Every family has a story. What will yours look like?
Richard Nichols Architect
Homes Shaped by Life, Grounded in Tradition
At Richard Nichols Architect,
every commission is singular.
Each home receives my complete attention,
guided by a belief that architecture should
reveal the beauty of the lives lived within.
The best houses feel natural, as though they are alive with the families who live in them. They settle into their sites with ease, their proportions feel right, and their spaces support the rhythms of daily life. They are places that invite comfort, spark delight, and feel unmistakably one’s own. This is the standard I hold for every home I design.
When you commission a home with me, the process begins not with standard plans but with conversation. We speak not only of square footage and style, but of how you wake in the morning, how your family gathers at night, and how you imagine the quiet of a study or the light in a kitchen at sunrise. These conversations become a written record of your vision, carefully distilled into a single page of principles. That page becomes a compass, ensuring that every decision, from the first sketch to the final choice of material, remains true to you.
Because I take on only a small number of projects at a time, your home becomes my focus. Whether the project is a new residence, a kitchen addition, or a master suite renovation, the same level of care applies. Every proportion, every detail, every element of construction is considered with precision. They are created in collaboration with talented interior designers, landscape architects, craftspeople, and builders, working with discretion and attention, ensuring the process is as private and personal as the spaces we create. I draw deeply from historic traditions, not to replicate the past, but to carry forward the wisdom of generations. A house that is rooted in history, that engages the senses, and that belongs to its place will never feel generic. It will feel alive. And it will remain a legacy, not just for you, but for those who come after you.
Imagine the cool surface of stone beneath your hand as you enter, the rhythm of light moving across a wall through the course of the day, the familiar scent of wood as a door opens, the sound of footsteps on old brick or new oak. A house designed this way does not just look beautiful — it feels harmonious, as if it had always been meant for you and your family. The difference is felt, not explained.
I believe the best houses are not designed for people, but with them. My role is not to impose a style but to reveal the beauty already present in your family, your site, and your vision, and to shape it into a place where life unfolds with comfort, grace, and meaning. This is what makes a house truly yours.
This work begins with a conversation.
I invite you to schedule a private consultation where we can explore your aspirations,
the nature of your site,
and the story your future home can tell.
A house should welcome you with comfort, delight your senses, and endure as a place of beauty for generations. If you are ready to create such a home, I would be honored to begin the journey with you.
Please write to rn@richardnicholsarchitect.com
or call 203.556.6797.
I look forward to working with you.
