Traditionally the second home of a family has been found at the beach, in the mountains, on a farm, or in Florida. Drysdale has experience in all of these home types. We have been involved in new projects which are built from the ground up, as well as, homes which require only simple decoration. In the waterfront properties in the portfolio of this firm, Drysdale was principally responsible for the interior planning and the location of all windows and openings, as the view from a room is a strong component of the interior. In the Charleston project, which has a river view, Drysdale relocated and enlarged the kitchen with an addition, opened up the dark Living Room with a series of French doors, and designed a low lying deck that spanned the area between Kitchen and Master Suite, creating a beautiful outdoor space with a never ending view of the river.

Mary Douglas Drysdale has a particular love of country houses and farm house style. She had her own circa 1824 stone house in Pennsylvania, for many years, and developed a comfortable, easy and friendly style for that house and others she has been commissioned to design since that time. Drysdale is known for her ability to reinterpret traditional style, making it practical and comfortable. She has also come to use traditional techniques such as decorative wood grain, embroidery, and ironwork to create a splendid effect. Often, these spaces are animated by traditional craft elements such as ceramics, quilts and rugs that are either antique or fabricated by modern day artisans, whom she greatly supports.

The second house in today's world may be just as often a home in a second city. Due to the rise in dual income professional families, Washington, DC is home to many who work part of the week in New York City and may call Washington their "other home". In this particular instance, the second home may be a Park Avenue Apartment or small loft. It is easy to work in other cities, and Drysdale has capably completed multiple jobs in this vein for repeat clients. A well- designed home is an integral to the needs of life in every locale.