On the Drawing Board

Our Nephew (7 years old), Willy Wonka, With Golden Ticket Sheep Raising a flock of sheep is a family affair and more complicated than most people think. Strategies exist for breeding, feeding, shearing, training, and showing sheep, as well as keeping the sheep healthy and properly exercised.  As 4-H members, young people are expected to raise and care for their animals as well as learn the fundamentals of animal husbandry.  They present before an audience of their peers [...]

Mud Room/Laundry Room It is often true that the simple things in life are the ones that make us the happiest. In our homes, the unsung and hardly glamorous laundry room serves to keep the engine of our lives running smoothly. Though clean socks may not guarantee happiness, it is a start. No two families are the same.  What works perfectly for one rarely is ideal for another and those needs change over time. Speaking as a father [...]

Rustic Family Room Family rooms are the place we gather with friends and family.  They come in all sizes, shapes, and decors and are as diverse as families themselves.  In my living room, it is not uncommon for us to light a fire in the fireplace, which is in front of the couch, and then watch our TV, which is in the corner of the room.  It is not a perfect setup, but my home is an old [...]

Front Entry Our clients are members of a family that own a sustainable family farm located in an area settled by the Huguenots and the Dutch. They felt that it was important to pay homage to the vernacular architecture of the early European settlers whose homes remain in the region. To that end, we began with a core section of the home reminiscent of the settlers’ beautiful stone structures. Beyond that we took advantage of the views and [...]

Net Zero Home Cross Section There’s a lot of talk lately about energy efficient design and our responsibility within the architectural community to help combat climate change. Many of our clients come to us with questions about what they can do in their projects to do their part, but few know what that entails when taking on a net-zero project. What is Net Zero Design? A net zero energy home is one where the energy it uses over [...]

Free Standing Pergola I love pergolas. They provide shade and add detail and interest to any structure, although I have to admit, no pergola is perfect for all situations. We sometimes create free-standing pergolas, but most are connected to a home or outbuilding. 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 to choose durable [...]

Barn Overall On a working farm, you always need a place to park and store equipment. Building a barn with convenient storage on the upper level is a bonus.  We designed the barn to have easy access to the upper level by building it into a hill.  A truck can drive to the upper loading door and easily bring furniture and farm supplies up the ramp.  In addition to the upper door, we also designed a pulley system [...]

Columbia County New Home It has been a hot summer so far.  Construction continues at full speed, making hay while the sun shines.  We seem to be back to pre-Covid timelines for ordering most materials.  If only the pre-Covid prices would return! Columbia County New Home Columbia County New Home West Stockbridge Renovation West Stockbridge Renovation New Home in Millerton New Home in Millerton New [...]

Full Outdoor Kitchen Nothing says summertime like cooking and eating in an outdoor kitchen.  It is the best of both worlds, in that you are outside with friends and family, and the cook can be part of the fun.  We have designed outdoor kitchens that are simple and have just a built-in grill as well as fully furnished outdoor kitchens that rival their indoor cousins.  While an indoor kitchen may be more practical for year-round cooking, it cannot compete [...]

Snow Pea Blossoms Every year is different in my vegetable garden.  Pests invade one year and the next I don't even know they are there.  This year my kale took a hit, but I planted so much, we will not go hungry.  My daughter blanched bags of snow peas and froze them for later this summer.  Everything else is chugging along at an even pace.  I am looking forward to my tomato and okra crop, assuming the bugs [...]