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A Nicely Updated Colonial Cottage In Ohio

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Bay Village, Ohio is a western suburb of Cleveland, and not far from where Karen grew up. We know the area, and know that much of the housing stock is small homes, like this 1948 updated Colonial … Read More >>

Updated Queen Anne Bungalow with Modern Interior

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

No doubt you've seen cottages like this one in your town - it's a "bungalow" for sure, but stylistically, it's a Queen Anne. I know, I know - you're probably used to seeing those big, tall, elaborate, … [Read More...]

Cabin Fans – Check Out This Hot Springs Luxury Log Home

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

"Roughing it?" Not in this luxury log home! As if being in Hot Springs National Park wasn't enough, the interior of this "cabin" surrounds you with wood and stone, too. Look around at this spectacular … [Read More...]

Time-Traveling In A New Orleans French Quarter Townhouse

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

We've all thought about traveling back in time, haven't we? What would you change? Who would you meet? How much Apple stock would you buy? Unfortunately, physicists say we can only go forward in time, … [Read More...]

Does This Steep-roofed Tudor Home Look Like a Typical Arizona House to You? (We did a double-take)

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

We're used to seeing Arizona houses with low-pitched or flat roofs, or that are ultra-contemporary. But this downtown Phoenix home through us for a loop!  On the outside this steep-roofed Tudor home … [Read More...]

We Can’t Get Enough of Charleston, SC or This Cute Little Downtown Cottage

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Charleston, SC is one of our favorite places. Honestly, the number of cute little Modest Mansions in that town seems endless. Like this Charleston cottage … [Read More...]

Mid Century Modern Contemporary Ranch

A Cool California Contemporary with Some Unique Details, Hidden in the Woods

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Low-slung ranch homes like these were very popular throughout the Midwest in the middle of the 20th Century. The basic form of this one is "California Contemporary", which probably puts it in the … [Read More...]

Forget the “Modern” part, this Renovated Farmhouse Looks Like the Real Thing

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

You may have seen this extraordinary white modern farmhouse project on HGTV back in 2020 - it's an old timber-framed home that was extensively remodeled  and added on to, and the result is pretty … [Read More...]

Tiny New Orleans Cottage With A Warm Inviting Interior

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

This colorful tiny New Orleans cottage has just 1,640 square feet. Which is one of the things we like about it - cozy, comfy and small suits us just fine! 12 foot ceilings in this tiny New … [Read More...]

Restored and Updated New Orleans French Quarter Townhouse

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

We don't often get to see inside a classic, iconic New Orleans French Quarter townhouse - you know, the ones with all the wrought iron on the balconies, the ones you see in the background of the Mardi … [Read More...]

Restored Charleston Two Story Home with a Lot of Updated Features

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

The South of Broad district in lovely Charleston South Carolina is the heart of the Historic District, at the tip of the peninsula, and the most charming part of the city (in our humble opinions). … [Read More...]

New Traditional Cottage Home with a Very Steep Roof

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

We often find that the best homes out there are Architect-designed, regardless of the size and budget. This new traditional cottage home by Moser Architects of Arlington, Virginia is one of … [Read More...]

A Restored 19th Century House on a Tiny Lot in Charleston, SC

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Our recent trip to Charleston has got us a little fixated on the city and the wonderful historic homes in it. This restored 19th century house isn't in the historic district, but it's super cute … [Read More...]

Restored Victorian-era Home In Galveston, Texas

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Older homes in hot climates depend on plenty of porches to make the summer months bearable. This restored Victorian-era home in Galveston, Texas has charming porches on the front and the back, and a … [Read More...]

Recently Sold! A Little Painted Brick Cottage

By Rich Leave a Comment

I get a lot of questions about painting brick - should you or shouldn't you? As long as you prep the surface correctly, and use the right kind of paint, it can look great - like this little painted … [Read More...]

Pretty Yellow Craftsman Cottage (with Shiplap Everywhere!)

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Long before Chip and Joanna made it is the latest cool thing, "shiplap" siding was the way cottages and farmhouses were finished on the inside. This yellow Craftsman Cottage is a great example of … [Read More...]

Mimimalist Mid-Century Modern in Colorado

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Krisana Park is a neighborhood of 175 50's-era ranch-style Modern homes in southeast central Denver, Colorado.  It's home to this super clean minimalist mid-century Modern house, updated by Cadence … [Read More...]

Classic Dark Green Lake House in Vermont

By Rich and Karen 3 Comments

Smith and Vansant Architects have designed another gem in their home state of Vermont - this one's a classic dark green lake house with big porches and very nicely done interiors. Maybe … [Read More...]

Stylish 1950’s Tiny Remodeled Cottage Home In Virginia

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

We expect to find smaller homes in the Washington DC suburbs, where houses are - shall we say - a tad pricey. This tiny remodeled cottage home has only 1,699 square feet of space including the … [Read More...]

Deer Island Contemporary Octagonal Home on Hilton Head Island

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

Karen and I have a favorite place in the world - Sea Pines Plantation on the tip of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. There's so much to love about that place, from the weather, to the Spanish Moss, … [Read More...]

This Sunny Yellow California Bungalow has been Updated – Just Enough

By Rich and Karen Leave a Comment

East-coasters used to seeing Bungalows in the inner-ring suburbs might think this kind of house is a cold-climate exclusive. But no, the Bungalow movement began out west, where thousands of homes like … [Read More...]

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We're Rich and Karen, an Architect and a Special Education Teacher. We've lived downtown, and we've lived in the 'burbs. We've remodeled a couple of houses, and put a couple of kids through college.

We created The Modest Mansion because we love (and love sharing!) small houses that we find inspiring,        [Read More...]












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