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.
Miscellaneous Archive
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How Much? (Updated)
Posted on February 13, 2012 | No CommentsIn 2009 I wrote an article about the price of installed components of a home. You would think that due to the state of the economy, all prices would be lower in 2012. According to an unscientific survey of a number of trusted contractors who... -
5 Ceiling Treatments
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 6 CommentsEven though it may not be the first thing you notice when you enter a room, the ceiling makes a big impact on how you perceive the space. A well designed room should include careful study of how the ceiling is perceived. Simple unadorned ceilings... -
4 Front Doors
Posted on January 10, 2012 | 4 CommentsThe front door is a symbolic welcoming gesture to the world beyond.(even if we enter the mudroom door most of the time) When designing a new home, a strong inviting front door is relatively easy to create. An existing home whose front door is ill... -
3 Beautiful Reclaimed Materials
Posted on January 9, 2012 | No CommentsThere are a lot of reasons to use materials which have had a previous life. They include puritan thriftiness, the desire to preserve the past, of course-green practices, but my favorite reason is their inherent beauty. There is a patina, a softness that only time... -
3 Home Offices
Posted on December 8, 2011 | 2 CommentsA home office can consist of anything from a countertop with a plug for a laptop to the most elaborate command center worthy of a corporate titan. To me the two most important characteristics of a home office is that it is a place you... -
3 Generator Solutions and Their Costs
Posted on December 7, 2011 | No CommentsWhen the power goes out there is nothing like the comfort of a generator humming in the yard. Our recent spate of rains and early snow brought to focus the value of some kind of emergency power source. I personally have a portable generator which... -
Quiet Spaces
Posted on November 2, 2011 | 4 CommentsWe all need time to think, read and/or write, to sketch or simply dream. A quiet space within our home can be a refuge from hectic lives and too many electronic diversions. That space doesn’t need to be a closed room with a heavy door,... -
7 Entry Halls
Posted on October 26, 2011 | 2 CommentsEntering and leaving most homes, we pass through an entry hall that is formal or casual, one that is meant either for guests, family or for everyone. Many homes we design have a main entry which is meant for the arrival of guests with a... -
FineHome Source Exceedes Expectations!
Posted on October 3, 2011 | No CommentsAttendance was up over 30% from last year and we all had a great time! Here are photos of a couple of vendors who generated a lot of interest. Because of this years’ expanding attendance, we are considering the addition of a tent section, which would... -
4 Screened Porches
Posted on October 3, 2011 | 5 CommentsAs I sat down to dinner on our porch the other night, I knew something was wrong. The kids were already scratching. I turned on the ceiling fan, which normally blows away all but the most determined bugs and it barely had any effect. The...