Watson de Roux Architecture

Rather than contrast old and new, this addition plays off a charming cottage’s existing language — reworking its proportions, materials, and geometry through a modern lens. Traditional forms are abstracted, details are streamlined, and light becomes the primary architectural feature. The design feels as though it always belonged — only brighter and more attuned to today’s way of living.

Designed to feel at home in its distinct neighborhood, this addition speaks to its formal surroundings. Though rooted in traditional architectural language, generously scaled windows draw sunlight deep into the home giving the interiors a contemporary feel. On the second floor, a colorful, sun-filled sitting room opens directly into the tree canopy offering a welcoming space that feels uplifting and private.

The client’s vision was clear: "transform the entry and den into modern spaces that belong." This led to a design contemporary in nature but inspired by the home’s setting. Carefully detailed shutters temper the harsh tropical sun and provide privacy. Integrated wall paneling conceals storage within a seamless surface maintaining a sense of quiet refinement and order. At the entry, an eye-catching mural references the local landscape establishing a familiar, layered tone for the spaces beyond.

Designed as a natural extension of the original home, this side-yard addition mimics existing brickwork, proportions, and details so the new space feels rooted in its historic surroundings. Above, a new roof deck offers intimate views across Charleston's rooftops. A reconfigured attic introduces modern function that supports family life. Together, these interventions honor the home’s character while thoughtfully adapting it for contemporary living.

This project began with a clear challenge: how to gracefully connect a raised floor to the garden below. Rather than minimizing the level change, the design embraces it — turning vertical separation into opportunity. A sculptural intervention bridges house and garden with stepped forms that function simultaneously as circulation, planter, and seating. Large openings dissolve boundaries bringing light and greenery into the home's fully redesined, elegant kitchen. The result is a unique connection between architecture and garden grounded in material, movement, and light. ‍

Under Construction.

Through strategic moves, this modest home is made to feel far larger than its scale suggests. The main level combines kitchen and dining into a single open volume that extends directly into the garden dissolving the boundary between inside and out. Above, a projecting corner window and sculptural skylight introduce light from multiple directions enhancing depth and vertical volume. The result is a home that feels expansive and bright — achieved not through size but design. ‍

Under Construction.

This project reworks an addition that conflicted with the character of the original brick home retaining its foundations but rebuilding it from the ground up. The family's cherished family room is preserved but split between two new volumes: an enclosed wood porch and a two-story brick structure. Only the porch looks like an addition, subtly concealing the full scope of the intervention.

Under Construction.

A collection of smaller projects and ideas.