a $400 fire district tax. Carolyn Chabot, of Randall Realtors GMAC, in North Kingstown, has the listing: (401) 294-4000, ext. 29.