Photo by Linda Oyama-Bryan

john mc manus

We found a sweet little cottage in east Nashville and fell in love. The seller's expectation was that we would tear it down and build a duplex, but we felt that this house had so much more it wanted to give. The interior space is small, but a double-swing front porch, large rear deck and an old garage converted into studio space make for flexible living solutions.

Yankee Barn Homes - The Eaton Carriage House is part of a picture perfect scene.

The site for this new house was specifically selected for its proximity to nature while remaining connected to the urban amenities of Arlington and DC. From the beginning, the homeowners were mindful of the environmental impact of this house, so the goal was to get the project LEED certified. Even though the owner’s programmatic needs ultimately grew the house to almost 8,000 square feet, the design team was able to obtain LEED Silver for the project. The first floor houses the public spaces of the program: living, dining, kitchen, family room, power room, library, mudroom and screened porch. The second and third floors contain the master suite, four bedrooms, office, three bathrooms and laundry. The entire basement is dedicated to recreational spaces which include a billiard room, craft room, exercise room, media room and a wine cellar. To minimize the mass of the house, the architects designed low bearing roofs to reduce the height from above, while bringing the ground plain up by specifying local Carder Rock stone for the foundation walls. The landscape around the house further anchored the house by installing retaining walls using the same stone as the foundation. The remaining areas on the property were heavily landscaped with climate appropriate vegetation, retaining walls, and minimal turf. Other LEED elements include LED lighting, geothermal heating system, heat-pump water heater, FSA certified woods, low VOC paints and high R-value insulation and windows. Hoachlander Davis Photography

This quaint hideaway sits over a quiet brook just steps from the main house Siemasko + Verbridge designed over 10 years ago. The form, materials and details of the design relate directly to the main house creating a harmonious relationship between the new and old. The carriage house serves as a multi-purpose space for the owners by incorporating a 2 car garage, work shop and office space all under one roof. Photo Credit: Blind Dog Studio

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this cottage blends old world authenticity with contemporary design elements.

Garage-Guest House. Photographer: Rob Karosis

Ed Massery

Architect: R. H. Carter Architects Inc. Photography: Peter A. Sellar / www.photoklik.com

Photo by Rob Kerosis