An Ode to Tradition: Classic New England Design
As BDG celebrates 30 years, we are returning to the roots that have inspired us since the beginning: the timeless charm of traditional New England architecture and design. New England has its own special old-world magic, dotted with coastal landscapes, quaint villages, and historic estates that together shape a regional identity admired by design lovers across the country and beyond.
Defining features of traditional New England design often include stone and cedar shingle exteriors crafted to endure the elements, gambrel and gable rooflines expressing silhouette and rhythm, classic shutters, arched windows bringing softness to strong forms, classically inspired front entries emphasizing symmetry, and interiors layered with millwork, textiles, and material richness. New England charm reminds us that classic design is not only nostalgic, but it is also timeless and adaptive. The language of classic New England design endures in a world that grasps for elegance that never goes out of style.
Stone and Shingled Exteriors
Perched along the Rhode Island coastline, the Gunning Rock House, designed by Paul Weber Architecture, is a powerful expression of traditional New England materiality. Here, stone and shingle merge to create a home that feels grounded, timeless, and thoughtfully tied to its coastal setting.
The stone exterior is a carefully curated blend of five types of granite, each roughly 6–8 inches thick. Venetian Bluff granite was chosen as the dominant material for its color and texture, becoming the visual anchor of the home. Thoughtful planning went into the arrangement of each stone type, where their unique cuts and textures are intentionally blended to feel seamless and natural.
The granite faces used on the sidewalls were pillowed off-site with select stones further hand-modified during installation. While the home is primarily stone, cedar sidewall shingles offer warmth and softness at key locations using red cedar shingles. Venetian Bluff granite is repeated thoughtfully at the water table and chimney cap, reinforcing visual continuity.
Architect: Paul Weber Architecture, Interior Designer: Jennifer Garrigues, Builder/Contractor: Newport Housewrights Inc., Landscape Designer: Horiuchi & Solien Landscape Architects, Photographer: Richard Mandelkorn
Arches & Layered Windows
Designed by Catalano Architects, Oyster Harbors is an elegant exploration of Shingle Style architecture, demonstrating how traditional architecture remains dynamic and capable of movement, nuance, and expressive form.
Rather than adhering to a rigid axial composition, the design organically shifts away from the central elevation, allowing the exterior to respond directly to the interior flow. At the heart of the home is a central tower topped with a bell-curved roof in lead-coated copper housing a grand, light-filled staircase and acting as the architectural focal point.
One of the project’s signature features is its layered window design. An oriel window on the main gambrel relates directly to a clamshell motif crowning a Palladian window below, establishing a cohesive visual language. “Arched windows soften the façade of a Shingle Style house, lending a graceful, handcrafted feeling that complements sweeping rooflines and a pliable shingle skin,” says Tom Catalano, Owner & Principal at Calatano Architects.
The entry elevation follows classic New England vernacular tradition: picturesque in approach, symmetrical in composition, and oriented to capture daylight. Patterned shingles, contrasting roof forms, protruding tower elements, and signature elliptical muntins create depth and shadow, turning the façade into a richly three-dimensional composition.
Architect: Catalano Architects
A Grand Front Entry
Jan Gleysteen Architects are renowned for classically inspired design deeply rooted in historic New England architectural traditions. Twin Harmony embodies that philosophy, where composition, proportion, and detailing come together to form an iconic expression of classic New England architecture.
“Our design team focuses attention on the classic principles of rhythm, scale, and proportion,” notes Jan Gleysteen. “Our homes project a stately harmony of parts into a whole.”
The grand front entry serves as the formal focal point of the residence. A symmetrical composition anchors the façade, while an arched portico and finely detailed millwork evoke historic New England estates. The central entry door flanked by sidelights and crowned with a fanlight directly references early New England architectural detailing.
Traditional materials including cedar shingles, stone, and painted wood trim are carefully articulated to reinforce craftsmanship and permanence.
Architect: Jan Gleysteen Architects, Builder/Contractor: Sanford Custom Homes, Photographer: Richard Mandelkorn
Classic Shutters
This Harwichport home overlooking Allen Harbor is a quintessential Cape Cod classic, built by McPhee Associates featuring classic shutters by New England Shutter Mills. Crisp white clapboard on the main façade is balanced by weathered gray shingles on the sides, a timeless pairing seen throughout coastal New England. Framing it all are the iconic shutters, which are unmistakably Old Cape Cod in character.
Crafted from Western Red Cedar by New England Shutter Mills, the deep blue shutters embrace the region’s maritime heritage and traditional craftsmanship, grounding the home in an authenticity that defines true New England design.
Shutters: New England Shutter Mills, Builder: McPhee Associates
Layered Fabrics & Textures
Inside a classic Boston neighborhood residence, Carter & Company Interior Design brings a fresh twist to traditional style in a Georgian Revival home. Working alongside architect Frank McGuire and contractor Payne Bouchier, the Carter & Co. team infused spaces with layered materiality including rich textiles, custom millwork, and thoughtful composition.
“It is a rare and exciting experience when a designer/client collaboration is so successful,” says Michael Carter, Owner of Carter & Co. “We respected the classical elements of the Georgian Revival home while infusing it with the personal and adventurous taste of the family.”
The dining room, originally a library, preserves hints of its former life while embracing modern artistry. Bookcases were reimagined as an art installation, incorporating gold-rimmed plates behind custom doors. Luxurious de Gournay wallpaper, textured scenic wallpaper, and jewel-toned accents interact with a gleaming crystal chandelier, an organic stone sculpture, and a handcrafted dining table by artisan Keith Fritz paired with velvet upholstered chairs. A thick, tufted rug features all of the colors of the room, surrounded by drapery pelmets with a pagoda influence defined in a braided trim. This project illustrates that traditional New England design is not static, but rather it evolves, layered with texture and alive with personality.
Interior Design: Carter & Co., Architect: Frank McGuire, Builder: Payne Bouchier, Photographer: Warren Patterson
Chimney Pots
Traditional chimney pots are a crowning detail deeply rooted in New England’s architectural past, as illustrated by this grand estate designed by Shope Reno Wharton. Originally practical, helping to improve draft and protect chimneys from the elements, chimney pots have become a hallmark of classic design throughout New England.
Their simple, timeworn forms hearken back to the utilitarian elegance of early coastal homes, adding warmth, balance, and a sense of history that feels unmistakably New England, where even the smallest details reflect generations of thoughtful craftsmanship.
Architect: Shope Reno Wharton
