Male House Finch Looking Back at the Camera Not to get too philosophical, but I think we all have a tendency to overlook the wonderful things right in our own backyards. I know I do. Over the past year or so, I’ve found myself paying much more attention to the birds that visit our feeders. I started with a bird feeder that has a built-in camera, but before long I set up one of my more sophisticated cameras with a [...]
Millbrook Garage, Yoga Studio It has been a great summer for construction. We have a wide variety of projects, some nearby and others far afield. We have quite a few projects that will break ground before the first frost. Millbrook Garage/ Yoga Studio Basement Soundproof Jamming Studio Basement Soundproof Jamming Studio Basement Soundproof Jamming Studio Boothbay Maine Foundation Started Boothbay Maine Foundation Started Boothbay Maine Foundation Started Boothbay Maine Foundation Started Interior Renovation-Kitchen Interior Renovation-Living Room Interior Renovation-Bathroom Interior Renovation-Living [...]
Otto Washing the Sheep We have five nephews living within two miles of us, and they all share our love of sheep. Our three children grew up raising and showing sheep at the local county fair as well as larger shows in the Northeast and Midwest. My wife and I both grew up on farms and found raising animals to be a great life lesson. An enormous amount of work goes into showing a sheep. That work starts months before [...]
New Kitchen in Historic Home 1. New Kitchen Few changes to a home make as big a difference as a new kitchen. When we moved into our 1790s home, one of the first renovations we made was to put in a new kitchen. It made a world of difference. Since then, it has been the hub of our home, the place where friends and family hang out. Kitchen with Comfortable Breakfast Bay 2. New Pantry Another game-changer is a generous [...]
View From the Back Yard Our clients asked us to renovate and expand their family home while making it exceptionally energy efficient. We designed a Net Zero home that preserves and enhances the beauty and character of a cherished family heirloom. Net Zero Net zero is often described as a checklist, but that misses the point. An airtight envelope, triple-glazed windows, and right-sized systems may define the spec sheet, but none of them tells you what the house [...]
Breaking Ground in Boothbay, Maine Digging the foundation had begun and then immediately stopped because we hit granite. Our contractor, Derek Chapman, expected as much since most foundations around Boothbay require blasting. We visited the site on a beautiful summer day. Of course, this February, a different scene will be presenting itself. By then the house should be 'dried-in' with windows, roofing, and temporary heat going. I look forward to taking the same picture then. Model on Site [...]
Bold Laundry Interior Designer: Marla Walker Photo: Andrew Frasz We are very lucky to work with creative interior designers and clients who are not afraid of bold colors. I am very timid when choosing colors and lean into off-white. Sometimes when I see a shockingly bold color going up on a wall, I think I will hate it, but then when it is done, I become a believer. These days, there are a lot of tools from paint [...]
New Home in Boothbay, Maine-Entry Side I know I am bending the rules a little, since this home is not yet under construction. But with groundbreaking just around the corner, I could not resist sharing a preview of how this Maine home will sit within its landscape, with that remarkable view stretching out beyond it. New Home in Boothbay, Maine-View Toward the Water Garage, Mudroom, and Studio Addition Elephant Weathervane One thing most of our under-construction projects have in common [...]
Home After Complete Makeover Renovation vs. New Construction: How to Decide. It is one of the first questions clients bring to us, and it rarely has a simple answer. Should we renovate the house we have, or build something new? Home Before Complete Makeover The first thing we look at is the structure itself. Some older homes have real value in their bones: solid framing, a sound foundation, a floor plan that can be worked with, original materials and details [...]
Pool House/Guest House Some pool houses are a functional extension of the main house on the property. It is a place for family and friends to gather, a place to 'get away', and an additional living space for anyone who needs to stay a short or long time. Some of the pool houses we design are fully functional homes on a small scale, and others are simply a place to have a drink and a snack and get out of [...]
