Don’t be a bad neighbour, build your home so it fits into your neighbourhood

Heather McLarney sits in the casual sitting area of her home in Charlotte, N.C. (Jeff Willhelm/Charlotte Observer/MCT)

This couple wanted a new home in a traditional neighbourhood. So they kept the outside traditional and went contemporary with the interior design ... and won over the neighbours.

When Atlanta transplants Heather McLarney and Christopher Kosa purchased a property in a traditional neighbourhood in the state of North Carolina in August 2012, they razed the small bungalow on the long, narrow lot that was about 0.1ha, and custom-built a three-storey, Craftsman-style house in its place with 422sqm of heated space.