Spruce Cottage was our family home for a number of years, a labor of love and necessity built during the pandemic when we returned to Rhode Island to create a place of comfort and resilience and to raise our family. As an architect, I’ve spent my career designing homes for others. This time I built one for us, a chance to test every idea the hard way. Every inch of the house was built by hand, proving that design means more when you’re the one swinging the hammer.

A deep energy approach guided every design decision: exterior insulation, high-performance windows, impact-rated storm panels, and bombproof roof-grade Alaskan Yellow Cedar shingles were all chosen for durability and to fight off Nor’easters in the coastal neighborhood. South-facing windows welcome the low winter sun, while deep overhangs temper summer heat, creating a calm, sunlit retreat for family life in all seasons.