A Hidden Haven

Inspired by the homeowner’s vision of beauty, sustainability, and indoor-outdoor living, Sweenor Builders delivers a cohesive design approach in crafting a coastal Rhode Island retreat. With the firm’s ability to integrate design, build, and permitting under one roof, the stunning result is the product of a smooth process behind the scenes.

“After looking at the site plan that we received from our civil engineer, we worked together on the best position for the house,” says Mitch Votolato, Architectural Designer for Sweenor Builders. Surrounded by both woodlands and sea, the 4,900-square-foot home was positioned to take advantage of the natural splendor of the landscape. With the property’s 65-foot grade change, a striking structural design emerged as a response to the sloping terrain.

From the street, the home presents as one and a half stories, nestling humbly into the neighborhood. From the east-facing rear, the design reveals a striking three-story façade with a walkout lower level that opens to the landscape. This careful massing preserves privacy while maximizing soft morning light and spectacular views of the bay. The home also features two double-stacked outdoor fireplaces, one on the ground-level patio and the other in the screened porch, as well as multi-level patio space offering a direct connection to the outdoors.

The material selection was guided by a desire to harmonize the home with its natural surroundings, shaping the choices for both the house structure and the landscape design. “On this project, we used Anderson A-series windows in a forest green color,” notes Votolato. “The client requested red cedar shingles, which I think definitely helped anchor the house to the landscape.”

The landscape design, led by Landscape Architect Lisa Frazier of Mather & Page, was driven by both the qualities of the site and the homeowner’s desire for a dynamic outdoor experience. A spacious pool terrace became the heart of the landscape program, with its design carefully calibrated to the home’s scale and topography. “Rather than aligning parallel to the house, the pool extends perpendicularly into the landscape,” Votalato describes. The visual effect is a vanishing edge that appears to merge with the bay’s horizon.

The surrounding terrace features porcelain pavers complemented by substantial bluestone slab steps that gracefully navigate the steep terrain, where the plant palette was curated to transition seamlessly from woods to coast. Mature trees—a majestic beech tree in the front and two towering cedars in the rear—were also carefully protected and incorporated into the design.

Given this project’s adjacency to sensitive coastal environments, complying with the town’s conservation regulations was key to the project’s success. A biologist was brought onto the team early in the process, ensuring compliance while maximizing the ecological potential of the site. “We take on total ownership of the outcome of projects right at the beginning,” says Jeff Sweenor, Founder & President of the firm. “If you miss one thing, you end up in a design that ultimately isn’t going to get permitted.”

Clients can trust Sweenor Builders as industry experts to not only pull all of the design elements together—from architecture, design/build, and interior design to in-house custom cabinetry and millwork—but also to take on any regulatory challenges that might arise through their building science expertise and engineer-led permitting process. “The benefit to the client is they have one phone call to make, and it’s to us,” says Sweenor. “We are here to manage the whole process.”

Photography: Brandon Dupont Photography, Design/Build: Sweenor Builders, Architectural Designer: Mitch Votolato, Sweenor Builders, Landscape Architect: Lisa Frazier, Mather & Page