Tag Archives | retirement

The Post & Beam Kitchen

The kitchen layout is one of the first considerations when designing a home. Many of your preferences will need to be considered and decided before drawings of your new or remodeled home may begin. Will you have an eat-in kitchen? Do you prefer an open family area as part of the floor plan or do [...]

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

The following post was written by my garden designer Terri Wilcox, owner of Terri Wilcox Garden Design in Wilmot, NH. She is the master mind behind all of our gardens, including the fabulous Zen Garden. Terri is an extremely talented landscaper but more importantly to me, she is a good friend. I will feature her [...]

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The Nitty Gritty of Home Design: A Check List, Part II

As promised in yesterday’s post, here is The Check List of questions to ask yourself as you plan and design your new home. · How many people will live here? Are they permanent or occasional occupants and are there special needs associated with any of them? · Is this a primary or second home? Considerations [...]

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The Nitty Gritty of Home Design: A Check List, Part I

In an earlier post, The Home Design Dilemma: 7 Lessons Learned, I stressed how important it is in knowing yourself, your needs and your wants prior to beginning the design process. In this two part post I’ll go into detail as, if you’re like me, needs and wants are not always readily apparent. I could [...]

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I’m Not Getting Any Younger…

The other day I asked a friend of mine what would be important to her should she design a house at this stage of her life. Her response was so funny I asked her to write it down. Here she is in her own words:   “First, I feel that I must admit something: the [...]

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Post & Beam Architecture is NOT Synonymous with Log Home Living

      Many people see the terms “post and beam” or “timber frame” as synonymous with log home living.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Log homes tend to be more rustic with a sometimes overwhelming amount of wood exposed on the interior.  Post and beam homes expose the timber structure in the interior while still allowing for the [...]

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Do I Really Need Four Bedrooms?

  It seems that everyday, all day, we are hearing about this tough economic climate and how we should conserve.  Last night, I ran across my dog-tattered copy of a remarkable design book, The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka, which discusses simplifying and reducing the size of your new house (www.notsobighouse.com).  If you [...]

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