Built beside a young family’s primary residence in Fairfield County, Connecticut, this new guesthouse was conceived for frequent visits from relatives and friends, holiday gatherings, and summer pool parties. The house occupies a sloping site overlooking a coastal estuary. Its placement and the surrounding landscape, designed by Kathryn Herman Design, establish a connection between the two properties without simply repeating the architecture of the original house.

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From the approach, the house has the familiar proportions of a Cape Cod, with a modest entrance porch, three dormers, white-painted shingles, and blue shutters. Facing the water, its character changes. A two-story Colonial Revival elevation opens through divided-light casements and French doors toward a screened porch, terraces, and a vanishing-edge pool.

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Inside, a central great room accommodates both living and dining, with views extending from the front entrance through to the pool and water beyond. Wide arches connect the adjoining rooms while preserving their individual character, allowing guests to move easily through the house without sacrificing the definition of traditional interiors. Built by Fox Hill Builders, the house combines the intimate scale of a New England cottage with spaces suited to gatherings of considerably greater size.

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The project was completed while Richard Nichols was with VanderHorn Architects. Richard served as architect and project manager, designed the interior architecture, and refined and detailed the exterior design.