Blog
See our blog for new projects, announcements, and all things TMS Architects.
Eco-Friendly & Smart Designs for Homes In Colder Climates
Warm weather is nice, but there’s something about a snowy landscape that is so enchanting. Nothing quite compares to the way it sparkles in the sun and glows in the moonlight. Colder climates can make for picturesque scenery, but they can also leave you with ice damns, slippery stairs, drafty interiors and – a homeowner’s nightmare – burst pipes. Homes that are located in regions with colder climates come with unique challenges. With these challenges, however, come opportunities for smart, sustainable home design. With winter still underway, here are some of the colder climate design ideas that we find inspiring.
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Harness the Power of Passive Energy in Home Design
Passive home designs work with the environment rather than against it. By taking advantage of location, orientation, and local climate, a passive home is designed to maintain comfortable temperatures while reducing energy consumption.
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Sustainability Spotlight: Constructing Silo & Shipping Container Homes
As the green building industry continues to expand, builders and architects are only getting more creative with sustainable home designs. We’re particularly inspired by the concept of re-purposing structures such as silos and shipping containers into beautiful and efficient eco-friendly homes. These designs take upcycling to the next level.
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Building with Reclaimed Brick & Green Advantages
Sustainable building materials can be just as beautiful and functional as they are eco-friendly. As more and more homeowners and builders go green, brick masonry construction is becoming an important player in green building and sustainable home design. This is because bricks are inherently green and result in gorgeous structures that last for generations to come.
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Cedar Siding Shingles Provide a Rustic, Country Look
The photo we pinned of the exterior of our project called the New Hampshire Hilltop Home has been pinned to multiple Pinterest boards. The well-liked pin has us pondering wooden shingles, and the way they exude both a historical and modern look.
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Utilize Rainwater Harvesting for Sustainable Living
Saving water (and money) is easy with a residential rainwater harvesting system. Rainwater is great for watering all gardens and plants, including edible ones. The two most common home rainwater harvesting systems are rain barrels and cisterns. Rain barrels are easy to install and use and do not require any type of permit. Large cistern systems that hold more than 100 gallons and involve pumps will warrant the help of a professional to obtain the proper permits.
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Reinvented and Renovated Space
We recently photographed a beautifully renovated space that was the result of a collaboration between TMS Architcts, Cebula Design and Ragusa Builders. The homeowners had operated a small business out of their home for many years and after their retirement, they decided to convert the shipping/warehouse space into a cozy family room and mudroom with an elegantly detailed connection to the main house. They confess that with the convenient gas fireplace, large screen TV and comfortable seating, most of their leisure time is spent relaxing in this new space! As they say, “pictures speak a thousand words” and Rob Karosis’s photographs of this elegant space certainly capture the beauty of this renovation.
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TMS Wins Best of Houzz 2015
Houzz has become a go-to resource for homeowners, designers, and home improvement professionals. It’s a place for finding design inspiration and opportunities to collaborate. It’s a place for finding the right professionals for a home design or renovation project. It’s a place for designers and home improvement experts to showcase their work. Houzz has rapidly expanded to become one of the world’s leading online platforms for home remodeling and design with a community of over 25 million design enthusiasts, professionals, and homeowners.
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Building Upon Building
When our guest historian, J. Dennis Robinson, recently wrote about the old Eldredge Brewery in one of his columns for The Portsmouth Herald, we were intrigued because the building in which TMS Architects offices are located is called Eldredge Park. We asked him what the connection might be and he supplied us with the following information…he always knows the answer to local lore!
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Madbury Commons Construction Update
In spite of a challenging New England winter, TMS Architects and ProCon Construction have kept the Madbury Commons student housing on track in Durham, New Hampshire. The project is located in downtown Durham, close to the University of New Hampshire and all the downtown Durham amenities. The property will have 126 apartments and accommodate 525 students. Featuring fully furnished, modern apartments complete with air conditioning and washer/dryers, the complex will be opened for the 2015-16 school year. TMS principal architect, Shannon Alther, AIA, and project manager, Josh White, recently visited the site and returned with these progress photos.
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Crystal Clear Views with Corner Windows
Do you have a particularly lovely garden? A spectacular view from your home? Is there a particular tree, rock formation, or other landscape feature that deserves to be honored? If so, large corner windows for homes offer a way to add unique design impact.
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See Your Ideas Come to Life in the Interior Design Studio
If you’re in the market to design a new home from the ground up, the possibilities are endless. But, how can you be sure that what you put on paper will look good in your home?
The Interior Design Studio at TMS Architects has the answer.
The studio, a 16’x12’ space at the TMS Architects office, features fully-customizable interior design options that allow you to see first-hand what will work — and what won’t — in the space that you envisioned.
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Corner Drawers Optimize Space In Your Kitchen
What used to be an impediment is now an innovative storage solution. The Z axis is no longer something to work around but rather something to work with. Kitchen cabinetry design has evolved to optimize even corners. They may look like ordinary drawers until you see them in action. These clever designs take advantage of every square inch to bring you the ultimate convenience and efficiency.
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Is Your Kitchen Ready for a Full-Sized Wine Fridge?
Wine cellars aren’t the only at-home features for wine connoisseurs. If you are a wine collector looking to take your wine storage to the next level, you may want to consider a wine cooler.
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Deciding on a Countertop Color for Your Kitchen
The photo we pinned of the modern traditionalist kitchen was designed during a project we call the New Hampshire Hilltop Home and has made its way to several Pinterest boards. This popular pin has us thinking about granite countertops, and how to pick the perfect color.
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Seaside Restoration Custom Bar Reflects Home’s Charm
The homeowners of this seaside home in New Hampshire wanted a renovation in order achieve a gorgeous vacation getaway they can enjoy with extended family and friends. Their number one goal was to achieve larger, more open spaces that would lend themselves to gathering and spending quality time together as a family. Instead of a formal dining room, they wanted plenty of space for casual dining in the form of an expansive kitchen island and a full home bar adjacent to the kitchen.
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Sustainable Projects: Working with Reclaimed Wood
These days, reclaimed wood can come from a vast number of sources, like boats, barns, sheds, mills, and even your own remodeled home. You can even find reclaimed wood for free if you know where to look. The Northeast has a plethora of barns and farmhouses surrounding the landscape, and local excavation companies can also be a viable source. What’s more, distinct age marks visible on reclaimed wood add personality, character, and warmth.
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Seaside Renovation – Before Pictures
View our before pictures prior to the renovation below. The homeowners of this seaside cottage felt that the existing spaces were too small and separated from one another to suit their large extended family. See the project page and photos from after the TMS renovation here.
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Ocean Views – Before Pictures
View our before pictures prior to the renovation below. Originally built in 1915, was extensively renovated inside and out. The beautiful ocean views were greatly enhanced by opening up spaces on the first floor and adding large sliding doors. See the project page and photos from after the TMS renovation here.
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North Shore Estate – Before Pictures
View our before pictures prior to the renovation below. The TMS-designed renovation changed the home dramatically. See the project page and photos from after the TMS renovation here.
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