About the Author
James Crisp has been an architect for well over 20 years. His architectural firm, Crisp Architects, designs projects throughout New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. In April of 2007, Taunton Press published 'On the Porch' by James M. Crisp and Sandra Mahoney.
Renovations Archive
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View From the Porch
Posted on May 28, 2010 | 10 CommentsThere are few things I enjoy more than relaxing on my own porch after work.There is no doubt in my mind that there is something psychologically unique about a porch. We are neither inside nor fully outside and exposed... -
Porch Renovation
Posted on May 10, 2010 | No CommentsOlder homes have a character that often is impossible to replicate. A 200 year old home has traces of daily life so different from our world today. -
Buy, Build, Renovate-Why Now is the Time
Posted on May 10, 2010 | No CommentsI would never advise anyone on their personal investments in real estate or otherwise. I will only comment on the current market conditions I am seeing. Rarely in my career as an architect have I seen the economic conditions align so strongly in favor of the consumer. -
Ranch Remodel
Posted on March 7, 2010 | No CommentsRanch style homes have fallen in and out of favor over the decades. This love-hate relationship with homeowners often leads to a desire to make major changes to the average ranch. One of the most frequently asked questions regarding a major ranch home renovation is: ‘When is it better to knock it down instead of working with what is there?’ -
Sun Room
Posted on March 3, 2010 | 1 CommentThe best time to enjoy a sunroom can be the middle of winter. While we always think of sitting in a sun room looking out over a lush garden, the time when we need sun the most is when those plants are well below the snow. -
Farmhouse Renovations
Posted on January 23, 2010 | No CommentsMost American homes built in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries were farmhouses. We were predominantly an agrarian society living on family farms. Today’s suburbs were once pastures. Quite a few modern subdivisions include an old farmhouse, which at one time was the only house in... -
Kitchen Renovation
Posted on December 26, 2009 | 12 CommentsA new kitchen can be one of the most dramatic changes to a home and a homeowner’s lifestyle. When my wife and I renovated our kitchen, we went from wincing every time we cooked a meal to really loving to spend time there. The new... -
Garage Conversion
Posted on November 25, 2009 | 4 CommentsIn many homes the garage takes up some of the most valuable real estate on the property. Often the garage is the first thing you see when you drive up and it is connected right into the heart of the house just off the kitchen.... -
Basement Gym
Posted on November 20, 2009 | 1 CommentBasements can be dark, windowless caverns that are only visited when the boiler is acting up or a box needs storing. They can also be a treasure trove of underutilized inexpensive space for creative homeowners. While we have utilized those areas in many ways for our... -
Laundry Rooms
Posted on September 1, 2009 | No CommentsIt is often true that the simple things in life are the ones that make us the most happy. In our homes the unsung and hardly glamorous laundry room serves to keep the engine of our lives running smoothly. Though clean socks may not guarantee...