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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.