Renovations | Vanderhorn Architects

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.

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.

Smith Cove Transitional

Originally a post-modern house, thoroughly updated to meet contemporary expectations.

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.

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.

Sun-Filled Renovation

Classic Georgian Revived

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!

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.

A Home Tour of Our Classic Georgian Restoration

One of our favorite types of projects to take on is transforming an outdated home into the magical space of our clients’ dreams. Let’s take a peek at one of our recently completed renovation projects – the restoration of a classic Georgian home here in Greenwich.

Our work on this home included repointing brick, refinishing – and in some cases rebuilding – windows, doors, shutters, trim and the columns of the stately double height Ionic portico. Additions to the iconic brick Georgian residence bring modern mechanical systems and home automation to a more open floor plan while preserving the original slate and brick architecture.

Here are a few looks at the exterior pre-renovation:

The new pool house echoes the arches and hipped roof of the main façade, while a shady pergola provides a casual backyard atmosphere:

The new garage is a masonry load bearing building with slate roof to match both the construction quality and design aesthetic of the existing home.

Moving to the interior, the new kitchen design pays homage to the original era of the house while seamlessly integrating modern appliances and storage solutions. A custom farm table steals the spotlight:

Here’s a before look at the kitchen:

Inside the main foyer, the original stair was restored to dramatic effect, and the space was revamped to have a bright, contemporary look.

Contemporary furnishings and the clean lines of new crown mouldings and cornices refresh the historic living spaces, while the cozy sunroom reveals the expanse of the landscaped property as well as the arches and brick of the classical architecture:

White wash over the brick gives the room a light and relaxing feel.

This classic Georgian home demanded a significant undertaking in renovation and restoration, and we took great care to preserve some of its historic aspects while simultaneously bringing modern comforts and amenities into the home.

3 Renovations that will WOW you!

Many of our projects are home renovations, which sometimes means updating an entire home, and other times means revamping just a part of a house. We love creating a client’s dream kitchen, making a bathroom luxurious and new, or redoing a home in its entirety to give it an updated look and feel.

Here’s a look at three of our renovation projects that boast dramatic results.

1. French Manor Estate Complete Renovation:

Originally built in 1958 in a Neo-French style with a Mansard roof, the house was composed of a central portion flanked by matching wings. Over the years the Greenwich house was added to and so extensively modified that the original charm had all but disappeared.

The owner of the house wanted to improve its appearance by giving it a distinctly French look with fine detailing and a strong presence. The entire house was gutted, portions removed, and everything in the central block, above the second floor line, was demolished. From this arose the stately and elegant main body appropriate for a classic French manor estate. Here are some looks at before and after the renovation:

2. Master Bath Transformation:

Inspired by the luxurious Claridge’s hotel in London, the architects set out to transform a large outdated bathroom into a sophisticated spa retreat. Stone tiled walls and an overpowering tub deck made way for a simple plan with timeless elements and generous storage. The main space features a soaking tub and vanity, while the sauna, shower and toilet rooms are arranged along one side of the room.

Classic detailing defines the spaces, with a marble chair rail extended 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. The glass door on the red cedar sauna allows light to enter from the large picture window facing the Long Island Sound.

Here are a few peeks at the before:

And a look at the dramatic transformation after:

3. Shingle Style Home Renovation:

This project called for nothing short of a complete transformation. The home was once a gracious 1890s shingle style house but during the 1950s, the second floor of the home burned. Two subsequent renovations led to awful design results.

The goal here was not to enlarge the home, but to reclaim the stone first floor and its beautiful original interiors. As part of the process, all second floor facades have been re-arranged while keeping the floor plan in place. A steeply pitched slate roof and traditional cornice was added. A front porch and rear balcony were added to help connect the home to its landscape and capture the water view. A variety of shingle style window types and details are used to enliven the façade and bring more light to the interior. A finely detailed new chimney tops off the roof line. The final result is a gracious home that did not need to get bigger to get better.

Here’s a look at the before and after of the front of the home:

And here’s a look at the transformation from the rear of the home:

Visit our Renovations tab on our website to view more projects!

Revived Colonial

The formal entry portico of a newly renovated colonial home in Fairfield County features a sapele mahogany door, painted sidelites, and a Doric classical open pediment on decorative brackets.

Charming Tudor Entrance

The new entrance and dormer designed for this classic Tudor blend seamlessly with the existing architecture and introduce a touch of formality to the front façade.

Classic Georgian Restoration

A significant undertaking in renovation and restoration showcases this classic Georgian home on a main thoroughfare in Greenwich, Connecticut.

5 Most Requested Architectural Styles

The VanderHorn Architects team lives to see our architectural creations come to life as we cater to our clients’ individual tastes and needs. While we’ve created homes in a wide variety of architectural styles and find that each project is unique, there are a few styles that have proven to be the most popular in our recent custom renovations and new home builds. Today, we’re sharing our 5 top requested architectural styles.

SHINGLE STYLE

Our most requested style over the past five years, the shingle style is known for its broad expanses of shingle and roof, generous porches, and creative use of design elements inside and out.

Originally prevalent between 1880 and 1920, with earlier work being an offshoot of Queen Anne architecture, this style was increasingly influenced by early American and classical precedents. Our shingle style projects work particularly well with their settings, taking advantage of their topography, view aspects, and available sunlight.

COLONIAL/FEDERAL

A perennial favorite with many regional variations, the colonial style has an adaptable and elegant simplicity, ranging from rambling rustic cottages to symmetrically dignified homes in town that work well with today’s sensibilities.

The federal style is generally considered to be a more formal variation. This is a style that always has broad appeal and works with virtually any property.

Vanderhorn Architects | North Country Colonial

CLASSICAL REVIVAL

A varied offshoot of classical styles such as Georgian and Neoclassical, and from a time when architectural styles were less compartmentalized than they are today, classical revival homes exude a dignified and elegant presence.

Some examples are textbook studies in classical design, while others are an amalgamation of styles generally considered colonial or even Victorian.

TRANSITIONAL/MODERN(ist)

These styles have made their presence known in the local market. Transitional can be most simply described as a blurring of traditional and modernist elements. While everything created today is modern by definition, the style of Modernism’s direct lineage can be traced to the likes of LeCorbusier and the Bauhaus.

We have used a transitional design palate to create updated classical homes, and have even been asked to design full-on modernist homes for clients.

ENGLISH VERNACULAR

Perhaps because we are known for specializing in this style, we have had the privilege to work on a number of English homes over the years.

Our Mid Country English Tudor project provides a rich palette of architectural features, including a graduated slate roof with octagonal brick chimney flues on the stone base, as well as brick infill laid in a variety of patterns.

Ranging from tudor to Arts and Crafts and numerous regional variations, this grouping of styles in America is known for its dramatic rooflines in tile or slate, generous use of masonry and timberwork, and layouts that afford surprising amounts of light and cross-ventilation.

Most Requested Features of Our Kitchen Projects

It’s often said that the kitchen is the center of a home. Here at Douglas VanderHorn Architects, we’re given the opportunity to design custom kitchens for our clients in a variety of styles while incorporating modern technology and conveniences. Today, we’re sharing some of the top kitchen elements most requested from our clients. Here are eight features that our homeowners love to have in their newly designed kitchens:

Custom hoods.

Often our clients desire custom hoods that highlight the style of their home. Seen above is the kitchen of our French Eclectic home project, which combines antique and new elements. The backsplash at the range is an antique piece, while the hood is a custom metalwork invention concealing a modern exhaust.

Integrated appliances.

Another popular request is the incorporation of integrated appliances, which are designed to seamlessly fit into the cabinetry to create a more cohesive look in the kitchen.

Stone countertops and backsplashes.

Our clients also love incorporating stone countertops and backsplashes in their layouts. Pictured above is the kitchen of a bright and beachy home that we designed with sturdy countertops, a dramatic backsplash composed of monolithic marble slabs with elegant gray veining, and blue island cabinetry for a a pop of color that really brings the space to life.

Contrasting islands.

Another popular request is contrasting looks between various elements, such as differing cabinet finishes and countertops. This is exemplified well in the above kitchen, whose design reflects the home’s coastal location along the Long Island Sound.

Large storage pantries.

Many of our clients prioritize having ample kitchen storage space – both as cabinet units, as well as adjacent rooms as pictured above.

Adjacent service pantry.

To house china and crystal, some clients request a butler’s pantry to sit adjacent to their kitchen. Stainless steel countertops and glass upper cabinets, which enhance the blue-lacquered walls and cabinetry, are highlights of the service pantry shown above.

Feature island light fixtures.

The island is often the centerpiece of the kitchen, so not surprisingly, many of our clients appreciate highlighting the space with unique light fixtures above that pull the overarching theme of the room together well.

Above, the wooden beams and rope lighting fixture bring a unique touch and color contrast to the waterfront home’s bright kitchen.

Ample natural light.

Natural light brings great energy to any room, especially the kitchen, the central hub of the home. Many of our clients request large window designs to add an abundance of natural light to their kitchen spaces.

The above pictured kitchen features multiple large windows that face the water, bringing a constant sense of peacefulness and nature that is further accentuated by the beachy, airy design of the room.

VanderHorn Architects Office

VanderHorn Architects’ newly restored Greenwich headquarters at 41 West Elm Street was originally built as a home in 1928.

French Country Estate

An extensive renovation showcases finely crafted details that morphed an outdated home into a distinctively French Greenwich estate.

Indian Head Waterfront

This thoroughly renovated Georgian residence features a solarium and wood-paneled library with a custom reading alcove.

Riverside Shingle

This stunning home was recently renovated following a number of poor renovations since the 1950’s. By reclaiming the stone first floor and adding a slate roof and traditional cornice, the home was transformed from a once gracious 1890’s shingle style home without enlarging the footprint.