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:
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.
Not too long ago, we shared some defining characteristics of shingle style houses – currently our most requested style from clients. Today we’re back to share our second installment in this series, focusing on architectural characteristics of the Colonial style.
A perennial architectural favorite is the tried-and-true Colonial. But what is a Colonial, exactly? We’ve heard definitions as broad as “anything with more than one story.” From our professional perspective, the Colonial style can be broadly described as anything reasonably derived from American pre-revolutionary architecture, not bearing another description(i.e., Log Cabin, Cape Cod, Dutch Colonial, etc.). And, since we’re based in Connecticut, our focus will be on Colonial architecture that one can reasonably expect to see in our general area, including the “revival” varieties. What you may find beyond our home base will definitely vary.
Countless books have been published on the subject of colonial architecture, but what are the most predominant characteristics that well designed Colonials share? Here are six:
Historically in the New England area, the main box is the focal point and may have been the entire original home. The side wings may be original or may have been added over time on an as needed basis. The footprint of these homes can become rambling and quite charming as generations alter the main box and add side wings to suit their needs. With newer homes the shape, including side wings, is usually determined from the onset, but regardless should always be rational with a sense of hierarchy.
The form of our Colonial Manor is another example of additive colonial revival architecture.
Characteristic #2: Classical Detailing (almost)
The original Colonial builders understood the concepts of classical design courtesy of the numerous books published on the subject at the time. They were also a practical lot and knew how to work with what they had available. With less abundant resources, the detailing of Colonials is typically more muted than that found in “textbook” quality classical architecture, and has a lot more variety. Symmetry is also typically employed, but is not a driving force behind the style as variation of the side wings is common. Most Colonial Revival architecture hews closely to rules of proportion, and careful attention to appropriate detailing remains a must.
The same level of study applies to all of our projects, including ourNorth Country Colonial.
Characteristic #3: Feature Front Door
Even in the simplest of Colonial homes, it is always clear where the most important door is. Whether decorated with hand-cut nails, shutters, a classical surround, or an elaborate portico, the front door is always a statement piece. Today, virtually all clients want a covered portico at their front door, but the options for variety are virtually limitless.
One of countless portico options can be seen at our Darien Colonial.
Characteristic #4: Wood Siding and Shingles
Brick and/or stone Colonials do exist, but they’re quite rare. The rest have either wood clapboard siding or wood shingles, the choice back in the day probably being made based on locals customs and available skill sets. The old carpenters made their own siding and shingles from surrounding trees that weren’t already slated to be used for framing, but today we typically specify cedar (Western Red or Alaskan Yellow, depending on the application). Clapboards typically have an exposure of 3 to 6 inches depending on material available. Roof Shingles can have a huge variety of 4 to 12 inches of exposure, although most of our projects stay in the 5 to 7 inch range.
Characteristic #5: Windows with Shutters (and without)
On the original Colonials, windows panes were small, single-glazed, and full of imperfections due to the difficulties of early glass production. If you’re going for an authentic reproduction Colonial, that’s what you do. However, window panes have gotten bigger since 1775, and we now have energy efficient double-glazed windows to create a comfortable interior during long Northeastern winters. Almost all Colonial windows since 1700 have been double-hung, with casements being common before then. The windows should also be made from a durable wood species or appropriate substitute. Many people find that the original pine windows in their home out-last replacement windows because of the quality of the original material.
As for shutters, most people assume that Colonial houses must have them, and we agree that they look great when designed correctly. However, not all Colonial houses were originally built with shutters and they can look out of place if carelessly applied.
Nothing is more classic than black or dark green shutters, but no shutters, such as at our pictured Revived Colonial, is classic too.
Characteristic #6: Roofs
One thing you must get right on a Colonial house is the slope of the main roofs. Never do they go below 7:12 pitch and rarely do they go above 10:12 pitch (pre-18th century homes or reproductions thereof being the exception). There are a lot of options for roof shapes. Gables (shown below), hips, and gambrels, and variations therein, predominate – but should never be unnecessarily complicated. Most proper Colonial roofs are clad in wood shingles, typically cedar these days, but slate can be a good option as well.
Are you looking to build the Colonial home of your dreams? Contact us at (203) 622-7000 or reach out via email at info@vanderhornarchitects.com to schedule a consultation. And be sure to follow along with us on Instagram at @dvharchitects for project updates and our latest news!
Stained cedar shingle siding coupled with crisp details give this colonial revival house a formal and friendly presence in its neighborhood. A spacious but cozy backyard makes the home ideal for family living.
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.
Our classic shingle style home in Rye playfully combines conservative classical adornment with whimsical contours.
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.
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.
