The clients, a young couple just starting their family, moved out of this house for a year during a complete gut renovation. They loved the house and location, an intimate neighborhood of Bethesda, MD, and envisioned a complete upgrade to the house, driveway, rear garden and side yard. Their inspiration was a New England-style cottage and garden with classic details and traditional plantings. Richardson & Associates integrated exterior refinements and materials that include whitewashed handmade brick from Old Carolina, cobblestones, and a picket fence and garden gate. The pergola will eventually support a wisteria vine on stainless steel cables. Zoning restrictions and the shallow back garden necessitated placement of the gas fireplace between the upper dining/outdoor kitchen terrace and lower lounge terrace. The fireplace required a specific scale to not overwhelm the limited space or house, and is comfortably integrated into the thermal bluestone of the upper terrace. The more spacious side yard will become the play area and is bordered by painted cedar fencing and box parterres.