I first spotted the work of Newport, RI, firm Estes/Twombly on Materialicious. Partners and RISD grads Jim Estes and Peter Twombly describe their work as "quiet modernism"; they specialize in modestly sized (the Cyronak House on Block Island is 1,050 square feet), beautifully sited, geometrically precise New England summer houses. Their design vocabulary mixes white cedar shingles, sliding barn doors, standing seam metal roofs, double-hung windows; it all adds up to houses that seem traditional and modern at the same time. See more of their work at Estes/Twombly. N.B. Also see

Above: Yankee Modern: 10 Houses by Estes/Twombly; $26.40 at Amazon.