Alexandra Crafton
Example of a classic home design design in Boston

Nestled in the mountains of La Calera, Colombia, this home is thoughtfully designed to surround the homeowners with the beauty of nature. Developed as a contemporary greenhouse, this concept became the driving source of the entire project. The house is divided into three wings; the owners wing, the guest wing, and the social/entertainment wing. The greenhouse concept permeates through every hallway, connecting each wing of the house with greenery and natural light. The skylights provide ample light, while the plants and greenery create a healthy and refreshing indoor environment. The use of natural local stone, cast-in-place concrete, and reclaimed wood creates an organic and warm aesthetic that is both beautiful and sustainable. These materials along with the sloped roof lines blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, creating a connection between the house and its natural surroundings.

Using every inch of space, the third floor study/playroom uses the roof lines and dormers to create a visually interesting environment. Tom Grimes Photography

Nestled in the mountains of La Calera, Colombia, this home is thoughtfully designed to surround the homeowners with the beauty of nature. Developed as a contemporary greenhouse, this concept became the driving source of the entire project. The house is divided into three wings; the owners wing, the guest wing, and the social/entertainment wing. The greenhouse concept permeates through every hallway, connecting each wing of the house with greenery and natural light. The skylights provide ample light, while the plants and greenery create a healthy and refreshing indoor environment. The use of natural local stone, cast-in-place concrete, and reclaimed wood creates an organic and warm aesthetic that is both beautiful and sustainable. These materials along with the sloped roof lines blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, creating a connection between the house and its natural surroundings.

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

The final design brings together rich, earthy tones that compliment the surrounding trees and natural landscape. Pecky Cypress garage doors add warmth and texture, while wood accents on the front porch enhance the organic, inviting feel. Carefully chosen paint, trim, stone, and a sleek metal roof create a harmonious and timeless look. The result is a stunning exterior that feels seamlessly connected to its environment.

Nestled in the mountains of La Calera, Colombia, this home is thoughtfully designed to surround the homeowners with the beauty of nature. Developed as a contemporary greenhouse, this concept became the driving source of the entire project. The house is divided into three wings; the owners wing, the guest wing, and the social/entertainment wing. The greenhouse concept permeates through every hallway, connecting each wing of the house with greenery and natural light. The skylights provide ample light, while the plants and greenery create a healthy and refreshing indoor environment. The use of natural local stone, cast-in-place concrete, and reclaimed wood creates an organic and warm aesthetic that is both beautiful and sustainable. These materials along with the sloped roof lines blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, creating a connection between the house and its natural surroundings.

The living room and kitchen are to connect to the outside, so homeowner can entertain with ease. The continuity from the interiors to the outdoor living spaces results in a comfortable environment with natural light and open air. The patio is furnished with a set of custom-made table and cushioned lounge chair with the smooth woven wicker lines. Teak floor planks and styrofoam ceiling tiles are installed to create an airy modern vibe.

The design of this home was driven by the owners’ desire for a three-bedroom waterfront home that showcased the spectacular views and park-like setting. As nature lovers, they wanted their home to be organic, minimize any environmental impact on the sensitive site and embrace nature. This unique home is sited on a high ridge with a 45° slope to the water on the right and a deep ravine on the left. The five-acre site is completely wooded and tree preservation was a major emphasis. Very few trees were removed and special care was taken to protect the trees and environment throughout the project. To further minimize disturbance, grades were not changed and the home was designed to take full advantage of the site’s natural topography. Oak from the home site was re-purposed for the mantle, powder room counter and select furniture. The visually powerful twin pavilions were born from the need for level ground and parking on an otherwise challenging site. Fill dirt excavated from the main home provided the foundation. All structures are anchored with a natural stone base and exterior materials include timber framing, fir ceilings, shingle siding, a partial metal roof and corten steel walls. Stone, wood, metal and glass transition the exterior to the interior and large wood windows flood the home with light and showcase the setting. Interior finishes include reclaimed heart pine floors, Douglas fir trim, dry-stacked stone, rustic cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. Exterior spaces include a timber-framed porch, stone patio with fire pit and commanding views of the Occoquan reservoir. A second porch overlooks the ravine and a breezeway connects the garage to the home. Numerous energy-saving features have been incorporated, including LED lighting, on-demand gas water heating and special insulation. Smart technology helps manage and control the entire house. Greg Hadley Photography

Understanding these characteristics, the house had to open up to the visuals and adapt itself to what the landscape proposed. We wanted all the spaces in the program area to have a direct connection with the environment outside, so we developed the house on 4 floors.

The final design brings together rich, earthy tones that complement the surrounding trees and natural landscape. Pecky Cypress garage doors add warmth and texture, while wood accents on the front porch enhance the organic, inviting feel. Carefully chosen paint, trim, stone, and a sleek metal roof create a harmonious and timeless look. The result is a stunning exterior that feels seamlessly connected to its environment.

Rising amidst the grand homes of North Howe Street, this stately house has more than 6,600 SF. In total, the home has seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three powder rooms. Designed with an extra-wide floor plan (21'-2"), achieved through side-yard relief, and an attached garage achieved through rear-yard relief, it is a truly unique home in a truly stunning environment. The centerpiece of the home is its dramatic, 11-foot-diameter circular stair that ascends four floors from the lower level to the roof decks where panoramic windows (and views) infuse the staircase and lower levels with natural light. Public areas include classically-proportioned living and dining rooms, designed in an open-plan concept with architectural distinction enabling them to function individually. A gourmet, eat-in kitchen opens to the home's great room and rear gardens and is connected via its own staircase to the lower level family room, mud room and attached 2-1/2 car, heated garage. The second floor is a dedicated master floor, accessed by the main stair or the home's elevator. Features include a groin-vaulted ceiling; attached sun-room; private balcony; lavishly appointed master bath; tremendous closet space, including a 120 SF walk-in closet, and; an en-suite office. Four family bedrooms and three bathrooms are located on the third floor. This home was sold early in its construction process. Nathan Kirkman

Nestled amidst the natural beauty of British Columbia, this lakehouse isn't just a seasonal getaway; it's envisioned as a legacy home—a sanctuary where memories are forged across generations. Our design approach centered on harmonizing the home with its natural surroundings, ensuring that every element resonates with the tranquility of lakeside living. Embracing the beauty of the outdoors, we incorporated natural materials to create a seamless connection between the indoors and the outdoors. This lakehouse project exemplifies our dedication to creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional, reflecting the unique lifestyles and environments of our clients.

The final design brings together rich, earthy tones that complement the surrounding trees and natural landscape. Pecky Cypress garage doors add warmth and texture, while wood accents on the front porch enhance the organic, inviting feel. Carefully chosen paint, trim, stone, and a sleek metal roof create a harmonious and timeless look. The result is a stunning exterior that feels seamlessly connected to its environment.

This outdoor living area is divided into two distinct sections, each serving a specific purpose. The lounging area features a charming brick fireplace, creating a cozy and inviting ambiance for relaxation and conversation. On the other side, the cooking area boasts a built-in bar and grilling station, perfect for outdoor culinary adventures. One notable feature of this outdoor space is the flexibility of access. Both the window and the doors are designed to fold, allowing a seamless and easy transition from the inside to the outside. This feature enhances the connection between the indoor and outdoor living spaces, creating a versatile and open environment.

Huge mountain style l-shaped light wood floor, brown floor and wood ceiling kitchen photo in Denver with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

The design promotes healthy lifestyles by providing primary living on one floor, no materials containing volatile organic compounds, energy recovery ventilation systems, radon elimination systems, extension of interior spaces into the natural environment of the site, strong and direct physical and visual connections to nature, daylighting techniques providing occupants full integration into a natural, endogenous circadian rhythm. Incorporation¬¬¬ of daylighting with clerestories and solar tubes reduce daytime lighting requirements. Ground source geothermal heat pumps and superior-to-code insulation ensure minimal space-conditioning costs. Corten steel siding and concrete foundation walls satisfy client requirements for low maintenance and durability. All lighting fixtures are LEDs.

The design of this home drew upon historical styles, preserving the essentials of the original movement while updating these elements with clean lines and modern materials. Peers Homestead drew upon the American Farmhouse. The architectural design was based on several factors: orientation with views and connection to seasonal water elements, glass cubes, simplistic form and material palette, and steel accents with structure and cladding. To capture views, the floor to ceiling windows in the great room bring in the natural environment into the home and were oriented to face the Spanish Peaks. The great room’s simple gable roof and square room shape, accompanied by the large glass walls and a high ceiling, create an impressive glass cube effect. Following a contemporary trend for windows, thin-frame, aluminum clad windows were utilized for the high performance qualities as well as the aesthetic appeal. (Photos by Whitney Kamman)