Surfside Watch Hill, RI

We designed major renovations and additions to this oceanfront Shingle Style home in the historic village of Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Built in 1886, the summer house was updated in the 1950’s during a renovation that hid most of its architectural charm behind aluminum siding and storm windows. Our challenge was to create a modern, year-round home that re-established the tradition of wood craftsmanship found in the original structure and the nearby exquisite Shingle Style residences.

Our firm’s design brought new energy and youthfulness to an aging “homestead” that had been in our client’s family for 60 years. The renovated home 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 had learned the trades of woodworking and masonry from previous generations.

The design has been very well received by the discerning Watch Hill Community. The “third generation” oceanfront residence was published in Watch Hill Style, a book on the best examples of Watch Hill architecture.