Category: Residences

Tour Our Contemporary Shingle Home

Introducing our recently completed Contemporary Shingle home, a modern adaptation of the 19th century shingle-style. This stunning waterfront home dramatically manipulates scale and form in a timeless design.

The home’s eye-catching exterior features bold gestures of monolithic granite chimneys, sweeping overhangs – inspired by both shingle-style and pagoda roofs of the client’s heritage – and gable-end peaks that complement one another perfectly. The welcoming large portico draws in visitors.

There are many playful elements to this design, including the prominent three-floor stair tower at the façade.

At our Contemporary Shingle home’s rear, there are a variety of outdoor spaces, including a terrace, round porch, and uncovered and covered balconies. The backyard also features an infinity edge pool that visually flows into the sound.

Moving to the interior, the nautically-themed mudroom nods to the waterfront location of the home. The barrel-shaped ceiling with curved white oak beams and beadboard infill takes inspiration from the bottom of a wooden boat.

As people tend to spend most of their time in the kitchen and family room, our designs focus around an open floor plan that links these spaces, while also creating visual boundaries that make these rooms feel individual. The family room is a dramatic two-story space with clean and crisp detailing. The attic to basement staircase creates diagonal lines of circulation that allow it to be experienced from multiple floors.

Highlights of the kitchen include stained white oak ceiling, floor, and island with a natural tone contrasted by cooler tones on the custom soft blue painted cabinets and white stone tile backsplash and counters.⁣

In the L-shaped breakfast banquette area, the white oak and upholstered built-in seating uses a neutral tone that compliments the coastal color palette.

Situated off of the kitchen is the elegant serving pantry featuring polished brass hardware, in-cabinet LED lighting and marble slab backsplash to match the countertops.

As we move upstairs via the three-story stair tower, the design is light and playful, with an open tread staircase floating off of three glazed walls.

In the primary bathroom, a rich variety of material and visual complexity balances the space. Eye-catching contrasting elements include warm white oak vanities against cool-toned bookmatched stone slabs, grey painted walls and white flower tile mosaic floors. The space features an inviting freestanding soaking tub and exposed freestanding shower plumbing.

Our Contemporary Shingle project features a dramatic mix of traditional and modern materials and styles that combine beautifully. We’re proud to have created this timeless design that we’re confident will endure for generations.⁣

Thanks for coming along for a tour of our Contemporary Shingle home! To see more of our work, check out our Residences page and make sure to follow us on your favorite social media platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter.

On The Boards: 2024

As we all look forward to the upcoming spring, asphalt plants are due to open soon and framing crews are finally able to put away their hand warmers. Our firm hasn’t experienced much of a winter lull, following the trends of 2022 despite comparable interest rates and slightly higher labor rates. 

Homeowner confidence has remained extremely consistent with clients willing to invest in great design and quality construction, especially in high end markets along the east coast. As a number of our projects near completion, spring plantings are being ordered, while others projects are just getting ready to break ground and set formwork. The pace of projects seems to be increasing (or we’re just getting tired), but for now we’ll assume a faster pace! With that in mind, here’s a brief rundown of the projects that we’re currently working on.

One of the projects we’ve been working on is this Early Colonial Revival home.

A Look at What VHA is Working On in 2024

For those projects that began after the start of COVID, conditions are finally drawing to a close. Chief among them, our Inspired Greek Revival is weeks from completion and is absolutely top-notch inside and out. 

Check out this video of Doug discussing some of the design details at our Inspired Greek Revival project.

Our below-pictured Stone Georgian home should be completed in the first half of this year, and is no less impressive – especially given that it will take all of 20 months to build, which is unusually fast for such a substantial stone home. Not far behind is our Rhode Island Shingle project.

Check out some of the neat design details at our Rhode Island Shingle project.

Our geographical footprint has also continued to expand. Inquiries for projects in the past year have ranged from Cape Cod to Lake Champlain and from the tip of Long Island down to the Jersey Shore. One particularly fantastic client in Long Island was so impressed with his waterfront design that we were quickly tasked with developing homes for the two neighboring lots. All three are now underway and we can’t wait for the photos! Check out a rendering below for a peek at what the homes will look like once completed.

And of course, our home base of Greenwich continues to serve as a launch point for a portfolio of work that can be seen up and down the Connecticut coastline.

While traditionally inspired work remains the core of our portfolio, we have recently seen an increase in requests for more contemporary designs. These homes are not necessarily full modernist, but lighter and more minimal versions of traditional architectural styles. 

As has always been our opinion, we are not loyal to any particular style, but rather strive to create strong and lasting designs that will stand up to the test of time. To make sure that our clients enjoy these homes for many decades, we delve deep into design fundamentals and work with clients to create architecture that will endure.

One of these homes about to break ground is our Waterfront Transitional Shingle. A minimally detailed shingle-style façade addresses the street and a glass-filled waterfront rear addresses the panoramic views of the Long Island Sound. The steel structure required, curtain walls, and volumetric design will certainly be a special addition to our roster.

Another project we have in the works is our Mid-Country Colonial Revival. Watch the video to learn some details about the masonry and block work being put in place to support the brick veneer of the home.

As the construction market continues to normalize and there’s a hint of inventory present in the real estate market, now is the ideal time to plan your upcoming project. Reach out to us to discuss your dream home plans at info@vanderhornarchitects.com or (203) 622-7000.

Take a Tour of Our Colonial Expansion Project

Welcome to a tour of our recently completed Greenwich Colonial Expansion project! This existing colonial house designed by architect H.L. Coggins had charming character our clients wanted to preserve, but the home desperately needed upgrades to the kitchen, family room, and primary suite for comfortable contemporary living. Careful additions to this historic Colonial grant more space for modern living while also maintaining the look of a timeless classic. Check out a look at the before and after of the home’s front elevation:

The three-bay main front section of the house was extended, using relocated original windows to make this section appear to have always been symmetrically five bays wide. The expansion of the central mass allows a new primary suite wing to the right and kitchen/family room and garage wings to the left, not to compete scale-wise with the main section. 

The entry hall has a new portico and front door with leaded glass sidelights and transom.
New kitchen/family room and garage wings are carefully detailed to complement the existing house without competing with the main mass.

The generous variety of outdoor living spaces feature a new brick and bluestone patio nestled between the existing living room wing and two new porches off the new family room, one open and one screened.

Moving to the interior, the new layout for the main living spaces of the house creates a much more open space with connections from the kitchen to the mud room, family room, breakfast nook, and staircase to the recreation room.

In the kitchen, a custom elliptical banquette makes good use of the ample daylight provided from the corner windows.

The new adjacent large serving pantry features glossy deep blue lacquer and in-cabinet LED lighting that shines through glass shelves:

In the new family room, plenty of daylight is invited in via skylights and French doors. This space also grants a gracious open connection to the kitchen and breakfast room.

Moving onto the library, the mantel and paneled wall were preserved and reworked to allow the seamless insertion of new bookcases in matching cherry. A new hearth and plinth blocks let the natural wood hold center stage. 

Check out this glimpse at the original space:

The renovation also includes an office featuring custom built-ins to maximize the efficiency of this small space and create a comfortable work space for household business.

Next up are peeks of the primary bathroom suite. Curved vanities, paneled walls, and a coved plaster ceiling give this bathroom a soothing atmosphere. Built in medicine cabinets are concealed in the wall paneling to preserve the clean aesthetic while providing ample storage.

Over the new garage wing lies an attic that has been transformed into a great recreation room with ample space and light.

The custom bunk bed design complements the aesthetic of the house and creates a comfortable space for sleepovers.

We welcome you to watch the below video tour to learn more about the design of this Colonial Revival renovation from Doug:

To check out more of our work, please visit our Residences page.

10 Stunning Serving Pantry Designs

The serving pantry of a home, also referred to as the butler’s pantry, is a space located off the kitchen and dining room meant to ease entertaining. It provides an area to prepare food & drinks and store items such as glassware and china.

10 Stunning Serving Pantry Designs

The serving pantry often gets the most use during the holiday season when gatherings are in full swing. We hope that these peeks into our favorite serving pantry designs serve as inspiration for your holiday season entertaining!

Colonial Manor

The serving pantry in our Colonial Manor doubles as a bar and contains all the necessities, including glassware, kegerator, paneled mini fridge, and a full selection of spirits and mixers. During events the open side wall serves as a bar, helping deliver the sophistication of a Manhattan cocktail lounge to this distinguished residence. Glazed uppers, silver polished wallpaper, and high gloss paint add additional layers of interest and refinement.

Take a tour of our Colonial Manor here.

Colonial Expansion

The renovation of our Colonial Expansion project includes a new kitchen and adjacent large serving pantry. In-cabinet LED lighting shines through glass shelves, creating an impressive display for dishes that don’t see daily use, and of course, glossy deep blue lacquer is applied to the millwork.

Interior design of this project is by Linda Shockley & Associates and Karen Berkemeyer Home. See more of our Colonial Expansion home here.

Rye Beach Shingle

At our Rye Beach Shingle project, soft lacquer finish melds walls and trim to the decorative full-height cabinetry of the sunlit serving pantry. Additional details of the space include glazed doors, walnut countertops, polished nickel knobs, pulls, hinges, faucet, and a round hammered bar sink.

Check out more of our Rye Beach Shingle home here.

Rye Colonial

Next up is our Rye Colonial project’s serving pantry and bar, which features a rich burgundy color palette and brass mesh door panels. Interior designer Henry & Co was certainly not afraid to utilize patterns and color in this home, which was featured in Architectural Digest and can be seen here.

Classical Revival

At our Classical Revival home, the glossy deep blue lacquer of the serving pantry sets its glass display cabinets, plaster walls, and molded trim apart from the soft whites and warm grays of the dining room beyond. Industrial lighting is finished in polished nickel to match the Merit ball bearing hinges and slender waterworks pulls.

The pantry’s lower cabinets feature marble countertops and an enameled fireclay farm sink, along with integrated refrigeration and an ice maker.

See more of our Classical Revival project here.

Mid-Country Manor

Another charming serving pantry design is found in our Mid-Country Manor home, where our clients requested a simple contemporary look of white wood and marble surfaces to match the new kitchen design.

We welcome you to take a tour of our Mid-Country Manor project here.

Contemporary Shingle

The elegant serving pantry pictured below is situated off of the richly textured kitchen at our recently completed Contemporary Shingle home. It features polished brass hardware, in-cabinet led lighting and marble slab backsplash to match the countertops.

See more of our waterfront Contemporary Shingle home here.

Hilltop English Country

The serving pantry/ bar area at our Hilltop English Country project features a less typical cabinetry layout with double upper cabinets and glazed units that sit on the countertop. Clients love the ability to customize their pantries to suit their exact needs. Starphire glass, American cherry shelving, and leaded glass are featured in the wine room beyond.

Check out more of our award-winning Hilltop English Country project here.

Darien Colonial

Next up is our Darien Colonial design, where an understated serving pantry provides just the right amount of overflow from the kitchen. The butler’s pantry also houses a Subzero wine refrigerator.

See more of our Darien Colonial home here.

French Eclectic

Rounding off our list is our French Eclectic project’s serving pantry. Featuring luxurious paneled and glazed cabinets, the serving pantry is set beyond this French Normandy home’s striking kitchen design that incorporates reclaimed lumber and zinc countertops.

We welcome you to check out more of our French Eclectic project here.

Colonial Expansion

A careful renovation of this classic Colonial home brought new life while preserving its historic charm.  Expansions to the Primary Suite, Kitchen, Family Room and new rear porches and patios allow for comfortable modern living on a peaceful secluded site.

4 of Our Top Sunroom Designs

A sunroom can serve as a pleasant place to relax, unwind, and enjoy the outdoors while staying comfortable inside. For those reasons, it’s often a request of many of our clients in their new homes. Today we’re sharing four of our favorite sunroom designs that make for the perfect place to lounge and let the light in.

Classical Revival

Our Classical Revival project’s sunroom features a spectacular raised granite hearth, running bond brick splits and rustic stone fireplace. The glass panels are also interchangeable with screens so the client can cool off during the height of summer. Switching the panels back to glass when the weather starts to shift makes this a true three season space.

The French doors of the family room blend seamlessly into the rustic fieldstone wall with jack arch and solid bluestone sill.

This sunroom offers wonderful harbor views from the suspended day-bed and is the perfect place to relax or entertain!

Click here to take a tour of our Classical Revival project.

French Eclectic

Next up is the sunroom in our French Eclectic project. This sun-soaked space boasts intricate timber framework, brick floors and infill, and 180-degree views of the harbor and Long Island Sound beyond.

See more of our French Eclectic project here.

Rustic Barn

The sunroom adjoining our antique barn project helps make the project more functional as a guest house and entertainment space by providing a light filled room that the barn alone would simply not allow.

The conservatory, by Parish Conservatories, mimics greenhouses that were common on working farms and fits perfectly on this property between the lush gardens.

See more of our Rustic Barn project here.

Classic Georgian Restoration

Lastly, our Classic Georgian Restoration home features the chic sunroom pictured below. The original terracotta floors and load bearing brick arches are still intact, and the restored windows and doors look better than ever.

If you look closely, you’ll notice operable sidelights that rotate on a central pin rather that a typical hinge. A light whitewash over the brick gives the room a more current feeling to match the mid-century modern décor without losing the charm and original texture of the brick.

Our Classic Georgian Restoration exemplifies a significant undertaking in renovation and restoration at a classic Georgian home in Greenwich. Take a tour here.

If you’re interested in learning more about the projects that we currently have in the works, check out our 2023 firm outlook.

Hampton Cottages III

The third and final Hampton Cottage stands out with its dramatic stair tower, but also complements its neighbors with its thoughtful design.

Stone Georgian

A grand statement inside and out, this limestone Georgian is tailor built to the owners individual requirements.

Early Colonial Revival

Tucked inside one of Greenwich’s most coveted neighborhoods is this new colonial revival, designed to look as if it has always been there.

VHA Honored with two 2023 Alice Washburn Awards from AIA CT

We’re proud to announce that VHA is the recipient of two 2023 Alice Washburn Awards from The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut.

The Alice Washburn Award

The Alice Washburn Award is named for the distinguished Connecticut designer and builder of the 1920s, whose work is known for her thoughtful stylistic and programmatic invention. The program acknowledges excellence in traditional home design through the thoughtful adaptation of tradition to address 21st-century needs. Learn more about The Alice Washburn Award program here.

Mid-Country Manor Excellence Award

Our Mid-Country Manor has been selected for an Alice Washburn Excellence Award in the category of New Construction.

The architectural detailing and brickwork of this Greenwich CT English Arts & Crafts manor take center stage, highlighting its beautiful masonry with elegant proportion. The project began with a hundred-year old carriage house previously converted to a 3,600-square foot home. The clients happily raised their family there but always dreamed of expanding to a full estate, with room to entertain and welcome back now grown children and their families.

The manor now stands at over 12,000 square feet. Carefully detailed materials and forms merge seamlessly with the historic carriage house and stylistically follow the client’s favorite Edwin Lutyens designs and Edwardian English Arts and Crafts precedents.

The Alice Washburn Award jury comments for our Mid-Country Manor included, “Alice Washburn’s spirit raised to the nth power. Superb, beautiful, classic design with nice, and sometimes surprising, detailing.”

Interested in seeing more of our Mid-Country Manor? Check out a tour of the project here.

Connecticut River Shingle Merit Award

AIA Connecticut also awarded our Connecticut River Shingle project with a 2023 Alice Washburn Merit Award in the category of New Construction.

Just beyond one of the lower Connecticut River Valley’s most charming historic villages is this new 8,500 square feet shingle-style home, designed to take advantage of its challenging site and river views. The house is situated on a steep hillside, and between it and the river is an expanse of lowland with ponds.

The jury comments for this project included, “Faithful shingle-style creation, well executed inside and out.”

To see more, we welcome you to take a tour of our Connecticut River Shingle home.

We’d like to thank AIA Connecticut and its distinguished panel of jurors for recognizing our work on these two wonderful homes.

Click here to learn more about what our firm is working on this year.

Tour Our Connecticut River Shingle Home

Just beyond one of the lower Connecticut River Valley’s most charming historic villages is this shingle-style home, designed to take advantage of its challenging site and panoramic river views. Let’s take a tour of this charming waterfront home.

Situated on a steep hillside along the Connecticut River, the rear of the property features a large expanse of lowland with an existing pond and fields leading to the shore. The 8,500 square feet home is spread gracefully across the site, anchored by a base of local fieldstone foundation walls and multi tiered living spaces. The lower level takes advantage of the sloping site with full height french doors opening to a lower green terrace and pool deck.

Unique steel blue trim, columns, and entablatures add a lively contrast to the sweeping shingle rooflines and walls below.

There are a number of special touches incorporated in the cedar shingle walls of the residence, including curved inset windows at the double gable, diamond patterns at the second floor, and fish scale coursing on the upper level of the octagonal stair tower.

From the interior, the octagonal tower impresses as a nautically-themed work of art. The detailing at the ceiling inspired the lighthouse design of the newel post in the foreground. The home features cohesive nautical detailing throughout.

The primary stair off the reception hall features a more formal stair with turned newel posts and paneled wainscoting. The entry hall features floor to ceiling paneling with herringbone oak floors and clean, yet elegant decor.

In the living room, the fireplace and mirrored paneling welcome guests during the evening, but the expansive water views steal the show during the day. Custom windows feature meeting rails that have been raised above eye level to not obstruct the view, while the upper sashes maintain some traditional visual interest and detail with curved diamond muntins.

The interiors are traditional but gently detailed with simple classic mouldings. The primary rooms are arranged along the rear of the house to access the river views.

An up-close look at the dining room

The bright, functional kitchen ties into the rest of the first floor seamlessly, taking advantage of some small repeated details. Glazed diamond upper cabinets compliment the first floor windows and bead board adds subtle texture to the ceiling, similarly to the covered porches. Book matched granite backsplash and countertops add even more elegance. The kitchen sink is located in the island, so again, the owners can enjoy the coastal views that make this property so attractive.

All of the bedrooms in the home are located on the waterfront side of the home with service spaces (secondary bathrooms and closets) facing the rear.

Moving to the primary bathroom, a spacious layout with soaking tub and walk-in shower afford a resort-like experience. Marble accents in the basketweave mosaic floor are carried up to the top band of the tile wainscoting.

Stand-alone bathroom vanities make cleaning and maintenance a dream, but as for storage? Don’t worry, we’ve covered those bases with adjacent built in cabinetry and open niche for all of the bath necessities.

The formal library features stain grade paneling throughout, serving as a great place to take a meeting, or to just enjoy a good book in a quiet corner of the home.

The primary bedroom balcony gets the best spot in the house with enough space for a few rocking chairs and more. If we could wake up with coffee here, we’re not sure that we’d ever want to leave! On a clear day, visibility stretches for miles down the river.

The rear of the house continues the theme of outdoor living with wrap around porches. The bay windows lightly separate larger spaces from smaller nooks to provide more intimate entertainment areas.

A backyard pergola and beautiful landscaping surround the ideally located pool. During the months when the pool cover is on, the lower level location keeps it out of the primary sight lines. The walk out basement, however, makes it extremely convenient to access during the summer months.

The home was designed in collaboration with builder Bogaert Construction and landscape architect Kent + Frost Landscape Architecture.

We welcome you to take virtual tours of some of our other projects:

You can also click here to browse through our portfolio of recently designed homes.

Rhode Island Shingle

A classic coastal design, tailor-made for a special waterfront site with focused views.

Hampton Cottages II

Similar to Hampton Cottage #1, but designed for sale, this home is its own unique adaptation of a classic American style.

Hampton Cottages 1

A suburban adaptation of a classic American style, this home packs a generous program onto an elongated waterfront parcel.

Coastal Bluff Shingle

Perched on one of the highest points overlooking the Block Island Sound, this lighter iteration of the shingle style takes full advantage of its lofty position and broad exposure to the sea.

Three Nautically-Themed Home Designs

As an architecture firm based in coastal Greenwich, our clients often make nautical themes a priority in the creation of their dream homes. Whether the home is sited locally or further afield in expanding markets like NY, RI, or NJ, we never turn down the opportunity to borrow inspiration from the vast neighboring Atlantic and the vessels that sail her.

Overall styles can vary from French Eclectic to Shingle, but nautical gestures can be used across the spectrum to create a cohesive look. Shown below, clam shell built-ins provide a fresh and elegant way to bring the calm of the beach indoors.

Our Darien Colonial project’s living room fireplace is surrounded by honed absolute black granite and custom Federal-Style wood mantel. The paneled wall features cabinets, display shelves, and a curved niche with shell decoration made famous in the 1934 renovation of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Oval Office.

Three recently completed nautical projects of ours include:

The Rye Beach Shingle

Sited in Rye and recently featured in the hit Netflix show The Watcher, this idyllic home features diamond patterned windows and swept front bays that mimic the stern of a ship. The exterior invokes importance and elegance, without overwhelming formality.

The design also affords the opportunity for a bit of fun. Small nautical gestures reveal themselves as observers get to know the home, like the silhouette of a striped bass carved into the gable end as shown below. The adjacent platform with decorative wood railing and portlights also has nautical roots, as wives of whalers in 19th century Nantucket used the rooftop platforms to search for their spouses’ ships in the harbor. Unfortunately many ships did not return, and the platforms became aptly known as Widow’s Walks.

Moving to the interior, the lower level recreation space includes shiplap paneling with v-groove profile and barn doors that open to reveal a double bunk niche. Dock cleat handles and stain-grade cap rails further emphasize the theme and are a lot of fun for young guests and residents.

After a good night’s rest in the bunks, it’s time for some exercise in the sport court or liquid refreshment at the stain-grade cherry wet bar. The bead board paneling, mirrored backsplashes, brass lighting, and curved bar corners would look just as appropriate on a luxurious ocean liner as they do in this bright recreation space.

Of course, the interior furnishings and color pallet help support the cohesive nautical theme.

The home’s library includes American Cherry paneling, built-in bookcases, a hidden doorway, and mantel with the abstracted lapstrake hull of a wooden sailboat.

Our Rye Beach Shingle’s third floor office suite features the ‘ribs’ of a ship along the ceiling, with vaulted widow’s walk ceiling, portlights and shiplap wainscoting.

See more of our Rye Beach Shingle project here. You can also learn more about how the home was featured as the set for the Netflix series The Watcher here.

Next up is our:

Connecticut River Shingle

One of our newer projects that features lovely nautically-themed detailing is our Connecticut River Shingle. Just beyond one of the lower Connecticut River Valley’s most charming historic villages is this shingle-style home, designed to take advantage of its challenging site and river views.

The main staircase located in the octagonal tower is a work of art that reaches all floors in the home. The detailing at the ceiling inspired the design of the newel post in the foreground.

The library is paneled in white oak and finished with a light color palette to keep the space welcoming. River views and an abundance of natural light provide a nice contrast to the libraries of the past that were often more like cigar dens than functional high use spaces.

Interested in seeing more of this residence? Check out our Connecticut River Shingle project page.

Last but not least is our:

Seaside Shingle

After traveling down a long winding driveway, this private dockside paradise welcomes guests with swept double gables and an elaborate entertainment focused backyard program.

Designed to maximize waterfront views and natural light, the spacious, open living areas feature some subtle and some overt nautical styling.

The watch tower and yacht club style entertainment spaces are revealed in the rear.

Perhaps the most impressive nautical space in the home is the lower level entertaining space – where broad openings separate activity zones for kids and adults. A custom-designed pool table in the recreation space mimics a tender on stands waiting to be launched. Red and green lighting reference navigation lights that guide ships back to harbor.

The rec room’s custom made nautical billiards table

The children’s play space features a mock tall ship with functional crows nest, wheel, and even cargo hold for young adventurers to explore. When the lights are dim, the curved ceiling reveals an LED fiber optic constellation map that twinkles and displays the occasional shooting star. Adjacent ‘harborside’ bunks complete an imaginative nautical dream world that will surely be a sleepover destination for multiple generations.

Four comfy bunk beds enclose the play area. The paneled bunks feature stained cherry rails and custom ship ladders.

Additional highlights of the recreation space include a 200-bottle wine cellar wall, teak wet bar and gaming space.

See more of our Seaside Shingle project here. You can also learn more about our Seaside Shingle’s nautically themed rec space here.

Mid-Country Colonial Revival

Nestled in the peaceful woods of North Greenwich, this Colonial Revival home will greet visitors with a formal façade of brick and wood clapboard siding.

What’s New in 2023!

2022 proved to be another busy and productive year for our team in Greenwich, CT. The continued momentum of the east coast housing market helped bring the number of projects we’ve worked on to over 300! Check out our 2022 video recap to learn more about the projects that kept us on the move.

We’re looking ahead to another jam-packed year of designing homes and with that in mind, here is a quick look at what we’ve been up to and what’s in store for VanderHorn Architects in 2023.

Contemporary Shingle project under construction

Despite supply chain headaches and other Covid related challenges, a number of projects that began at the beginning of the pandemic have wrapped up.

In the next few months we expect to complete our Contemporary Shingle home (above). This new waterfront home being built in Darien features 6′ deep eaves, Alaskan Yellow Cedar siding and roof, and a mix of steel and wood fenestration. Below, our Colonial Expansion in Greenwich brought an early H.L. Coggins house back to its former glory through a full renovation and expansion of the living spaces.

Colonial Expansion renovation in progress

Another project close to completion is our Waterfront Colonial Cottage, a 4,900 square-foot Cape Cod style home that takes full advantage of expansive water views with a emphasis on outdoor entertainment. The front of the home is understated as to not overpower the main home, while the rear opens up to a large pool deck, flexible indoor/outdoor living spaces, and a rolling lawn that’s perfect for corn hole or frisbee golf.

A progress photo of our Waterfront Colonial Cottage in December

A rear view of our Waterfront Colonial Cottage

Construction on several other projects has just begun and we expect to share updates as the year progresses. Our Coastal Gambrel Shingle in Waterford, CT, is among them. The existing home on the site was demolished towards the end of last year. Below are renderings of what the waterfront home will look like once completed.

Renderings of our Coastal Gambrel Shingle home

Other projects that have recently broken ground include our Westchester Manor and Stone Georgian homes.

Renderings of the plans for our Westchester Manor residence

Stone Georgian project under construction

Our expansion into newer markets continues with our Watch Hill Shingle now underway in Rhode Island and North Shore Shingle taking shape on Long Island.  Below, footings are being poured in Watch Hill. Soon this new Shingle will blend seamlessly into the already iconic shoreline.

Footings have been poured at our Watch Hill Shingle project

While many people were discouraged by a cost prohibitive construction market in 2022, labor and material prices have started to stabilize and return to norms, making it the ideal time to plan upcoming projects. If you would like to start a design in 2023, VanderHorn Architects would love to help bring your vision to reality. Send us an email at info@vanderhornarchitects.com or give us a call at 203-622-7000 to discuss your home plans.

And don’t forget to follow us on your favorite social media platform to stay up-to-date with our latest happenings! Find us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. We also welcome you to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.

Our Rye Beach Shingle Takes On a Starring Role in Netflix Show ‘The Watcher’

One of our most beloved projects has gotten quite a bit of attention lately. Our Rye Beach Shingle home has taken on a starring role in the new Netflix series The Watcher!

While the show is inspired by true events that took place in a home in Westfield, NJ, our shingle project is located in Rye, NY. The design combines classical influence and complexity of form with naturalistic informality and eclectic detailing. The exterior of this idyllic home features four gables that intersect a central hipped-roof, matching front and rear shed dormers at the attic level that culminate in a widow’s walk with Chippendale balustrade, and a handsome pair of brick chimneys.

Our design’s exterior plays the part of the infamous residence in The Watcher, and the show utilizes a set for its interior scenes.

As reported in Dirt, “Where the [real] property is rather traditional in style with clapboard siding and a mansard roofline, its television counterpart, which towers four stories, is fronted with Cedar shake, handsomely valenced windows and a stone staircase that spills out onto a generous grassy expanse below.”

House Beautiful also points out some of the differences between the home that the story is based on and our shingle design, stating, “Like 657 Boulevard, it’s a shingle-style house, but the New York home is much grander than its real-life counterpart. It features six bedrooms and seven bathrooms that span 10,166 square feet, according to Zillow, whereas the New Jersey home has six bedrooms, four bathrooms, and spans 3,869 square feet.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HDkw100sXQ
The official trailer for The Watcher

In its debut weekend, The Watcher rose to be the No. 1 Netflix show in 20 countries. Visit our Rye Beach Shingle project page to see more of the home.

Our Top 6 Outdoor Spaces

A well-designed outdoor space is almost always a top priority of our clients. Luxurious, scenic, comfortable outdoor spaces allow homeowners to enjoy the outdoors while increasing the value of the home and maximizing the lot.

Today we’re taking a look at six of our favorite outdoor spaces. From covered patios and cozy terraces to chic pool houses, these designs make us wish it could be summer year round in New England.

Sun-filled Renovation Patio

First up is our Sun-filled Renovation, where a triple gabled glass roof replaced a basic pergola structure to extend the living space outdoors and repel the elements – creating an orangery of sorts. We sought to match the owners’ colonial home while simultaneously employing a contemporary design. The columns and gables are more traditional, while the powder-coated aluminum and glass structure put a modern spin on the space.

Thanks to built-in electric radiant heaters and cove LED lighting to illuminate the underside of the glass roof, the space is usable much of the year. The orangery even includes a special glass coating to reduce raindrop spots left behind, along with an electric snow-melt mechanism to combat winter weather.

The roof extends over the existing breakfast room, turning it into an exceptionally lit dining space.

Check out more of our Sun-filled Renovation here.

Classic Georgian Restoration Pool House

At our Classic Georgian Restoration, the pool house design echoes the arches and hipped roof of the main facade, where restoration of the home included repointing brick, refinishing – and in some cases rebuilding – windows, doors, shutters, trim and the columns of the stately double height Ionic portico.

The pool house’s shady pergola signals a casual atmosphere.

Interested in seeing the main facade? View our Classic Georgian Restoration project page.

Classical Revival Backyard

The exterior of our Classical Revival home features a resort-like arrangement of terraces, fountains, outdoor dining and lounge seating, and landscaping that centers around an impressive lap pool.

The spacious rear terrace with French doors leading to the dining room and family room looks out over the pool deck below, and the garden and water view beyond. Down a flight of stairs is the bluestone terrace featuring the pool house. This terrace is kept to a minimum depth around the pool to maximize greenery for comfort and lessen environmental impact of excessive impervious paving.

Our Classical Revival’s pool house is a petite gem of architectural design that was designed to anchor the outdoor living spaces. Beyond the garden gate, the pool pavilion is located prominently and partially enclosed by lattice.

The pool house offers lounge seating, an outdoor fireplace, as well as shade and rain cover under a rafter tail rich canopy and within a paired-column-and-lattice motif. It centers and focuses the axis of the pool and manicured landscaping, while overlooking the more natural lawn at the lowest landscape level near the waters of the Long Island Sound.

Learn more about our Classical Revival project here.

Classic Georgian Revived Patio

To complete a renovation in their classic Georgian brick home, our clients wanted to add to their casual gathering and entertainment space. Prior to the renovation, an underwhelming small patio sat outside the home’s French doors. Now, newly widened arch-top French doors open to the enlarged curved patio with room for a very generous furniture arrangement.

The outdoor space is defined by the curvilinear pergola atop a brick and bluestone bench wall. The central focus and anchor is the freestanding outdoor fireplace. Now, the owners can enjoy cozy gatherings even into spring and fall evenings.

Check out more of our Classic Georgian Revived here.

Seaside Shingle Backyard

Our Seaside Shingle project’s informal rear elevation features expanses of windows and French doors to capitalize on the home’s waterfront views. French doors lead to the spacious terrace shown below, which looks out over the pool deck and view of the Sound beyond.

This space features a dynamic wood trellis that links the home to the outdoor living space. Glass panels replace a traditional guardrail so no view is obscured.⁣

Outside the lower level is an expansive terrace – complete with an outdoor kitchen, infinity pool, spa and ample seating for entertaining.

Interested in seeing more of this residence? View our Seaside Shingle project page and take a tour of the home’s nautical recreation space.

Mid-Country Manor Backyard

Our Mid-Country Manor was built around an existing 100-year old carriage house, which is now a secondary wing. The rear of the home was designed to maximize light and visual interest, while tying in the existing carriage house to create a cohesive appearance.

Key features include the balcony bracketed in brick, creative use of roof shapes, and the columned triple arch leading to the covered patio, where one can find a fireplace with unique brick and terracotta accents.

Take a tour of our Mid-Country Manor here.

If you’d like to see more of our pool house designs, check out our portfolio of outbuildings.

Westchester Manor

At the end of a grand drive lies this stone and slate family home, hearkening to the grand estates of a bygone era.

Take a Tour of Our New Colonial Manor

Continuing where the late Roman Hudson left off, VanderHorn Architects recently completed this Colonial Manor here in Greenwich, CT. Let’s take a peek inside and tour this generously-proportioned colonial home.

Welcome inside! As you arrive in the welcoming foyer, you are treated to a view of the reception hall and rear lawn beyond.

The family room includes a 15-foot beamed ceiling, cozy alcoves, horizontal boarding, and ample natural lighting.⁣

The airy feel of the family room flows into the open kitchen, whose focal point is the nickel-silver range hood. Note the well-concealed refrigerator and freezer along the left-hand side.

Situated off of the kitchen, the butler’s pantry doubles as a bar and contains all the necessary items – including a kegerator – to serve both functions. Its glazed surfaces and wallpapered ceiling give it additional layers of visual interest.

The gracious, airy living room is bookended by two fireplaces and features five openings/doors with reclaimed leaded glass arch-top transoms.

The dining room space features textbook-quality classical mouldings, reclaimed arch-top transom, and glazed bi-fold doors that grace the room with diffused light.

Our Colonial Manor’s boldly-appointed den is filled with abundant natural light from two sides, and is further graced with four pedimented bookcases and a reclaimed leaded-glass fanlight over the double doors.

Located off of the mudroom is the home’s characterful potting room, designed as if it were a filled-in breezeway. While every inch is detailed to complement the spaces beyond, it is nonetheless a durable working space with its reclaimed steel and soapstone sink, antiqued brick floors, and high-grade wood trim throughout.

The special configuration of this rear staircase complements the massive reclaimed southern colonial doorway to its left. Its “boxed” risers and delicate balustrade make it quite unique.

Below is a peek at one of the bedrooms, which features eye-catching beamwork, wood flooring, and ample natural lighting, along with a look at the sun-filled master sitting room. The space takes full advantage of its southern exposure.

The project was designed in collaboration with builder Significant Homes and interior decorator Elizabeth Hague Interiors.

Interested in seeing more? Visit the following links for additional home tours:

Welcoming Spring in With a Look at 6 Potting Spaces

As we welcome a new season in, we’ve got all things springtime on our minds. From longer days and milder temperatures, to blooming flowers and lush landscapes, there’s a lot to enjoy!

For our clients who have a green thumb, a potting station is often near the top of the list when it comes to planning a new home. These multi-purpose spaces are perfect for germinating seeds, organizing garden tools, and potting plants in preparation for the coming spring showers.

To celebrate the start to the season we’re sharing six of our favorites that will undoubtedly make you want to grab a spade and pull on the work gloves.

French Eclectic Potting Room

The potting space off the mudroom in our Waterfront French Eclectic project provides a vivid pop of Azalea red that projects fun and informality. Water rings on the soapstone countertops aren’t a risk, but rather a well earned patina, and the giant articulated faucet makes watering a dream. After developing such a bright and fun space, we just couldn’t hide it away and instead opted to let the light pass through glazed pocket doors and into the hall.

Check out more of our French Eclectic home here.

Colonial Manor Mudroom

This characterful potting room belongs to our recently completed Colonial Manor. Designed as if it were a filled-in breezeway, each layer of the space tells a story. Antiqued brick floors, lattice wainscoting, and a beautiful reclaimed slop sink combine to create a refined, yet still functional work space.

Interested in seeing the rest of the home? See our Colonial Manor project page.

English Tudor Potting Shed

For the true enthusiasts, we’ve brought back our English Tudor Potting Shed from the archives. This beautiful outbuilding could be at home in a storybook, but is even better in real life built into the walls of this formal garden, complete with brick floors and a functioning fireplace.

Check out a few additional looks at this potting shed here.

Classic Georgian Revived Mudroom

The potting room in our Classic Georgian Revived project is one of our favorites. Previously an unused space that resembled an old carriage port, we built in cabinetry, lighting, HVAC, and of course the massive soapstone sink. The sink was custom designed with a rear drain and tiered levels to allow plants to soak. Adjacent cabinetry provides storage for a tools, outdoor gear, and dog beds.

The renovation also included a new patio space and new master suite. See more of the updated home here.

Classic Georgian Restoration Potting Room

The light-filled clipping station in our Classic Georgian Restoration provides a great spot to arrange flowers from the outdoor gardens. Featuring a classic farmhouse sink, honed jet mist granite, and custom cabinetry and shelving, this more refined potting space is still guaranteed to please.

Our Classic Georgian Restoration was a significant undertaking in renovation and restoration. See more of this Georgian Greenwich home here.

Colonial Revival Greenhouse

The above pictured greenhouse is a gardener’s dream! Manufactured by Alitex Greenhouses, this charming outbuilding sits on our Colonial Revival’s property, facing a naturalistic landscape of rolling hills in mid-country Greenwich.

See more of our Colonial Revival here.

Looking for more home inspiration? We welcome you to follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter for new project looks, behind-the-scenes peeks, and much more.

Home Office Designs That Inspire Productivity

Whether you are working from home full time or just a few hours a week, a home office should be a comfortable space that inspires focus and productivity. In this blog, we’re sharing a few of our top home office designs.

Sun-filled Renovation

First up is the home office from our recently completed Sun-filled Renovation. There was no room to spare in the existing architectural envelope, so we needed to transform a dimly lit attic playroom into a space fit for a board room zoom meeting. Here’s a look at the space pre-renovation:

By adding a new shed dormer between two existing pedimented dormers, we gained a generous room between with plenty of headheight. Skylights in the copper roof and the five new double hung windows bring in enough light to support a rich color palette of teal and earth tones. Full-height paneling wrapping the entire room gives the space additional sophistication and continuity.

An organized office is a functional office, so we needed these spaces to have plenty of storage. In the photo above, built-in shelving and cabinetry strategically utilize the awkward space under the main roof pitch and help conceal clues that you may be in the attic. A cozy lounge also serves as a great place to host co-workers or clients.

See more of our Sun-filled Renovation here.

French Eclectic

Next up is a peek at our French Eclectic Project. The private office pictured below is located on the top level of the home’s octagonal tower and looks out on panoramic views of the harbor. The multi layered space features tongue and groove pine facets on the turret ceiling split by reclaimed beams from a Pennsylvanian barn. Surrounding outswing casement windows make it easy to bring in the coastal breeze on beautiful days when you’d rather be outside than behind a desk.

Interested in seeing more? Check out our French Eclectic project page.

Rye Beach Shingle

The nautically themed office space in our Rye Beach Shingle home is perched on the third floor of the house offering views over the treeline to the Long Island Sound. The open spans and curved rafters are meant to mimic the ribs of a ship, complete with port lights in the sides of the widows walk. Whether you decide to establish a full room theme like this or simply hang a photo of your next travel destination, having something in your office to recall what you’re working toward is a great way to stay focused.

V-groove paneling, brass accents and stained walnut floors add additional depth and warmth to the space.

A completely sterile work environment is less likely to inspire creativity and fresh ideas, so bring in that favorite chair, listen to some music, and discover what type of home office environment works best for you.

Check out our Rye Beach Shingle project page to see more of this home.

Greenwich Normandy

In our Greenwich Normandy home, an extra attic space was turned into the stellar office seen below. The space features a stone terrace with a ringed balustrade, providing water views in the distance. Dormers behind the desk provide the room with ample natural light.

See more of our Greenwich Normandy home here.

What’s New in 2022

Welcome to another exciting year at VHA! Our team is keeping busy as we strive to keep up with the shift toward the suburbs and new design challenges presented by clientele and the industry. With many new projects on the boards and others nearing completion, 2022 will surely be a busy year for our firm. We look forward to sharing all of our work along the way.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of our ongoing projects below:

It’s well known by now that the influx of new home projects in the region has kept local contractors and building departments very busy.  This surge has made our existing relationships with builders even more important as we compete to have the most qualified contractors submit proposals. Our Inspired Greek Revival (pictured above) will be well underway before the first spring flowers bloom.

Pictured above, our Shorefront Shingle project is 90% complete on the exterior and being painted on the interior. Efforts will soon be focused on landscape installations and punch list items to prepare for the clients summer season move-in. Other projects continue to progress quickly, including our Waterfront Colonial Cottage, shown in its mid-framing stage below.

VHA’s expansion into new markets continues with our first home in the New London area.  The Coastal Gambrel Shingle (rendered below) is our latest project to compliment the Connecticut shoreline and is slated for completion in 2023.

Watch Hill, Coastal Connecticut, and Long Island are not far behind with projects in development, and we look forward to sharing those soon. These markets are not only pleasant to work in, they each have a unique architectural language that guides our team in producing a harmonious project.

Closer to home in Greenwich, we’re designing a private library for one of our longtime clients – which you see rendered above in pencil, along with a 3D view of what the interior will look like. The existing concrete block structure once served as an estate outbuilding, but after extensive renovations – including new windows, skylight, slate roof, brick cladding and a state of the art HVAC and fire suppression system – it’s ready for its new role as a gateway to knowledge and culture.

We frequently receive calls from clients looking to add an outbuilding to enhance their property. Such was the case with the pavilion pictured above, which will be constructed alongside our Waterfront French Eclectic project. These structures are often a welcome break to the complexity of new home or renovation project and merit very dense detail, as seen in this one-of-a-kind design!

If you’d like to schedule a consultation with us to discuss your new project, please contact us at (203) 622-7000 or email us at info@vanderhornarchitects.com.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram @vanderhornarchitects for more project updates!

Mid-Country Manor Tour

Introducing one of our newest completed projects, our Mid-Country Manor home! The architectural detailing and brickwork of this English Arts & Crafts residence take center stage, striking a beautiful balance between skilled masonry and elegant proportion. Let’s go for a tour!

The new home was built around an existing 100 year-old carriage house, so the brick had to match in terms of color, texture, coursing, et cetera.

A look at the original carriage house

While the general plan was rectilinear, volumes were pulled forward and pushed back to create rich, textured elevations as seen with this custom frontispiece.  There are also terra-cotta accents throughout the exterior, including the soffits. The slate roof is a lively combination of green, maroon, and grey to match the existing carriage house.

Moving to the interior, the home’s millwork design draws on English architect Edwin Lutyens precedents. At the entryway, the oak Corinthian colonnades rest on a simulated brick base of the same species and the design themes flow into the adjacent living room and hallways. 

The floor in the entryway is made up of an antiqued marble field with contrasting accents, while quarter-sawn white oak flooring is typically used elsewhere.

A few peeks at the elegant, entry stair, living room, office, and family room spaces are shown below.

For the design of the home’s kitchen and serving pantry, the owner requested a clean, modern look with honed marble backsplash and countertops.  The kitchen is located in the original carriage house section, with original brick walls still exposed, but painted white.

The contemporary theme established in the kitchen continues into the master bath. Dramatic, highly figured marble adorn the walls surrounding the tub and sink alcove.

The rear of our Mid-Country Manor was designed to maximize light and visual interest, while tying in the existing carriage house to create a cohesive appearance. 

The rear of the house blends seamlessly with the existing carriage house on the left and is complimented by a limestone balcony, brick brackets, beautiful roof lines and a triple archway leading to the covered loggia. The loggia offers a sheltered place to dine or relax while enjoying the outdoor fireplace.

As you can see below, it was quite a dramatic transformation to build our clients’ English Arts & Crafts dream home around the existing century-old original carriage house!

Interested in seeing more of our projects? Be sure to check out our portfolio of completed new homes, and stay up-to-date on DVHA’s latest news by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Instagram.

Colonial Manor

Continuing where the late Roman Hudson left off, VanderHorn Architects completed the design of this generously-proportioned colonial.

Classic Georgian Revived Home Tour

Meet our ‘Classic Georgian Revived’ project- a recently completed home renovation in Greenwich, CT. From the updated backyard entertaining space and mudroom, to the new His and Her master bathroom and closet, the style is traditional but fresh to suit our clients’ classic Georgian brick home.

The renovation included an expansion of the backyard entertaining space, creating a larger patio with an improved connection to the existing recreation space via new wide arched French doors. The new curved brick fireplace with bluestone bench and painted wood pergola help define the space. Speakers and landscape lighting are built into the new masonry.

Pre-renovation, the home’s mudroom was an empty space used only for a pass through to the backyard and entrance to the garage and guest suite above. By adding all new cabinetry, lighting, heating/air conditioning and plumbing, it has become a useful room for dog crating, potting plants and storage.

Our clients also wanted the luxury of separate His and Her bathrooms. To help make that happen, our team dove into the design to reconfigure the master suite and create separate bath spaces. A small extra bedroom was absorbed and re-planned to accommodate new His and Her baths along with generous custom closets.

Pictured above is the custom vanity for His bath, featuring rift-sawn white oak body stained in an ebony finish with Pietra Grey marble top. Both new baths feature luxurious upgrades, including radiant heat under the tile floor, steam showers, and hidden automated roll shades over the existing windows and balcony doors.

Pictured above is the new tranquil, watery blue Her bath. It features a custom vanity that stands on turned wooden feet, basket-weave thassos marble floor, and a freestanding tub centered in a window alcove. Next to the marble tiled shower is a custom make-up station that features an adjustable mirror and a table with divided drawers for peak organization. After washing up, one can cross the hall to the custom closets with LED surround lighting and divided drawers to complete an unparalleled morning routine.

Interested in seeing more of our renovations? Check out our renovation project page, and be sure to follow us on Instagram for project updates and firm news. We welcome any questions or inquires at info@vanderhornarchitects.com or (203)622-7000.

Contemporary Shingle

A modern adaptation of the 19th century shingle style, this stunning waterfront home uses the dramatic manipulation of scale and form to create a timeless design that will endure for generations. 

Happy 2021: Looking Ahead to the New Year

With 2020 quickly becoming a distant memory (don’t all shed a tear at once…), we are looking forward to a busy and interesting 2021. Through a tumultuous twelve months, we found ourselves at the center of a mass migration of city dwellers moving to the suburbs in search of additional space and work from home flexibility. These new projects presented interesting design challenges, but also challenges of safe staffing and the ability of architects to work from home. Through adaptation and with IT assistance, we managed to grow steadily as a firm while keeping all our projects running smoothly.

Without further ado, we’re excited to share some of our most recent projects below:

Rye Colonial

Our Rye Colonial project (pictured above) will be ready for the next school year, when the kids can hopefully join their classmates in person! Contractors have been pulling out all the stops to keep our projects running in a safe and timely manner.

Long Island Manor

Our Long Island Manor project has been working its way through approvals and will break ground shortly. The windfall in the suburban real estate market has restored confidence in many homeowners who now want to take on larger and more ambitious projects. This applies to both new construction and renovations.

Sun-Filled Patio Addition

Speaking of renovations, VHA’s renovation division has built on its strengths from last year, and continues to be a growing asset for the firm.

Lakefront Contemporary

While most of the projects we take on are classical, we have been working on several more modern commissions. Most notable is our Lakefront Contemporary project, pictured above.

Waterfront Colonial

Regardless of aesthetic, waterfront locations continue to be popular with our clients. This year we will be working on several prestigious parcels, the latest being our Waterfront Colonial (rendering shown above). Construction on this residence is set to begin this spring.

Waterfront French Eclectic

Waterfront French Eclectic Pool House

Existing clients are amongst our favorite to work for. They’re familiar with our design process and trust the expertise that Douglas and our talented staff bring to each project. We completed our Waterfront French Eclectic home in 2015 and are now designing the accompanying pool house pictured above. We can’t wait to see how this structure compliments the already beautiful home and landscape.

If you’d like to schedule a consultation with us to discuss your new home or renovation, contact us at (203) 622-7000 or reach out via email at info@vanderhornarchitects.com. Be sure to follow along with us on Instagram at @dvharchitects for more project updates!

Shorefront Shingle

With sprawling outdoor living spaces and water views from nearly every room, this double gable shingle style combines traditional geometry with a crisp and contemporary attitude.

Waterfront Colonial Cottage

Nestled in a cove on the Long Island Sound, this textbook-quality design surrounds a showcase of the latest conveniences and excellent views.

A Tour of Our Seaside Shingle Home’s Nautical Recreation Space

2020 has been a year full of the unexpected. Given the challenging circumstances of mandatory quarantines, telecommuting, and keeping our our kids busy at home amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we can all agree that a recreation room would be a beneficial home feature to have through it all.

A great entertainment space is stocked with amenities that each person in the family can appreciate, as the lower level space in our Seaside Shingle Cottage boasts. From a nautical-themed play ship area for the kids and a tech savvy wine cellar for the adults, to a game room for the whole family to enjoy, this rec room is undoubtedly a stay-at-home haven. Let’s take a tour!

Featuring interior design by Cindy Rinfret, a playful nautical theme resonates throughout the space as broad openings separate inspired activity zones.

The living area features a teak wet bar complete with glass upper cabinets, open shelving, and a grouping of pendant fixtures that echo naval lighting.

Broad French doors open to the pool terrace and prime views of the Long Island Sound. Above, bowed beams and v-groove board wainscoting define the lengthy entertainment area with its stone mantel, large television and curved sofa seating.

Next up is the impressive kids’ play haven, which features a play ship complete with a fiber optic constellation ceiling. When the lights are dimmed, it reveals a twinkling night sky and even the occasional shooting star.

The ship fabricator, Sono Skunk, used a number of 3D modeling techniques to create the intricate structural design of the ship’s hull, decks and ceiling vault.

Wood and rope pilings topped with salvaged navigational lights mark the ship area entrance. The play area also includes four paneled bunk beds that feature tapered seat backs, reading lights, stained mahogany rails, and custom ship ladders to the top bunks.

The bunk beds frame the open space that beckons a view of the play ship on one side, and the real water view through French doors at the other. The kids’ area is an amazing place for young adventurers to cultivate an imaginative nautical dream world!

Another fun aspect of this entertainment space is the collection of games that it houses – from antique pinball and baseball arcade games, to table tennis and the below pictured custom nautical billiards table.

A modern wine cellar is the focal point in the table tennis table area of the entertainment space. Holding 200 bottles on slender brackets, the wine wall features special illumination to show off its impressive display of bottles.

Additionally, the wine cellar is programmed to open only with the owner’s thumbprint.

All in all, we had a lot of fun designing this wonderful, one-of-a-kind lower level retreat.

Interested in seeing more? Click here for additional photos of our Seaside Shingle Cottage.

5 Of Our Favorite Luxury Bath Designs

Our clients’ master bathrooms are designed to be the epitome of comfort, function and luxury.  High end fixtures and hardware not only add lavish detailing, but also last considerably longer; radiant floors and steam units provide comfort, while also passively heating the space and taking demand off HVAC systems. Freestanding tubs and owner-selected marbles provide clients the opportunity to add their own flare to the space.  All of that to say that you can (and should) enjoy spa-like tranquility every day within the comfort of your home!   

Here’s a look at five of our top bathroom designs:

#1: Greenwich Normandy

At our Greenwich Normandy residence, a few stand-out details of the tranquil master bathroom include the porcelain soaking tub with a polished, stainless steel exterior and its backdrop of thassos and mirrored mosaic tile wall.  

In the space, the tile floor is echoed on the walls, creating a cohesive look and providing a canvas to showcase the freestanding tub, mosaic tile pattern and sculptural bath fixtures. The porcelain soaking tub is posed under an inswing French casement window. Both the larger floor tiles and the smaller tiles of the wainscoting are honed Asian white marble. 

#2: Greenwich Classical Revival

Our waterfront Classical Revival project features a combination of bright detailing, the splendor of a classic home, and the cool elegance of contemporary styling throughout the residence. This trend is continued in the master bath design where the freestanding tub is located in a cozy bathroom nook that’s rich with natural light.

The bright bathroom also features a luxurious double vanity that offers an abundance of storage in its drawers and cabinet doors, along with mirrored and recessed paneled medicine cabinets above the gray marble countertop.

#3: Ladies’ Master Bath Retreat

This sophisticated spa-like master bath was inspired by the luxurious Claridge’s hotel in London. The feminine bathroom incorporates timeless elements and features a soaking tub, sauna and generous storage space.

Classic detailing defines the space: A marble chair rail extends from the vanity countertop and wood wainscoting below. The wood paneled vanity and tall glass fronted cabinets provide storage, along with a polished nickel medicine cabinet framed in black marble. Radiant heat flooring keeps the basket weave Carrera mosaic warm underfoot. Additionally, the glass door on the red cedar sauna allows light to enter from the large picture window facing the Long Island Sound.

#4: Darien Colonial

At our stately Darien Colonial residence, marble, wood paneling, and classical trim details enclose the relaxing master bathroom space.

Highlights of the bathroom include elliptical curves at the marble tile floor, a wood paneled tub base, and mirrored doors at its full-height storage cabinets. 

#5: Rye Beach Shingle

The serene master bathroom at our Rye Beach Shingle project features rich details, including a honed and tumbled thassos marble tile rug with shell inlay and polished marble border.

Other unique design elements of the space include its entire walls of recessed wood paneling, a burst of color at the soaring tray ceiling, a soaking tub niche with bowed window bay, and crisp polished nickel fixtures and hardware.

Interested in reading more? Check out these blog posts:

4 Stylish Bunk Bed Designs

While bunk beds are sometimes thought of simply as a space-efficient way to organize a kid’s room, they can also be designed to be both a beautiful and functional element of a space.

Today we’re sharing four of our clients’ homes that include bunk beds in their lower level entertaining areas. Whether they’re the centerpiece of a children’s play room or part of an elegant adult loft, bunk beds can infuse a playful, cozy element into any space.

Bunk Bed Design #1 at Our Seaside Shingle Cottage

At our Seaside Shingle Cottage, the owners requested a lower level entertainment space where their growing family could gather. Featuring fun activities for children and adults alike, the area includes table tennis, game machines, a wine cellar, wet bar, and a kids’ play space.

The children’s play area is nautically themed – complete with a play ship, ‘harborside’ storage cabinets, and ‘officers’ quarters that create an imaginative nautical dream world for young adventurers. Complementing the nautical theme are the pictured four comfy bunk beds.

The paneled bunks feature tapered seat backs, reading lights, stained mahogany rails, and custom ship ladders to the top bunk. The bunk beds beckon a view of the play ship on one side, and the real water view of the Long Island Sound through French doors at the other.

Bunk Bed Design #2 at Our French Eclectic Project

In the basement rec room at our Waterfront French Eclectic home, our clients’ grandchildren have the perfect sleepover nook. Four twin-size bunks and two trundle beds hideaway behind a pair of paneled doors. Each archtop bunk alcove features scroll brackets, reading lights and a ship ladder.

The area features practical durable carpeting, while paneled wainscoting and hand-hewn timber and oak plank ceiling really dress up the space.

Bunk Bed Design #3 at Our Mead Point Shingle Style Home

At our Greenwich Waterfront Shingle home, the basement was developed into a functional kids’ space for the family’s teenage children. The wood-clad lower level recreational space provides a casual chic departure from the upper levels, complete with built-in bunk beds, table tennis, and a banquette and bar for snacking.

The hidden bunk beds continue the home’s waterfront aesthetic and make sleepover parties a breeze. Ship-lap walls and sliding barn doors add a rustic flair to this kid-friendly space.

Bunk Bed Design #4 at Our Rye Beach Shingle

At our Rye Beach Shingle home, the bright nautically themed basement recreation room features shiplap paneling with v-groove board accents, richly stained hardwood flooring, millwork pieces and moulded accents.

The area’s barn doors reveal a double bunk-bed niche with shelf space and trundle – making for a great relaxation area after practicing table tennis skills or playing basketball or lacrosse in the space’s sport court.

To check out more of our designs, please visit our residences page.

AIA Connecticut Honors DVHA with Two 2020 Alice Washburn Awards

We’re pleased to announce that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut has recognized our work with two 2020 Alice Washburn Awards.

“This award is named for the distinguished Connecticut residential architect Alice Washburn, an early 20th century Connecticut designer and builder, largely self-taught, whose work is known for its thoughtful stylistic and programmatic invention.” – AIA Connecticut  

AIA Connecticut awarded DVHA an Excellence Award in the category of New Construction for our Classical Revival home.

Our Classical Revival residence is a shingle style home that’s perched to capture the harbor views despite challenging grading and ecological constraints. 

At the property, extensive site developments are organized on high ground, allowing the landscape to cascade and then fall naturally towards the tidal wetlands of the meandering coastline. 

Formal symmetry in the plan introduces a dominant façade to the neighborhood, signaling entrance, and front yard while creating a private and a resort- like promenade of lawn, gardens, terraces, pool, spa, cabana, and sport court. 

 “Impeccable, beautiful, varied, massing, fantastic relationship to the stone. It is strong and inviting. The interiors are extraordinary and really perfect. Each space has character to it. The whole environment of the house is very sensitive and well done.” – Jury Comments

Additionally, DVHA is honored with the Merit Award in the category of Accessory Buildings for our Classic Georgian Pavilion.

Nestled between the tennis court and swimming pool, the pool pavilion is a symmetrical brick arcaded structure that encloses a comfortable seating and dining area, and contemporary cooking space.

Designed as an accessory structure to an elegant Georgian home rich in classical detailing, the pavilion’s style evokes a fun and relaxing atmosphere.

“This project is done beautifully. It works well with the main building and the proportions are nice. The use of the spaces with Pergolas and the seating flows very nicely, and the pavilion and the materials are exquisite.” – Jury Comments

We’d like to extend a big thank you to AIA Connecticut and its trio of esteemed judges for selecting our work: Manny Andrade, AIA; Neil Carnow, AIA; and Julie Evans, AIA.

Read more about The Alice Washburn Awards here.

Early 2020 DVHA Project Updates

While winter weather can sometimes be a hindrance to construction in our profession, the DVHA team has been very fortunate to have seen a lot of progress on many of our projects over the last few months. Today we’re sharing some peeks at both our recently completed homes and projects under construction.

A couple of our marquee projects, including our Oceanfront Shingle and Greenwich Mid-Country Manor, are now complete and occupied!

Our newly completed Oceanfront Shingle

Our Mid-Country Manor project

As soon as Spring is in all its glory, we’ll be taking plenty of photos of these projects to share with you!

Additionally, our Colonial Manor home here in Greenwich (pictured below) is near completion.

Both our Suburban Shingle in Ridgewood, NJ, and Rye Colonial projects are well underway and literally beginning to take shape. In just a couple of weeks at our Rye Colonial home, framing progressed from this…

…to this:

It’s always exciting to see the shape of the building take form, and we look forward to sharing more updates on these projects with you later this year.

We also have a number of new projects on the boards, as always.  Two in particular are quite special: a new shingle style home in Old Greenwich, and a sprawling estate in the Catskills.

A peek at our plans for the Old Greenwich shingle home

You’ll be hearing a lot more about these new projects in the coming months. Stay tuned for updates!

And of course, make sure to follow us on Instagram @dvharchitects and subscribe to our newsletter to stay in-the-know on the latest happenings at DVHA.

A Tour of Our Colonial Pool Cottage Renovation

We recently completed our Colonial Pool Cottage renovation project. Let’s take a deeper look at this modest, charming home.

An interesting part of this renovation is that we built the original pool house back in 1995. The new owners wanted the space to function as a primary residence, so the renovation included major additions.

Restrained details and symmetrical massing define the front façade of our revisited Colonial Pool Cottage.

Without disrupting the rear of the home, a new second floor over the central mass and two new side wings were added to provide the extra space needed. Projecting rear wings with curved corners remain largely intact, serving their original purpose of enclosing the outdoor entertainment space.

Moving to the interior of the home, an efficient floor plan provides sightlines from the front entry to the pool and from the kitchen into the living spaces.

The scale of the home remains unassuming and charming, while not sacrificing any of the functionality that one would expect in a larger home.

See more of our renovation projects here.

Welcoming Entry Foyers

While home layouts have become considerably more casual in recent years, one space that has remained well-defined and formal is the entry foyer. In fact, we have yet to design a new home without one.

The entryway of our Classical Revival home

An entry foyer serves as a first impression for guests, setting the tone for the entire home. The best way to categorize our foyers is how they relate to the staircase, as nearly all of our homes have a staircase at or near the entry foyer. 

There are three basic staircase relationships: within the foyer, adjacent to it, and somewhere else. Most of our staircases are within the foyer. Here are a few projects where the foyer is located under the front door:

Our Classic Georgian residence

Our North Country Colonial project

Here are a few examples where the foyer lies directly opposite of the staircase:

See more of our Rye Beach Shingle project

Our Greenwich Waterfront Shingle home

And here are a few instances where the foyer is located to the side of the staircase:

Our Waterfront French Eclectic home

A look from the top of the staircase down to the entryway

Check out some exterior shots of our Seaside Shingle Cottage

The latter two instances are the most common in our work. Somewhat less common for us are staircases adjacent to the foyer. They are typically in a defined space separated by a cased opening or colonnade, such as in the below pictured homes:

Our Waterfront French Normandy home

Take a tour of our recently completed Classic Georgian Restoration

Regardless of where the foyer is located in relation to the staircase, every entry foyer we create encompasses the personality of the home and is designed to graciously welcome guests when they walk through the door.

Unique Technologies in Our Homes

Often times our clients request unique features to be built into their new or renovated homes that require the use of modern technology – along with some creativity in figuring out the logistics. Today, we’re sharing some of the most interesting new technologies that we’ve incorporated into our projects.

First up, let’s talk about our recent work with special illumination.  At our Seaside Shingle project, the owners wanted to make a highly visible showpiece of their wine collection – while still protecting the bottles – in place of the usual tucked-away wine cellar. 

At the back of their basement hall is a fully-glazed cabinet with capacity for 200 bottles held on slender brackets. The cabinet is back-lit with LED strip lighting, and with the reflective qualities of the cabinet and its contents, creates the dazzling display that the owners had hoped for.

Another fun tech tidbit about this impressive wine cellar? It’s programmed to open with only the owner’s thumbprint!

At the same project, the owners requested an indoor play ship for their grandchildren.  We couldn’t provide an ocean (regulations), but we were able to light the simulated night sky, using a series of LED pinlights to illuminate the ceiling mural patterned after the constellations.

Next up, let’s discuss a few of our projects that incorporate hidden technologies.

A popular client request is concealing objects when they’re not in use. One of the most common instances where we do this is with blinds. In the past, if you wanted window coverings, they were always in front of the window whether you wanted them there or not, unless you had really thick walls and like the look of pocketing shutters. 

Concealed blinds in our Waterfront French Eclectic Project

There are many instances where it’s preferred to have them completely out of sight at times, and with today’s glazing technologies, fading of interior objects can be less of a concern than it once was.  With the latest available shade technology, it’s possible to build a motorized screen into a wall not much thicker than usual, just above any windows or doors, and with the push of a button, all the shades in a particular room can be raised or lowered.

Blinds appear with the push of a button at our Classical Revival Project.

Similar principles can be applied at our projects with televisions, and even swimming pool covers.

Check out these images at our New York City apartment renovation, where new custom bookcases were installed to add elegance and disguise a television that rises when active:

Multiple examples of hidden technology can also be seen in our Rye Beach Shingle project. The master bedroom within the home features both a hidden television and concealed blinds:

Back at our Seaside Shingle project, the resort-like backyard of the home features an infinity pool equipped with a Covertech automatic pool cover.

Here’s a time-lapse vide of the pool cover in action:

Finally, let’s look at how technology recently enabled one of our clients to park multiple cars without making their house look like a giant garage with a house attached.

Our client asked us to find interior accommodations for seven cars, ranging in size from a standard sedan to a large SUV.  The site was challenging with heavily sloped topography, size limitations, high water table, and a homeowner’s association. Building a separate carriage house was not an option, and our only realistic course of action was to find a way to fit the cars in the basement.

Even if we wanted lots of garage doors (which we didn’t), our only good option for access was basically two standard doors wide. This meant that we would have to treat the garage as if it were an indoor parking lot.  However, given space limitations, we didn’t have enough room for large enough turning circles to allow all the required cars to park. 

To solve our problem, we specified a turntable by Carousel USA, which essentially reduced the required driving pathway to a 19’-8” circle – a reduction in space for vehicular circulation of at least 40%.  With it, we were able to meet our client’s requirements in a reasonable amount of space. Check out this video clip to see the turntable in action:


As we look forward to our projects in 2020 and beyond, we’re excited to continue incorporating cutting edge technology in our clients’ homes.

Want to see more of our work? Check out our portfolio of projects.

10 Fireplace Designs We Love

During chilly months, there’s nothing like a fireplace to warm up the home and create a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. But a fireplace is more than just a way to heat up a room – it also can serve as an impressive architectural design element and an eye-catching focal point of a living area.

In the spirit of the winter season, we’re sharing 10 of our fireplace designs with you.

#1: Modern décor meets a clean, classical study. With this fireplace, solid cherry was bleached prior to staining in order to remove a bit of the red from the grain – providing a rich but lighter color. The nautically themed mantel picks up on the waterfront location of the project and is given ample room to breathe with the understated stone surround, while the Converse sneaker art gives the room some spunk.

Classical Revival

#2: Stone fireplace centerpiece. This family room features French doors that allow for ample light to pour in, stained timber beams, and white-washed boarding decorating the ceiling. The fireplace has a stone chimney breast carried through from the exterior, while the mantel shelf is a solid single piece of granite.

#3: Formal living room featuring a paneled fireplace wall. In our Rye Beach shingle project, this formal living room revels in clean classical mouldings, a paneled fireplace wall and decorative mantel.

Rye Beach Shingle

#4: Tranquil blue family room fireplace. Composed simply but with a hint of sophistication, this fireplace is framed by v-groove board paneling extending down from the canted cathedral ceiling.

#5: Cozy library fireplace. The painted Nantucket beadboard ceiling in this study creates a sharp contrast with richly-stained cherry paneling, fireplace surround, cabinetry and curved beams.

#6: Formal French Eclectic fire. Full-height paneling, a coved ceiling, and dramatic lighting surround this formal French regency fireplace mantel.

Waterfront French Eclectic

#7: Hand-carved limestone mantelpiece. Another fireplace within our French Eclectic project takes on a completely different architectural scenario. The focal point is the hand-carved limestone mantelpiece with scroll brackets and a paneled chimney breast that tapers above the cornice, and the modern art above adds to the design.

#8: Country home fireplace. Here in our Colonial Revival project, a family room fireplace has a sleek, clean look with its black slate hearth and surround.  A bracketed mantel shelf and reeded side panels adds to its fine detailing.

Colonial Revival

#9: Bold family room. Featuring a bright fireplace area, the room’s tall double hung windows and arched picture window bounded by two single French doors provide ample light, while a pitched and beamed ceiling contributes to the delicacy of the space.

Greenwich Waterfront Shingle

#10: Elegant Georgian library. The oak paneling and ceiling beams create a feeling of restrained elegance with this library’s fireplace.

Looking for more warm and cozy home inspo? Follow us on Instagram, where we’ll be sharing home designs throughout the month of December that get us in the winter spirit – including welcoming spaces, homes decked out in holiday decor, entertaining areas and more.

Colonial Revival

Stretched across a naturalistic landscape of rolling hills in mid-country Greenwich, this unique home is articulated in a quiet eclecticism which echoes colonial American architecture as well as medieval forms that recall the cottages and manor houses of rural England.

Mid-Country Manor

The architectural detailing and brickwork of this English Arts & Crafts residence take center stage, striking a beautiful balance between skilled masonry with elegant proportion.