We collaborated on this project with the talented Tyler Jackson of Havenhill Builders. By updating the materials of the coastal colonial home, we better reflected the client’s aesthetic and the location of the home.
Category: exteriors
How to Prep for a Planning Board Meeting
Do you need board approval for the home project that you are wanting to complete? Or, are you confused about what that even means? Here we go, I’ll explain the logic and process and how to proceed forward in order to build your dream come true. Honestly, it’s probably my least favorite part of my… Continue reading How to Prep for a Planning Board Meeting
Marrying the Interiors to the Exteriors with Materials
Are you looking to create a connected and cohesive home from the exterior to the interior? Today we’re looking at an ongoing project, the Steel Farmhouse, for inspiration on how materials can intentionally pull the whole home together. Here are some design decisions we’ve made so far: Use of steel – Incorporating structural steel into… Continue reading Marrying the Interiors to the Exteriors with Materials
Breaking Down the Building Barriers: How to Work with Material Wholesalers
There is so much in the design and building industry that is confusing and intimidating. A big part of Abrigo Home is about breaking down the barriers between consumers and professionals. The industry is vast, and there is a reason why it is a significant economic driver. Beyond the designers, builders, and suppliers, there are… Continue reading Breaking Down the Building Barriers: How to Work with Material Wholesalers
When Buying Plans Online Goes Wrong: A Designer’s Perspective
I often have people contact me about editing or drawing up plans they found or purchased online, and it has never worked out. Ultimately, it costs them much more time and money than they could have imagined. EXAMPLE ONE: One client took a screenshot of the plan, searched for months, and found it online to… Continue reading When Buying Plans Online Goes Wrong: A Designer’s Perspective
What is the Difference Between Design Styles?
When starting a project, you first want to determine the design style that speaks to you, either architecturally or the interior. I’ll start with Architecture, and then next week, we will move into Interiors. Two great ways to determine this are: Pinterest! Start a Pin Board and create as many sub-boards that you’d like and… Continue reading What is the Difference Between Design Styles?
What You Need to Know about Variances
Do you need a variance on your property in order to build what you want and need for your home? If so, there are a few things that you should know before applying: Setbacks: Setbacks are defined per neighborhood in your city/town, within your lot there will be a distance from the front, back, and… Continue reading What You Need to Know about Variances
Best Completed Project of 2021: New Englander Expansion
This newly renovated New Englander needed some help when we first met its homeowners! With a vision and budget to match, these homeowners took advantage of a very fast-moving market and closed on this Downtown Portsmouth New Englander quickly to start work as soon as possible. Even though they inevitably got caught up in the… Continue reading Best Completed Project of 2021: New Englander Expansion
The Perfect Patio
Are you looking to create the perfect patio? Well, why not? Patios are an extension of the house and living space so it is worth the time, energy, and funds to invest in research and design. As an example, I’ll use the York Cape Expansion project to show you my process when designing a patio.… Continue reading The Perfect Patio
The Reasoning of Rooflines
Have you ever looked at a house and thought “that looks so weird, something is wrong!” If so, it’s probably the roofline. I’m not going to lie, they are hard. Very hard. So here is the logic behind creating a roofline: FOOTPRINT The footprint dictates the wall locations and the walls then create the rooflines.… Continue reading The Reasoning of Rooflines