Our clients desired a master bedroom that would be comfortable enough to rest and lounge in. Being avid readers, they wanted a quiet space to escape and read at the end of the day. We divided this long bedroom space into two separate areas: a sleeping area and reading/lounging area. Etagere bookcases flank the casual love seat while the storage ottoman provides more than just comfort. The bed's soft features are inviting as it rests by the bright and open window. Photos by Jenn Verrier Photography

AKA re-proportioned this room and made a closet where only a dresser had been; the new arched opening creates a division between the bedroom and the rest of the Master Suite. His and Hers bookshelves surround these avid readers and a new dresser under the TV doubles as a bench for family meetings. photo Eduard Hueber © archphoto.com

Create a kids' reading nook, a whimsical space designed to inspire young imaginations. Nestled amidst soft pillows, this cozy corner invites children to embark on literary adventures. Vibrant and inviting, the nook is adorned with a colorful array of books, enticing young readers to explore the magic within each page. Plush pillows create a comfortable oasis, encouraging kids to settle in and lose themselves in captivating tales.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

A reader's delight, this sitting area has built-in bookcases, tasteful lighting and a fireplace. Photo Credit: David A. Beckwith
Inspiration for a craftsman home office remodel in New York

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

POV: you make a job transition, move to a new town and need a home office + your wife is a big reader so you also need ample space for book storage. ???? *Insert Floer Carpentry to custom build it for you. ?✨?

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

As readers of architect/designer Katie Hutchison’s book The New Cottage (Taunton Press 2018), these homeowners approached KHS about designing a second home in Westerly, Rhode Island. Theirs is a double-long lot with street frontage on both ends, a short walk from the water. In addition to the new house, their wish list included a new lap pool (with associated patio) and new garage. Aesthetically, they were looking to create an informally elegant, human-scaled family compound, engaged with the site and connected with the outdoors. They further requested sustainable features/systems and low-maintenance materials. In response, KHS proposed an ell-shaped house that wraps two sides of a lap pool/patio. A porch-fronted two-story gabled component faces the main street and is flanked by the one-story primary suite in one leg of the ell and the one-story kitchen and rear porches in the other leg of the ell. The house is an efficient +/- 2800 square-feet and contains four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. A salt-box inspired garage is detached so as not to increase the building massing. It helps shape outdoor spaces and doesn’t block daylight and direct exterior access from the house. It faces the secondary street. Driveways off both streets offer different modes of arrival. The south-facing roof of the two-story volume – which includes three bedrooms and two baths – and the south-facing one-story roof of the kitchen and rear porches, as well as the south-facing roof of the garage support 47 photovoltaic solar panels, providing the bulk of the property’s electric power. Two oversized exterior folding glass doors off the living area and kitchen blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, welcoming abundant daylight, views of the pool and patio, as well as summer breezes. An airy living/dining area includes a long custom window seat and borders a semi-open kitchen beneath a cathedral ceiling. Living area built-in shelving frames a TV and surrounds a modern efficient pellet stove. A cheerful interior palette of soft hues features pops of color, Scandinavian wallpapers, custom textiles, and a dash of warm wood accents in the form of counters, built-in desks, and custom furnishings. On the exterior, natural shingles side the main volume and environmentally friendly and durable Boral board-and-batten side the one-story components and garage, communicating a legible hierarchy of spaces. The overall effect is a breezy, crisp New England home, pool patio, and garage for today’s living.

Keeping in mind that our client is an avid reader, we created a space for her to sit back and enjoy her books. The graphic, colourful wallpaper adds warmth and coziness to the transition wall between the foyer and the kitchen; giving it purpose. This space is a good example of how every space in a home can be curated to fit the client's needs and wants.