Summer by the Sea (2026)

Noted architect Thomas Kligerman celebrates the magic of summer, exploring the seaside setting and design of secluded cottages facing the Atlantic along the Rhode Island coast

‘A love letter to the coastal architecture of Rhode Island.' – Providence Monthly

‘[A] portrait of this special summer world.’ – Dujour

‘Blend[s] personal narrative with architectural insight to capture the character of this storied seaside region.’ – Design Leadership Network

‘Peek into the timeless waterfront homes that dot the state’s coastline.’ – Rhode Island Monthly

‘A thoughtful portrait of New England's coastal architecture – and the idea of summer living as both tradition and aspiration.’ – athome

‘Architect Tom Kligerman tours 16 houses, weaving together architectural history, personal memoir, and salt-air nostalgia that makes you want to leave your shoes at the door.’ – ELLE Decor

‘Capture[s] the child-like wonder of cottage living.’ – AirMail

Thomas A. Kligerman is the founding partner of Kligerman Architecture and Design, an award-winning New York firm with residential projects in prestigious suburbs and summer communities along the East Coast, including the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, Jamestown and Weekapogue, Rhode Island, and Mount Desert, Maine. A dedicated student of the history of domestic design internationally, Kligerman is the author of three books on the firm’s work, most recently Shingle and Stone: Thomas Kligerman Houses , and a sought-after speaker on the work of McKim, Mead & White, Bernard Maybeck and other iconic figures.

Kligerman was raised in Connecticut and New Mexico and spent years in France and England as a student. These experiences sparked his interest in the rich history of domestic architecture, gardens, and landscapes. Most significant, though, were the summers by the sea spent with his family on the coast of Rhode Island, amid the crash of waves on the rocky shore, sailing on the calmer waters of the inlets and ponds, and bicycling on sandy paths past the shingled cottages that are the architecture of the American summer.

Read McKendree is a well-known architecture and interiors photographer whose work is published in national shelter magazines including Architectural Digest , Luxe , and Elle Décor as well as regional publications including Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, New York Cottages and Gardens, Boston Globe Magazine, and New England Home . A lifelong resident of Rhode Island, McKendree brings an insider’s perspective on the design history of this unique coastline.