Fireplace with Wood Storage I admit it, I love to look into a fire and let my mind wander. That constantly changing display of flames leaping and dancing can keep me enthralled for hours. Better yet, it is the perfect background for gatherings and quiet conversations. You can always pick up where you left off. Restored Study Fireplace Sunroom Fireplace Office Fireplace Stone Fireplace Adirondack Style Fireplace [...]
View to Pool and Pool House Our clients' recently completed pool house in the Berkshires is a fun destination that can double as a guest house as well as a place to play pocket billiards or just relax. The porch facing the pool includes phantom screens which can come down with the push of a button and completely keep the bugs away. After a sauna, and a quick swim in the pool, a glass of wine on the [...]
Chicken of the Woods(Laetiporus sulphureus) (Edible-though not everyone can tolerate it) During the early days of the pandemic, I spent a lot of time working from home and taking breaks walking around our property. I found a treasure trove of Morel mushrooms and immediately picked them, made delicious soup, and added them to omelets to everyone's delight. Then this summer, while my family was in the Adirondaks, I picked up a couple of books on mushrooms and went [...]
View Toward Den After We started with a home with great 'bones.'  We raised the ceilings on the second floor, expanded the footprint, and renovated everything else. In the end, our clients got just what they were looking for: A wonderful home. Our client served as her own interior designer and made us all proud. I can't imagine her home without her amazing taste and style. View Toward Den Before Kitchen After Kitchen [...]
Stained White Oak with Runners The selection of a kitchen floor is another example of how our wealth of choices makes those selections all the more difficult. The criteria for a kitchen floor include the following: 1.  It must be attractive-a very broad and subjective requirement, which is often in the eye of the beholder. 2.  It must be durable-there are many forms of durability. For wood, durability may mean looking good with dings and scratches. With stone or tile, [...]
Beanstalk At this time in the growing season, my vegetable garden is struggling as it fights off pests, weeds, and a distracted gardener. By now, we have eaten numerous meals, including delicious, crispy lettuce, snow peas, kale, zucchini, and pole beans, to name a few. The tomatoes are not ripe yet, and the fall vegetables have a long way to go. This is a good time for me to enjoy my photography obsession before summer vacations give rise [...]
View Side The owners of this home recognized the potential of a wooded property and decided to build a home. We were lucky that they called us, and we began a wonderful partnership. Some guiding principles were to create a place where the adults could have fun and where the children could grow up enjoying the countryside. We are all very happy with the outcome of this partnership. Entry Side View From Pool [...]
Master Bath Vanity We all use sinks and vanities every day. They tend to disappear into the background of our lives unless we pay attention to them and have some fun with their design. As always, we are lucky to be able to work with some very talented interior designers whose collaboration is key to creating some of the most stunning bathrooms in general and vanities in particular. You can email us at annette@crisparchitects.com for the names of [...]
Outdoor Living and Dining In the northeast, we don't have a whole lot of warm weather suitable for outdoor entertaining, so we celebrate those perfect days in any way we can. We are lucky to be able to collaborate with talented landscape architects and designers including Conte and Conte, Renee Byers, Judy Murphy of Old Farm Nursery, and Rob Adroyd of Greylock Design Associates respectively. Outdoor living spaces impact the design of our homes and vice versa. Our [...]
Screened Porch with Energy Panels This screened porch extends its livability well beyond 3 seasons. When there is snow on the ground, it can still be a cozy place to be with radiant panels providing heat in addition to the raised fireplace. Indoor/Outdoor Living Space View From the Porch Fireplace Exterior Exterior Photos by Rob Karosis Curated Brochure by Crisp Architects: Portfolio Â
