Connecticut Country Home

The goal for the transformation of an 1898 shingle and stone summer “cottage” and grounds in northwestern Connecticut was to appear casually beautiful and as originally intended.  While researching the property, RBLA found historic photographs that revealed the existence of a handsome wrap-around porch that had been removed in the 1930’s. Classicist-architect Frank Garrettson was enlisted to reimagine the original porch, to overlook the romantic and functional retreat RBLA created.

In addition to the prior removal of the front porch, there were numerous landscape mistakes to be resolved. The original siting of the house on the side of a hill allowed wonderful western light and air flow. But after changing hands many times over the years, the grounds had suffered from general neglect, poor grading and drainage. 

RBLA replaced and reconfigured the existing swimming pool coping and terrace (initially surrounded by faux-brick pavers) in weathered, local gray granite. Most of the property was regraded to divert water from the back of the house; slopes were shaped with planted banks and stone retaining walls. Flowering plants and shrubs punctuated by existing and new specimen trees, give way to fern-edged woodlands as one progresses farther from the house. A beloved walled kitchen garden was carved into the hillside and serves as the circulatory link between the main house and carriage house across the new driveway. Attention to detail can be discovered throughout the landscape, from stonework details and lighting, to vintage planters and hand-crafted handrails and fencing.