Access to water views is a dream for most vacationers, but in the Ocean State, the view becomes a daily reality for some homeowners who live near the water — especially with the right design in mind. With careful planning and thoughtful architecture, these homes are able to seamlessly blend with their surroundings, creating a true connection to the water.  

For this, one prospective homeowner, Hartwell Hooper, turned to Katie Hutchison for expert advice on how to make that connection a reality. Katie Hutchison, an architect, designer, and owner of Katie Hutchison Studio, specializes in bringing emotion and atmosphere to every space she works on.

For this particular project, Hooper wasn’t certain what he wanted, but he knew he wanted to keep a seamless connection to the water throughout the entire home. Hutchison was able to bring this vision to life through a combination of both subtle and significant changes by transforming the windows, doors, floors, and more — to create a space that truly feels connected to the water. 

The “Riverside Cottage” project stands out as a unique and intriguing endeavor. Tucked away in a compact neighborhood, surrounded by other homes and the vibrancy of city life, this home offers a rare and priceless view of the Providence River. While the river itself isn’t the ocean, it connects to Narragansett Bay, making the water view no less stunning. The sight of the water from the window, even in this urban setting, remains breathtaking. 

When Hooper was first contemplating purchasing the home, he reached out to a handful of architects to help him get an idea of what he could transform the space into. He was not sure what he wanted to do with it, except that he wanted to add a deck to the back to have more access to the water view. He ultimately chose Hutchison, as her vision helped hime see the opportunities for the space.

“The design for the renovation was meant to give the owner more opportunities to engage with the water,” Hutchison said. This was the vision Hooper latched onto as both he and Hutchison conceptualized various options for the renovation of the home. Hooper commented, “I knew I wanted a deck to have more of a connection to the water, but I needed her vision to make it come true.”

The vision came together with Hutchison’s idea to use steel beams (cantilevers) instead of pillars to support the new addition of a deck at the back of the house. This approach not only gave the space a clean, simple, and open feel, but also provided protection against wear from storms and rising sea levels, which would have affected traditional pillars over time.

Hooper was apprehensive to move forward with the addition of the deck at one point, worried it might obstruct the view of the water from inside the cottage, but Hutchinson settled his fears. “Looking out from the sunroom, I was worried the deck might disturb the view and started second guessing the project, but she said ‘Don’t worry; its going to be fine,’ and so I moved forward with it, and I am glad I did,” shared Hooper. 

This addition sparked more ideas for the back of the house, which, according to Hutchison, required significant improvement. “The back of the house facing the water was just tragic,” Hutchison shared.

The renovation included adding a new deck, transforming the back of the house, and creating new stairs that provide direct access to the water. The back was also updated with new cedar wall shingles, fresh trim, and a new coat of paint on the trim. Much of the house required re-shingling, as the original rear siding was deteriorating.

All of the exterior stairs at the back were part of the renovation. Hutchison noted, “These new stairs offer access to the upper deck from the new platform between the house and garage, as well as access to the ground level behind the garage and beneath the house.” 

More ways to engage with the water 

Inside the home, Hutchison skillfully blended modern design with the cottage’s inherent charm, creating a space that feels open and connected to the water. She expanded the kitchen and dining areas, incorporating a kitchen island to create a more modern, open layout.

A change in the sunroom's floor level, aligning it with the main house, further enhanced the sense of space, making it feel larger despite the room’s modest size. The sunroom itself was completely reconstructed to complement this design shift. 

The renovation introduced new windows and doors, heart pine flooring stained to match the original pine upstairs, and updated tile, countertops, cabinetry, plumbing, and lighting fixtures. These changes also helped to create a clean, open space with a modern look that elevates the connection to the water views. A fresh color palette added the perfect finishing touch, completing the home’s refreshed design. 

Hooper, who had lived in the house for a year before the renovation process began, was astounded when he returned after the work was completed. He was particularly struck by how the changes made the space feel as if it were a houseboat. “You almost have to walk right up to the window to really see where you are in terms of the water,” he remarked. He went on to share, “It feels like you're on the water, not just near it, which is incredible.” 

This renovation also included updating the existing upstairs bathroom and adding a new one on the first floor, along with a laundry closet. Though the renovations seem small in scale, they provided a significant modern uplift to the small cottage, making it feel seamlessly connected to the water — a vision brought to life by the architectural design of Hutchison and Hooper’s willingness to move forward.