Rather than contrast old and new, the design of this addition plays directly off a charming cottage’s existing language — reworking its proportions, materials, and geometry through a modern lens. Traditional forms are subtly abstracted, details are streamlined, and light becomes the primary architectural feature. The new design feels as though it always belonged — only brighter, more fluid, and more attuned to today’s way of living.

Designed to feel right at home in Kalorama’s elegant neighborgood, this addition blends seamlessly with its formal surroundings. Though rooted in a traditional architectural language, generously scaled windows draw sunlight deep into the home giving the interiors a more contemporary feel. On the second floor, a colorful, sun-filled sitting room opens directly into the tree canopy offering a welcoming space that feels both uplifting and private.

The client’s vision was clear: "transform the entry hall and family room into spaces that belong but with a fresh take." The solution was to propose a material palette and architectural language contemporary in nature but inspired by the home’s unique tropical setting. Richly detailed wood shutters temper the harsh tropical sun while preserving panoramic views. Integrated paneling conceals storage within a seamless surface, maintaining a sense of quiet refinement and order. At the entry, a vibrant mural draws from the local landscape and history grounding the interior in its context and establishing a welcoming, layered tone for the spaces beyond.

Designed as a natural extension of the original home, this side-yard addition mimics the existing brickwork, proportions, and architectural details so the new space feels rooted in its charming surroundings. Above, a new roof deck offers intimate views across Charleston's historic rooftops. A reconfigured attic introduces modern function that supports family life. Together, these interventions honor the home’s character while thoughtfully adapting it for contemporary living.

This project began with a clear challenge: how to gracefully connect a raised first floor to the garden below. Rather than minimizing the level change, the design embraces it — turning vertical separation into an architectural opportunity. A sculptural limestone intervention bridges house and garden with stepped forms that function simultaneously as circulation, planter, and informal seating. What might have been a simple stair becomes an inhabitable transition between inside and out. Large openings help dissolve the boundary further, allowing light and greenery to flow into the home's fully redesined, elegant kitchen. The result is a seamless connection between architecture and garden grounded in material, movement, and light. ‍

Under Construction.

Through strategic architectural moves, this modest home is made to feel far larger than its scale suggests. The main level unites kitchen and dining into a single open volume that extends directly into the garden dissolving the boundary between inside and out. Above, a projecting corner window and sculptural skylight introduce light from multiple directions enhancing depth and vertical volume. The result is a home that feels expansive, bright, and spatially generous — achieved not through size but through design. ‍

Under Construction.

By retaining the footprint of an existing addition, this project treats constraint as strategy — expanding upward rather than outward. On the first level, enlarged openings and new windows transform the interior by bringing in natural light and creating a more open, contemporary space. Above, a carefully integrated second level aligns with the home’s existing rooflines and proportions. It houses a generous primary bedroom with vaulted ceilings that is experienced as a bright and private retreat. Emerging naturally from the addition, a new pergola extends into the landscape framing the outdoors and reinforcing the connection between architecture and garden. ‍

Under Construction.

A collection of ideas large and small.