- new georgian revival home -
Description
This new 7,000 square foot brick home was built for a growing young family as a long-term family homestead. Fortunate to secure an open lot in the Frederick Law Olmstead designed Khakum Wood neighborhood, the family turned to Charles Hilton Architects to develop plans for their dream home. The Georgian revival style was chosen to help the house fit seamlessly into the neighborhood, a region already marked by its early 20th century Georgian and Tudor Revival homes. The Georgian style, known for its austerity and understated, yet elegant exterior detail also paired well with the client’s wishes for a sparingly ornamented façade.
Most of the exterior decoration is concentrated at the center of the front façade. There, a protruding, two story gable and semi-circular portico mark the front door, which itself is framed by attenuated pilasters that support the fan light above. A single, second story Palladian window completes the decoration on the central bay. Typical of the Georgian style, much of the additional ornament around the house consists of subtle embellishments, which serve to enhance, yet not overpower the austere facades. For example, a simplified Corinthian entablature was selected to ring the house, each modillion casting an intricate shadow back onto the façade. The expert brickwork also adds visual interest. Utilizing a handmade, oversized brick laid in a Flemish bond, this modern home references the masonry of the 18th century while also visually scaling the large house down.
The interior boasts myriad Georgian-inspired details, from arched openings to wood paneling and hand-crafted oak floors, yet, despite this period aesthetic, the house was constructed with modern convenience in mind. State-of-the-art LED lighting and geothermal technologies power this traditional home, though several working fireplaces throughout can still lend ambiance and warmth in a pinch.
The grounds of this estate were designed to work in concert with the new house. Landscape design in an Olmstead neighborhood is a daunting task, and, like Olmstead’s icons, these limited grounds drew inspiration from the English picturesque movement. A large lawn at the rear of the house is hemmed in by mature trees on three sides and the house’s rear patio on the fourth. The bluestone paving of the patio blends into a short, yet meandering path to the pool terrace and its pavilion, which was inspired by traditional timber framing. Constructed almost entirely of teak, the pavilion is embellished by decorative brackets and raftertails. A gently curving yellow cedar shingle roof caps the structure, offering shelter from sweltering heat or sudden showers.
- PROJECT TEAM -
Stedila Design | Highland Design Gardens | Hobbs Inc
“We hired Charles Hilton Architects to design our home in Greenwich in 2013 and we cannot recommend them highly enough. We chose to work with Chuck because we love how his Georgian homes have a unique, signature style that is still in keeping with classical architecture. At our initial meeting, we told Chuck we were hoping to build a cheerful family home in a traditional, American Georgian style. Chuck listened to all of our priorities, and the home he designed for us is exactly what we had envisioned – symmetrical and beautifully proportioned on the exterior, with a slightly more modern, open feel on the interior.
Chuck brought a calm, professional demeanor and an incredible depth of knowledge to every meeting. His hands on approach helped to smoothly steer the course of the project from the beginning. Chuck was always able answer our questions on a wide range of topics – from architectural history to the latest green technologies such as LED lighting and geothermal heating and cooling systems.
Chuck has assembled a talented team of architects with a diverse array of design specialties. Daniel Pardy’s interior details provide both aesthetic interest and a sense of balance inside our home. Throughout the project Nick Rotondi frequently dropped off samples of materials, carefully checked to make sure the production of the house met the specifications outlined in the shop drawings, and was available seven days a week to answer questions. The attention and time that Chuck and his colleagues gave us helped us to forge a personal relationship that made the process of designing our home both collaborative and enjoyable. There was no request they could not accommodate, and a number of times, they came back to us with a proposal that was superior to our request. From the start to the end of our project we benefited from the personalized and professional approach at Charles Hilton Architects.
We recently moved into our beautiful new home and it is perfect for our family. The plans Charles Hilton Architects designed for us led to the creation of a serene and comfortable home. We are so grateful for the level of thought and care they put into our project, and we hope to enjoy our home for many, many years to come!”
— MICHAEL GALATIOTO – CLIENT
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“I have had the pleasure of working with Chuck on a large number of prestigious projects in both Fairfield and Westchester counties. As a sales representative from O&G industries where we fabricator and import all varieties of natural stone and also distributor of clay brick products, it’s very important to have a professional such as Chuck to ensure a successful project. There's a reason why Chuck is regarded to be in rarified air as an architect.”
- ED MOAVERO – O & G INDUSTRIES
. . . . .
“I have worked with Charles Hilton on about 20 different projects over the past 10 years, providing consulting on roofing, waterproofing, and related building envelope issues. He and his team are absolutely top-notch when it comes to attention to detail, and their drawings are among the most complete and comprehensive that I have seen. They consistently go above and beyond to make sure that their projects are not only aesthetically superior but also practical and durable. They deliver outstanding value to their clients, and I always welcome the opportunity to work with them since I know they will deliver a successful project.”
- SEAN O’BRIEN, SIMPSON GUMPERTZ & HEGER