Screened Porch With Fireplace

1.  Screened Porch

A screened porch is a wonderful place to spend time, especially when bugs are out in force.  When you add a fireplace and heaters to a screened porch, you extend the useful season and add a focal point that makes a great experience even better.

Screened Porch with Fireplace

2. Mudroom

Over the years, we have designed many mudrooms.  Sometimes they are designed as a room dedicated to getting the mud off of kids, pets, and everyone coming into the side door of the home.  Other times they serve light duty as entries with coat hooks and a place to sit and take off or put on shoes.  What they all have in common is that they change the way we live.

Mudroom With Slate Floor

Simple Mudroom Cubbies

Minimalist Mudroom

3. Garage/Guest House

While a separate garage with living space above is not technically part of a home, the overflow space and storage created can help the rest of your home work better.  When building a garage there is a real economy in adding useful space above since you already will have a roof and foundation.  Plumbing and mechanical systems can be added at a later date if you want to phase the expense.

Guest Bedroom

Garage Guest House

4.  Kitchen and Breakfast Room

The kitchen is the heart of most homes.  No matter how hard we try to direct family and friends to other parts of the house, they always come back to the kitchen.  A breakfast area or bay window is a natural accompaniment to the kitchen.  Again, this is the opportunity to increase the light and views in a part of the house where we spend a lot of time.

Kitchen Breakfast Bay

Breakfast Room Fireplace

5.  Master Bath/Master Suite

My master bath had low ceilings and was poorly heated, so when we renovated it, we included tall ceilings and radiant floor heat, there is now a huge difference in the way we feel about a room we use every day.  The same is true when our clients renovate an entire master suite.

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

6. Open Porch

I love porches.  My family spends most evenings and many mornings on our porch from early spring to late fall.  We have heaters that extend the seasons in both directions.  I cannot describe the feeling of sitting on a porch, but I encourage everyone to find a porch and spend time there.  It is good for the soul.

Dining Porch

Relaxing Porch

Sitting Porch

7. Sun Room

Paradoxically the best place to be in the dead of winter is a sunroom.  Warm and toasty, views of the snow all around with a fire burning in the fireplace, I can’t think of a better place to be.

Sun Room Addition

Sun Room Addition

Sun Room Addition

8. Laundry Room

It may seem like a chore, but having a pleasant laundry room can make the job better.

Laundry Room/Pantry

Large Laundry Room

Great Laundry Room

9. Home Gym

No one likes to work out (perhaps almost no one) but if it is close and easy to get there, a workout at home is about the best it can be.  From basements to attics to main rooms, we have designed home gyms that make getting in shape a pleasure.

Gym with Sauna

Gym with Sauna

Bright Gym

Photos by Rob Karosis  Curated Brochure by Crisp Architects: Portfolio

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