Small English Cottage in Potomac

Highgate is different kind of development in Potomac, Maryland. Twenty custom houses by five architects are being built on 50 acres of rolling farmland. The houses vary in size (this is the smallest), but each is in the style of the Cottswald cottages that inspired towns like Lake Forest and Chestnut Hill early in the last century. A common palette of exterior materials and a common landscaping plan hold the community together visually and spatially.

Our client chose a site with a beautiful back yard of old plantings from a former tenant house — they wanted the family room, sunroom and master bedroom all to take advantage of these views. Although over two acres, the lot is only 150 feet wide. The challenge was to fit all of the program and requirements into a building that would fit comfortably on the land.

The house and terrace are sited to provide privacy and take advantage of views to the back yard. The stucco house and garage are separated by a breezeway. A main feature of the front façade is a two-flue chimney, constructed of stone, brick and slate. Exterior materials include stucco walls, stone terraces, wood casement windows, a slate roof, and copper gutters and downspouts.