This home's glorious porch keeps the living spaces cool and shady during the summer, as well as providing a great spot to enjoy a glass of lemonade with the neighbors. The family room features a flowing design. The kitchen serves the sunny breakfast nook, which includes access to the side wraparound porch. The master suite enjoys a walk-in closet and private access to the full bath it shares with an additional bedroom. Upstairs, two bedrooms share a full hall bath. more

Here is a witty and whimsical house and a half that proves the saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It also demonstrates that smaller houses can be special and appealing. The design consists of the main cottage, comprising about 1,000 square feet in its main level and loft, and a half cottage, comprising about 500 square feet. Separated and yet close enough for hospitality, the units are linked by a simple sunroom that contains more than 250 square feet. The exterior design has gentle references to tradition in the form of gabled rooflines, board-and-batten siding, and fan windows set high into gable ends. An indoor-outdoor house, it sits atop its own deck, which is designed with an interesting angle to add to the fun. Inside, the main house contains a bedroom, bath, kitchen, and living/dining area downstairs. A loft area houses another bedroom and bath. The galley-type kitchen contains laundry and mechanicals. The first floor and loft are connected by a circular staircase. The smaller half house contains a bedroom or study, plus a small sitting area in the loft space above. Its separation from the main house would make it the ideal lodging for houseguests. Informal yet sophisticated, the house strikes a balance between privacy and sociability. It would represent the perfect home for first-time buyers who might choose to build it in stages, or it could just as beautifully suit an older couple with visiting children. For any age, it would make an ideal vacation house. more

Our classic farmhouse is simple and solid in the best country tradition, but formal detailing gives it an elegance that would make it equally at home in town. Deep porches front and rear shade the house. The dormers feature casement windows topped by graceful fanlights. Long windows, latticework trim, and square columns complete the farmhouse look. The house may be built with or without the master bedroom wing. If built without, the plan offers a three-bedroom, two-bath house of about 2,400 square feet. With the addition of the wing, the house becomes a four-bedroom, three-bath home of about 2,800 square feet. To the left of the foyer is a separate dining room, and to the right is a room that could be used as a guestroom, nursery, or study. A Classic Country Farmhouse was designed by Phillip Franks of Birmingham. more

Copyright: 1995 Donald A. Gardner Architects, Inc. more