Category: Georgian/Classical

Stone Georgian

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vanderhorn Architects | Federal Revival

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.

Contemporary Georgian

Chic and orderly, a buoyant update to the brick Georgian archetype boasts unabashed classical proportion and a stark but authentic medley of fine material finishes.

Renaissance Revival

Akin to the historic mansions of the region, this Late Renaissance Italian villa inserts a grand foreign culture into the beautiful Hudson River Valley

Georgian Pool House

Nestled between the tennis court and swimming pool on this Georgian estate, this pool house provides a comfortable outdoor space accommodating the client’s desire for gracious outdoor entertaining.

Indian Head Waterfront

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

Classic Georgian

The classic materials and symmetrical form of this Georgian residence in Greenwich, Connecticut make it a timeless and elegant home.

Greenwich Georgian

An impressive country residence inspired by the Georgian architecture of the early American colonies, this home exudes classical elegance.