A Tidewater Modern House
Step inside Kimmel Studio Architect’s latest waterfront masterpiece.
The main reason why the owners of this waterfront home chose Devin Kimmel as their architect is that he is also a landscape architect. Kimmel’s distinctions result in a greater “collaboration” between home and home site.
“Incorporating nature into a home plan requires one to think about the structure itself, its angles, where the sun rises and sets, and how the living environment can be impacted by the blurring of the line between indoors and out,” he notes. “And it is that desire for the blurred line that happens to be one of the most requested aspects of the home plans we are currently designing, which is appropriate for our penchant for working with complicated natural sites that include sand, fields, and creeks.”
The expansive windows and porches create permeability between house and garden, enhance views to the water, and also facilitate the indoor-outdoor waterfront lifestyle that the clients were so eager to experience.
The design also reflects the desire of the owners to live in a home that would be modern, but that would also feel like it belongs in the Chesapeake Bay region. The solution Kimmel offers is a style that he terms “Tidewater Modern.” Elements abstracted from Chesapeake historic homes are combined with expansive windows and other modern features. He is uniquely qualified to successfully achieve this combination because he is an avid student of early American buildings and gardens. This interest, which he shares with his colleagues, helps ensure both new construction and renovations are tied to the history of the space they occupy—even when the design is modern, as in this case.
“From eaves to chimneys to rooflines,” Kimmel says, “the knowledge we’ve gained over the years allows us to tap into traditional elements, should they be abstracted or imitated, creating a thoroughly unique, one-of-a-kind home.”
Whether it’s a modern marvel, a waterfront property, a traditional style home, or a historic preservation or renovation project, a Kimmel Studio Architects project is sure to impress.
Builder: Lynbrook of Annapolis
Interior Design: Catherine M. Lowe, ASID
Photography: Jennifer Hughes Photography
