Renovations | On the Drawing Board

Gallery

‘Treasure Discovered Between the Floorboards!’ (You Have to Crack Some Eggs…#5)

I have worked on many old homes over the years, including my own. The ‘Holy Grail’ of old home restorations is to find an artifact that reveals something about the early or original owners. Those who are lucky enough to find an artifact, solidify the link between our century and theirs and their families and ours. I have never found anything like that, but have been content with initials on beams and the well-worn marks in our floors. [...]

By James Crisp|2011-06-07T16:14:21-04:00May 27th, 2011|Categories: Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: found letter, historic home, Litchfield, renovation, restoration|8 Comments

Gallery

5 Additions That Especially Add Value to a Home

In a completely unscientific review of past and current projects, I find that five types of additions are requested more than all the others combined. The reason may be that homeowners value these five additions the most or it could be that most homes lack or only have poor examples of these spaces. While I never try to predict real estate trends or future markets, it stands to reason that a home, which includes fine examples one or more of [...]

By James Crisp|2011-05-04T07:07:39-04:00May 3rd, 2011|Categories: Additions, Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: family rooms, kitchen additions, master suite, porch, sun room|3 Comments

Gallery

Living in the Eaves

When we first moved into our 1790’s home, I bumped my head many times on a sloping ceiling in the master bath. I could not wait to change that situation. One of our first major additions/renovations included a full height master bath. We still have a sloped ceiling in the new bath, but it starts at about 7’-0” and goes up from there. Ideally the sloped ceiling starts high enough so that furniture easily fits against the walls [...]

By James Crisp|2012-05-23T16:39:58-04:00April 5th, 2011|Categories: Additions, Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: beams, ceiling, eaves|2 Comments

Gallery

Ugly Duckling Phase (You Have To Crack Some Eggs….#4)

Every project reaches a phase during construction, which only an architect can love. There is that point in major renovations, when structural elements have been completed, but little of the trim or details have been put back in place. None of the proportions, which make a building sing, are visible yet, and all the rough edges show through. When this ungainly stage coincides with the spring mud season, we have a big mess. On the other hand, hope [...]

By James Crisp|2012-05-23T16:35:59-04:00March 8th, 2011|Categories: Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: antique home, construction site, eighteenth century farmhouse, historic home, old home, renovation|3 Comments

Gallery

5 Small Projects That Make a Big Difference

As in life, sometimes it is the little changes that make the greatest impact on how we live, and that is especially true with home renovation projects. A comfortable place to take off your boots and hang up your coat in the northeast is more than a convenience-it is a daily necessity. A well-organized laundry room with a sink, storage, and a place to work is just the basic outline of a room which is critical to every home. If [...]

By James Crisp|2012-05-23T16:34:06-04:00February 7th, 2011|Categories: Additions, Miscellaneous|Tags: entry, laundry, mud room, pantry, potting sheds, tool sheds|4 Comments

Gallery

Perfect Pergolas

I love pergolas. They give shade and add detail and interest to any structure, although I have to admit that there is no pergola which is perfect for all situations. We sometimes create free-standing pergolas, however most are connected to a home or out building. Materials for posts and beams can either match the larger structure or be completely different creating a contrast. If plants are allowed and encouraged to grow over the structure, care should be taken [...]

By James Crisp|2011-01-12T14:23:34-05:00January 7th, 2011|Categories: Additions, Miscellaneous|Tags: garden, garden entry, perfect pergola, pergola, shade, trellis|7 Comments

Gallery

6 Renovations That Can Change the Way You Live in Your Home

I have renovated and added to my own home for many reasons, including the fact I hated the existing kitchen. I added a porch and a bedroom because I love porches and my oldest daughter needed a room of her own. Many people renovate a home because no one thought to incorporate light or views in the original design. Sometimes the existing home is outdated, dark, too small, poorly laid out, or all of the above. In any case, some [...]

By James Crisp|2011-01-12T14:27:26-05:00January 7th, 2011|Categories: Additions, Basement, Garages, Kitchen, Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: breakfast room, Kitchen, porch, Renovations, sun room, wine cellar|0 Comments

Gallery

Entertaining Made Easier With a Wet Bar

Whether you are serving a Diet Coke, a glass of wine, or a cocktail, a wet bar simplifies the process. In one place you can have all the raw materials for festive refreshments, and at the same time contain the mess. A wet bar can be hidden behind doors like a closet, or it can be a place to display glasses, drinks, and the tools of a bartender. Added convenient features might include a coffee station complete with [...]

By James Crisp|2010-12-27T10:51:45-05:00December 4th, 2010|Categories: Design, Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: bars, entertaining, festive drinks, Wet bars, wine|0 Comments

Gallery

The Pub Down Under

What do you do with the underground, windowless space below your house? Make it an authentic English Pub of course! Don’t get me wrong, this is not our fathers’ shag carpeted lounge with a Tiki lamp and a beer sign. This basement is a place that if you closed your eyes, walked in, then opened them, you would think you had been transported to a venerable London pub. Seldom have we been asked to collaborate with a client [...]

By James Crisp|2012-05-23T16:29:39-04:00November 3rd, 2010|Categories: Basement, Miscellaneous, Renovations|Tags: basement renovations|5 Comments

Gallery

Breakfast In The Bay

From Monticello to the house next door, it is common when planning a construction project, to create a master plan and then build in phases. Phasing a renovation can allow the homeowners to live in the house during construction or spread out the cost over several years. When building a new home, the construction of a guest house or garage before the main house, can create a secure space to store materials and/or establish a home base to [...]

By James Crisp|2012-05-23T15:58:24-04:00November 1st, 2010|Categories: Additions, Construction, Miscellaneous, New Homes|Tags: Construction, Garages, guest house|0 Comments

On the Drawing Board

The home and residential architecture is our passion.

Contact Info

Follow us