Clapboard Siding When we begin to design a home, we generally have an idea of what the exterior material will be. Often we will try alternate materials either to change the aesthetics, to adjust the budget, or simply at the request of our clients. Many of our projects combine two or more materials. If you are designing a modern home, the exterior material palate is almost limitless as long as it keeps the weather out and doesn’t fall [...]
Lake House Porch There is something about any home on a lake that is special. The setting evokes summer fun like no other. When our clients ask us to help them design a family retreat, we knew great things were going to happen here. This home is a multigenerational oasis for friends and family. With plenty of spill over sleeping areas, screened and open porches, a big open plan living room and kitchen, there isn’t anything missing. Since [...]
Pantry Storage I can never have enough places to store things. From cookbooks to gadgets, power tools to dog toys, winter gear to summer clothes, supply exceeds demand for space. One family, whose home we completely renovated, requested storage any place we could find it. Although when designing a home or renovation, we are always looking for good places for storage, this home has a great variety of places to store stuff. I have never had a client [...]
Whether you are designing an iphone or a country home, keeping it simple is harder than it looks. Instead of relying on flash and dash, a simple design relies on substance, proportion, and details. Most people cannot tell exactly what is wrong with a home when the proportions are off, but they know a beautiful home when they see it and good proportions are always the key. In the eighteenth century, nails and bricks, as well as most [...]
Stone Addition Something magical happens to a home with the first snowfall of the season. Around my house the kids and the animals are even more excited than I am as we run and throw snow balls. Rosie, our mini Aussie, tracks in the snow which melts on the floor while I start a fire and my wife makes hot cocoa. The timing doesn’t always work, but when we can coordinate a photo shoot of one of [...]
Many people I know are weary of the work required to maintain a large home and the headaches associated with coordinating that task. Although the idea of living in a very compact home isn’t for everyone, there are certainly days around my house that make me fantasize about living in a home, which due to its size, limits the amount of work required to keep it in good shape. Luckily we are often asked to design exactly that [...]
Something that architects and contractors take for granted but that homeowners rarely experience, is the construction site. When it is your house being built or added onto, I recommend that you spend as much time as possible with the “insides” of the place that will become your home. Having said that please be sure to watch your step. It is a bit like viewing the inside a person during an operation. Yes, it may be messy and confusing [...]
Excerpted from “On the Porch” by Sandee Mahoney and James Crisp Have you ever looked at a house and sensed that something about it wasn’t quite right? Perhaps it didn’t look finished or feel balanced. Was it the placement of the windows? The pitch of the roof? The size of the porch? It’s not always easy to put your finger on what’s wrong, but it helps if you understand a few principles of good design. These drawings illustrate [...]
If a person’s eyes are the window to their souls, windows in a home give expression to the character and soul of that home. Windows can be simple and utilitarian, they can focus attention on a special view, or they can dominate a wall. When I say window I mean windows, doors, transoms, and walls of windows. I live in an old home which has very regular simple windows. I love them. In my living room [...]
We had a beautiful day, 54 vendors(a record) and over 600 visitors-what more can you ask for? Well, we had a late entry of Telescopes of Vermont who showed everyone the amazing Porter Garden Telescope. People were reading the fine print on a dollar bill almost a block away. It brought back my amature astronomer's glee. There were vendors like Chris' Coffee showing their amazing Italian espresso makers and handing out free samples to Hudson Company displaying their [...]
