Scope of Project/Services

This was a new construction 3-story home in the Buttonwoods neighborhood of Warwick, RI, to be built on a very tight footprint of 2500 square feet. The design included a 3rd floor loft, 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor, a ground-level in-law suite, and a wraparound porch for outdoor living, maximizing the tight sight of the water. Demolition of the existing summer cottage was required as well.

Special Requests or Needs of the Client or Job

The client needed us to maximize the use of as much of the tight footprint as possible, necessitating our careful consideration of every inch of the design for the most efficiency. 

Challenges and Solutions 

One of the challenges presented was issues with fire resistance due to the proximity of other homes in the neighborhood. One of the solutions we incorporated was the installation of fire-resistant windows in some of the rooms.

Another challenge was the impact the harsh New England coastal climate would have on the exterior of the home, especially with the design details, and including those of the wraparound porch. We solved that issue by using maintenance-free materials, while keeping with the beautiful lacey aesthetic and intricate detail in the Gingerbread House design.

Special or Remarkable Features

We used our experience and creativity to solve design challenges and create unique features at the same time, like the very detailed maintenance-free woodwork on the exterior, the master bedroom’s cathedral ceiling with a steep roofline, and the beautiful overlook of the bay accessed from an attic-level balcony. Another feature of note is the bench we created in the hallway to hide headroom issues with a stairway that did not fit well, and the lighthouse feature we designed at the top of the stairs to accommodate a gap.

What We Enjoyed Most About this Project

“The challenge of being incredibly efficient and fitting a lot of living space into such a tight footprint, while making whatever was left aesthetically pleasing, was a great creative experience.” Spencer McCombe

Contractors and Other Subcontractors of Note

Masonry: D. Feole Masonry, Inc. – Dave Feole

Stairs: Hardwood Design, Inc.  – Andy Fallon