Grove Cottages, a sustainable community in Vero Beach, Florida was conceived in 2004 when deforested landscapes and cookie cutter homes invaded Florida. Our firm’s environmentally sensitive low density infill development is a design oriented alternative to what seemed like insanity.
This bright coastal contemporary living room and waterfront dining area replaced a 1980's interior that featured bulky track lights and Formica cabinetry. Michael McKinley and Associates collaborated with the homeowner/ interior designer, Susan Helie to bring her design concepts reality.
The new entry opens up to the living area with views of Stonington Harbor and a nautical galley style kitchen. A teak and holly floor used on yacht decks and cabinet hardware custom made from boat handrail stanchions and teak rods add warmth to the white cabinetry and blue glass tile walls.
Master Bath and Mater Bedroom
Our firm detailed an efficient 8' X 10' bunk room that sleeps three by incorporating a pull out
trundle bed.
Susan says she wanted her renovated Stonington house to be different from her traditional home in Southport, CT...she wanted it to feel like she was on vacation. Now, on Monday morning when she's packing up to head back to Southport, she has that sinking feeling...the vacation is over.
What began as a residential development project resulted in one of our firm’s most personal pieces of architecture. We were hired to design a new shingle style residence for a site in Watch Hill, Rhode Island which was originally a Mellon estate, landscaped by a firm established by Frederick Law Olmsead.
Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC won a "Residential Interior Design" award in Rhode Island Monthly's 2011 Design Awards.
Our firm entered this Watch Hill house in the "Residential New Construction" category and won a Bronze Award for interior design. The above stair hallway photo caught the judge's attention. Here is an excerpt from Rhode Island Monthly:
It’s a $75,000 question: what’s missing in the photograph of this Watch Hill summer house?
The answer saved the homeowners more than $75,000 in construction costs.
Initially, the homeowners requested a detached two car garage and driveway. When Stonington Architect Michael McKinley discovered the garage would only be utilized for car storage when the homeowners are away during the winter, he suggested eliminating the driveway and a garage bay. The single car garage is unobtrusively tucked under the house and the car is only driven across the lawn a couple of times a year.
Our firm designed major renovations and additions to an oceanfront summer home in the historic village of Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Built in 1886, the home was updated in the 1950’s during a renovation that hid most of its architectural charm behind aluminum siding and storm windows.
Original Watch Hill house circa 1886
"Second Generation" Watch Hill house after 1950's renovation.
Our challenge was to create a modern, year round home that re-established the tradition of wood craftsmanship found in original structure and the nearby exquisite Shingle Style residences.
The design brought new energy and youthfulness to an aging “homestead” which had been in our client’s family for 60 years. The design is not a replication of the 1886 house, but rather it is a highly orchestrated composition of the best elements of the Watch Hill Shingle Style. We had the opportunity to collaborate with some of New England’s finest craftspeople who learned the trades of woodworking and masonry from previous generations.
Business Owner and Architect Michael McKinley Builds a Life in Stonington
He Came for School but Fell in Love with the Coast and Decided to Stay
By Juli Mancini
It's a late foggy morning in the Borough and Architect Michael McKinley meets me with a warm smile and a handshake. His business, Michael McKinley and Associates, is located in an historic cottage with coastal and nature inspired hues of stone, butter, cornflower blue and terra cotta. Filled with renderings, blueprints and framed credentials this little business pack a punch.
Michael McKinley at his Water Street Office. Credit: Juli Mancini
The million dollar view, defined by inspiring ocean vistas, is often encumbered by an outdated 1950’s cottage in dire need of renovation. Zoning in coastal areas can be highly restrictive so don’t assume you can tear down a cottage and build your dream beach house in the same location. When looking at waterfront homes here are some things you should consider:
Small spaces require lots of creativity…especially bathrooms. This compact bathroom in a Watch Hill residence had limited options when it came to locating a window. An ideal place for views was above the sink but that would have prohibited the installation of a mirror. Stonington builder, Tom Buxton and I came up with a solution for the best of both.
What appears to be a mirrored medicine cabinet door opens revealing a light filled window.
Beach houses in hazardous flood zones don’t have to look like boxes on stilts. Too often, the structural requirements associated with elevating the building dictate the overall design. Bringing an elevated coastal home back to earth begins in the design phase with an assessment of the site and water views. Valuable outdoor living area under the house is frequently overlooked and the space is relegated to car parking and storage.
This summer home in Westerly, RI takes advantage of wonderful grade level views of Winnapaug Pond. Our firm saw the space under the Shingle Style home as an opportunity rather than a challenge. We designed a well detailed and useful outdoor summer room.
By internet standards our former six-year-old website was prehistoric. In architecture terms it was a “teardown!” The goal of the new website is to create an easy to navigate photo gallery to showcase our residential architecture. Because we think our work speaks for itself, the focus is on the photographs.
New additions include seaside homes in Watch Hill and our Design Journal where we’ll post photos of projects under construction and discuss issues relating to coastal home permitting, design and construction. Kathy Calnen, our in-house “material girl,” will be a frequent contributor sharing interior design source information.
If you want our Design Journal posts sent to you, look for us on Facebook and Twitter.
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