A little bit over the top, literally and figuratively, this seaside pairing of a Nantucket-style dormer and a widow’s walk is worth noting.

The dog-house dormers that flank the center shed dormer combine to form what is commonly referred to as a Nantucket-style dormer. This combination typically allows for considerably more daylight and living space at the attic level. Recessing the face of the shed dormer from the face of the dog-house dormers helps to differentiate the elements of the dormer, so the overall look isn’t too monolithic. This dormer would be improved if the rake overhang on the dog-house dormers were reduced. Ideally, the crown trim on the rake of the dog-house dormer would wrap across the face of the shed dormer eave and also continue back on the dog-house dormer eave.

The elaborate, Georgian-inspired guard rail on the widow’s walk is an interesting foil to the quiet detail of the original, Georgian, gabled house. Stepped in from the width of the dormer below, the widow’s walk rises in a wedding-cake-like fashion. Together, these stacked, dynamic, roof components add a dramatic flourish to the more restrained house below.

For more information on Nantucket-style dormers see the Drawing Board column I wrote for Fine Homebuilding about designing shed dormers.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast and SquareOne

Read more design snapshots by architect Katie Hutchison

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