According to Merriam Webster, a transom is: ‘a window above a door or other window’. The experience of a transom is so much more. On the exterior of a home, it is the window to the sky. Sometimes we include transoms on doors leading to a porch. The additional window space allows more light in. Inside it helps bring light to interior rooms, to hallways and accessory spaces. Before the advent of central heating [...]
As far as we know, the Dutch door originated in the Netherlands during the 17th century and was very popular with the settlers of Dutch and English origin who colonized what is now the United States. The door worked well to keep farm animals out of the home while keeping small children safe.  The families enjoyed additional light and fresh air when the upper half was open. One of the major advantages of the modern Dutch door is [...]
The most elaborate and beautiful bedroom and bathroom in the home is usually part of the master suite.  Often it has the best views and sometimes other rooms connected within the suite.  That makes sense considering the people who sleep there own the home. We have designed wet bars, home offices, as well as terraces and screened porches off the master bedroom. In my house the master bedroom is a place where kids congregate first thing [...]
One of my favorite times in the kitchen is Saturday afternoon, all by myself, making a big mess preparing Creole and Cajun dishes. Whether I’m trying to cook my roux(flour and oil) to the perfect nutty brown for Gumbo, or making a simple pot of Red Beans and Rice, it is my place to unwind and anticipate the good food to come. At our home like most of the homes we design, the kitchen is the [...]
Every autumn as leaves and temperatures fall, I anticipate the first fire in the fireplace. I continue to build fires well through the cool spring nights. Each new fire is a personal test of my log selection and arranging skills-some of which I fail; my father-in-law and I have a running contest to see who’s fire will smoke and go out the fastest. When my home (and his) was built in the late eighteenth century, building fires was [...]
On a renovation we recently completed, the metal(tin) roof had a stamp on the back, the installer gave a 25 year guarantee. The roof was a little worse for wear, but was not leaking. The guarantee expired in 1905. For most of us, the expected life of a metal roof is beyond our expiration date. That is not true of most modern cedar shingle roofs which I have seen fail in less than 10 years(due to acid rain [...]
The way you approach a room can often be as interesting as the room itself. When designing a hallway, we sometimes take the opportunity to create a sense of movement by changing materials, exploring natural and artificial lighting, varying the ceiling height, and establishing beam patterns. A long hallway is ideal for displaying family photos or can be a perfect art gallery. Lighting is critical for both comfort and the proper enjoyment of the art work. [...]
There is no absolute prototype for a farmhouse, but most of us can recognize one when we see it. By definition the originals were located on farms and were integral to the life and work of those farm families who lived there. Depending on when and where those homes were built, they could be made of stone, brick, shingles or clapboard. Most farmhouses had porches since there was no air conditioning and many farm and family chores were [...]
A bold color choice in a home is not for the faint of heart. Our client, in her new home decided to think out of the off-white box when she chose a green palate using Farrow and Ball paints, and in doing so, hit a home run. The home has beautiful big views, and she made the point that the strong colors offset and draw focus to the landscape beyond. I will add that the contrast between the [...]
In 2009 I wrote an article about the price of installed components of a home. Â You would think that due to the state of the economy, all prices would be lower in 2012. Â According to an unscientific survey of a number of trusted contractors who are often the low bidders, many prices have gone up-especially windows. Â You can see the original prices at 'How Much' The amended survey follows: We are frequently asked the cost of building a project. Universally [...]
