Inspiration for a huge timeless beige three-story stone house exterior remodel in Other

This kitchen renovation began with the challenge of reimagining an addition that had been DIYed onto the house 40 years ago. The previous homeowner’s efforts, while well-intentioned, fell short of today’s standards, both in terms of building codes and design choices. Materials like modern bamboo cabinetry and a choppy, poorly thought-out layout clashed with the timeless character of the home. The interior design didn’t reflect the 250-year-old Federal-style brick home’s essence, located in the heart of Historic Ellicott City. The current homeowners purchased this house because of its rich history and unique charm, and they wanted a kitchen that honored that legacy—not necessarily a period-perfect replica, but one infused with vintage character and a touch of the home’s original quirkiness. Homes from that era were rarely perfect—they were designed for function, not flawless aesthetics. With that in mind, the renovation focused on balancing modern convenience with historical charm. For example, a small, awkwardly placed window by the refrigerator offered a view of an outdoor wall. Instead of keeping it, we opted to close it up, creating a more cohesive design. The result is a space that feels like it belongs to the home’s history while incorporating the comfort and efficiency of a modern kitchen. Every detail was carefully considered to create harmony between the old and the new. Even down to the Tiffany lampshade that effortlessly binds all of the kitchen hues in one place. To accommodate the homeowners, who are on the shorter side, we designed countertops with their needs in mind. While we couldn’t lower the main counters without creating appliance-fitting issues—and custom appliances were cost-prohibitive—we prioritized usability wherever possible. For the countertops, they selected soapstone, a material that perfectly marries beauty and function. Its natural, timeworn appearance fits seamlessly with the home’s vintage aesthetic, and as a bonus, its antimicrobial properties make it a practical choice for a busy kitchen. The result is a space that feels like it has always been part of this historic home—authentic, functional, and full of character.

"big al" cement encaustic tile in federal blue/nautical blue/ white make a fascinating focal point within the clean lines of this updated kitchen by emily henderson. inspired by the grand palace located in Granada Spain, big al, takes this classic arabesque motif and gives it the grandeur befitting of this palatial estate. shop here: https://www.cletile.com/products/big-al-8x8-stock?variant=52702594886

Gothic Revival folly addition to Federal style home. High design. photo Kevin Sprague
Mid-sized ornate brown one-story wood house exterior photo in Boston with a hip roof and a shingle roof

This Atlantic holiday cottage is located in the unique landscape of the creek at Towd Point, in Southampton, one of only 28 Federal Ecological Preserves in the US. Caterina and Bob, a design couple who owns the architecture firm TRA studio in the city, chose the property because of their historic ties to the area and the extraordinary setting and its precise location within it: it is the only house whose site is at the bend of the Towd Point peninsula, right where the views of the protected creek are at the widest and where a little beach naturally occurred. Although the views are open and vast, the property is minimal, way too small to even consider a small pool or spa: the pristine creek is the house water feature, the recreation expansion of the diminutive back yard. We often joke that at TRA we can make small spaces feel big, which is, exactly what we did. As often happened with TRA’s renovation projects, as well as with the most recent art pieces by Robert Traboscia, one of the Studio’s founders, the house is an “object trouve’’, originally a modest fishing outpost, that went through many alterations, to finally find a refreshed life as a modern cottage for a New York family. A vintage busted kayak, repurposed as a planter, completes the process. The cottage is actually a collection of objects: the original Bayman’s cottage now houses two bedrooms, the adjoining deck soon afterwards was enclosed to make space for the kitchen/dining volume and a newer living room addition was later built to complete the compound.’ The compactness of the volumes contributes to the environmental quality of the house, whose simple natural materials have been carefully restored and insulated, while the simplicity of the volumes, which has been respectfully retained, talks about a nostalgia for the past Long Island seaside retreats. The single level recognizable gabled roof silhouette sits comfortably on the private beach, the greyed cedar deck acting as a platform to connect with the landscape. The informal weathered materials and the reductive color palette weave effortlessly from the exterior to the interior, creating a serene environment, echoing the coastal landscape, which emphasizes the line where the water meets the sky, the natural beach, tall breezy grasses and the multitude of happy birds who call the creek home. The restoration process started with the modest goal of cleaning up the walls and replace the worn uneven floor, it soon turned into a forensic research for the original elements, uncovering the historic foam-green siding gabled façade that is now the backdrop of the dining pavilion. The renovation respected the history of the place: everything changed and everything stayed the same. In an area known for vast, affluent, estates, the house is often the place where friends and family gather: the size of the house, the largeness of the creek, the wild life coexisting in harmony with the visitors, the availability of a swim in the bay or kayak adventure, are all interesting and inviting. We often observed that people do not want to leave our interiors, we love the little house because is a place that you never need to leave, this is definitely a house where there is always something to do. In the Hamptons, the question is often “what you are looking at”, usually the pool or landscaped nature, here it is easy to respond: our private beach and protected nature. The landscaping simply aims at enhancing the existing: three sculptural and weathered trees were given new life, the natural arch of the Creek, further outlined by the bulkhead, is amplified and repeated, similarly to rock stratifications, to connect to the house and define the different modes of the landscape: native grasses, private beach, gravel lawn, fence and finally Towd Point Road. Towd Point Little Beach is a habitat meant to be shared with birds and animals.

Example of a classic rectangular pool house design in New York

Tom Arena
Large traditional three-story brick exterior home idea in Providence with a hip roof

Example of an urban bedroom design in DC Metro

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2016 Houzz
Example of a classic exterior home design in New York

photo by Jorge Gonzales-Guillot
Photo of a farmhouse landscaping in New York.

James Golden's Federal Twist garden. Photo by Jay Sifford.
Photo of a landscaping in Philadelphia.

This graceful new Federal style home feels as if it has always stood here, among one of the most historic neighborhoods in the country. Sited on property that has been in the family for generations and overlooking a picturesque cove, the home reflects the region’s classic New England styling. On the approach to the home, a courtyard presents a friendly formality that harkens to over 200 years of architectural history. At the rear, a full-width, deep porch with French doors from every room invites family and friends to interact between the interior and the cove. The interiors are detailed with nautical touches that nod to the home’s waterfront perch.

Grants Gardens developed a naturalistic and sustainable waterfront property. A bayfront property that had to withstand drought, floods and salt water from storm tides. The final design is a sustainable tropical beach with sandy soil held in place by Florida native plants.

The Garden suite sits approximately in the same location as the old smokehouse that once stood on the property nearly a century before.
Inspiration for a small timeless detached guesthouse remodel in Other

This graceful new Federal style home feels as if it has always stood here, among one of the most historic neighborhoods in the country. Sited on property that has been in the family for generations and overlooking a picturesque cove, the home reflects the region’s classic New England styling. On the approach to the home, a courtyard presents a friendly formality that harkens to over 200 years of architectural history. At the rear, a full-width, deep porch with French doors from every room invites family and friends to interact between the interior and the cove. The interiors are detailed with nautical touches that nod to the home’s waterfront perch.

This graceful new Federal style home feels as if it has always stood here, among one of the most historic neighborhoods in the country. Sited on property that has been in the family for generations and overlooking a picturesque cove, the home reflects the region’s classic New England styling. On the approach to the home, a courtyard presents a friendly formality that harkens to over 200 years of architectural history. At the rear, a full-width, deep porch with French doors from every room invites family and friends to interact between the interior and the cove. The interiors are detailed with nautical touches that nod to the home’s waterfront perch.

Featured in this collection is John's very own award winning backyard. His garden is a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: water, cover, food and places to raise their young. His garden will be featured in the September issue of San Diego Home and Garden magazine. Stay tuned for John's new book, Garden Sanctuary: Designing for Comfort, Wholeness, and Connection, that takes you on the transformative journey of creating your own personal sanctuary and connection to nature in your own back yard.

This graceful new Federal style home feels as if it has always stood here, among one of the most historic neighborhoods in the country. Sited on property that has been in the family for generations and overlooking a picturesque cove, the home reflects the region’s classic New England styling. On the approach to the home, a courtyard presents a friendly formality that harkens to over 200 years of architectural history. At the rear, a full-width, deep porch with French doors from every room invites family and friends to interact between the interior and the cove. The interiors are detailed with nautical touches that nod to the home’s waterfront perch.

Featured in this collection is John's very own award winning backyard. His garden is a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: water, cover, food and places to raise their young. His garden will be featured in the September issue of San Diego Home and Garden magazine. Stay tuned for John's new book, Garden Sanctuary: Designing for Comfort, Wholeness, and Connection, that takes you on the transformative journey of creating your own personal sanctuary and connection to nature in your own back yard.