Blog
See our blog for new projects, announcements, and all things TMS Architects & Interiors.
Home Offices: Covid-19 Edition
Like most of the world at this moment, all of us at TMS Architects and Interiors are working from home to stop the spread of COVID-19. This means that many of us needed to improvise and put together home offices and workspaces at the drop of a hat. Many of us have converted guest bedrooms, basements, kitchen tables, and cobbled together spaces for ourselves in various corners of our houses while navigating all of the other challenges that the lockdown has brought.
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TMS Architects Leads Redesign & Expansion of The Governor’s Academy Peter Marshall French Student Center
We’re proud to announce that The Governor’s Academy Peter Marshall French Student Center Redesign and Expansion in Newbury, MA is slated to break ground at the end of January 2020 with a targeted completion date of mid-August 2020. The Academy has selected Shawmut Design + Construction out of Boston, Massachusetts to serve as Construction Manager and General Contractor for the project.
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Architecture Vocabulary: Muntins vs. Mullions
Thanks to the Internet and numerous shows focused on home improvement and real estate, even a casual design enthusiast can build up a pretty robust vocabulary of architectural terms. But beyond terms like “beadboard” and “crown molding,” there are some words and phrases that can trip up even the most experienced of architects. Today, we’re taking this window of opportunity to dig into two of the more often confused architecture words (even among industry pros): Mullion and Muntin
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Behind Beautiful Interiors: How Hidden Systems Create Comfort in Custom Homes
We spend a significant amount of time working on the finer details of our projects. The end results are rewarding not just for ourselves, but also the end-users and owners of the buildings. However, these details are not always just for looks. Homes and commercial buildings today are implementing more and more building systems to help with life safety, building comfort, and overall sustainability. All of these systems live behind the beautiful finishes and details that we create in our buildings. Some of these details can require an immense amount of coordination to pull off well and each building will require different approaches to achieve the desired result.
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Design Details: Guardrails & Handrails
Guardrails and handrails are two necessary pieces of our built environment that we come in contact with almost every day but may take for granted. Guardrails are the part of an elevated walkway or stair that protects us from falling off the edge. Handrails guide us along the path of a stair and give us something to grip as we navigate up or down in our buildings.
These two ordinary elements can impact the design and feel of a building tremendously, and as a design element have the opportunity to help unify the design theme as well as provide some unexpected delight. Read on for a few of our favorite guardrail and handrail designs from TMS Architects projects…
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Trends We Loved from High Point Market: 2019
Every April the design team here at TMS makes an annual pilgrimage to the High Point Market – the interior design industry’s biggest trade show. High Point Market, which is open every six months, draws in more than 75,000 designers, architects, and industry professionals. The market’s current demographics are seriously impressive with 180 buildings, 12 million square feet of showrooms and the presence of 2000+ vendors. Each market is bigger than the next! After taking some much-needed time to process all that we saw this year, here are some of our favorite design trends seen at Spring 2019 High Point Market…
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It’s All in the Design Details
Some of the best details in architecture are hidden at first glance. Any well-designed building should appear cohesive, free of any jarring details that stick out or steal the show. But when you take a second look, a closer look, you can see that attention to detail that goes into the building. The detail that brings the whole structure together, the detail that ties in concepts and design intent. This detail is difficult to achieve, yet when done properly the design looks easy and effortless.
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Using Virtual Reality to Make Your Dream Home a Reality
Modern technology has made it easier than ever to design a custom home or building. We’ve previously shared how we use 3D renderings to help clients picture what a project will look like upon completion, and today we’re diving into the world of virtual reality. With VR technology, our team and clients can “step inside” of a space before it’s designed, allowing everyone to get a sense of what the design feels like, and make any necessary adjustments prior to construction.
Add Warmth to Your Home with a Fireplace
A fireplace in a New England home is as traditional as it gets. The sights, sounds and smells of a crackling fire conjures many positive memories of holiday gatherings or of watching the first winter snow fall through frosted window panes as the flickering light of orange and yellow flame danced across the darkened walls and ceiling.
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Spaces That Spark Joy: A Designer’s Take on the KonMari Method
Marie Kondo is seemingly everywhere as of late but if you find yourself wondering who exactly she is, no worries; we’ve got you covered. Marie is a Japanese lifestyle expert who is best known for her #1 New York Times best-selling book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and most recently her hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Marie has developed a system for tidying your home which is known as the KonMari Method. Encouraging people to only hold on to items that “spark joy,” the KonMari Method promises to help people bring “serenity and inspiration” into their lives.
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Amazing Exterior Renovations – Part 2
Welcome to the second half of our Amazing Exterior Renovations blog series, where you get a behind the scenes look at some of the historic homes we’ve had the chance to renovate. Today, we’re diving into some exterior renovations that are a little different — from a lakeside home with a long history of lovely family memories to a Greek Revival renovation in Portsmouth’s South End.
Read on for stunning transformations (and check out Part 1 if you haven’t yet!)…
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Amazing Exterior Renovations – Part 1
Many of our projects begin with a totally clean slate — bringing a client’s vision to life by designing a brand new and completely custom home. But starting from scratch isn’t always necessary. When the location of a home is just right, or an existing home is rich with historic details, a client may choose to renovate instead. Over the years, we’ve had several opportunities to renovate historic homes in stunning locations — blending classic New England charm with the style and needs of a modern family.
Read on to learn more about some of our favorite exterior renovations…
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Traditional Meets Sustainable – Part 2
A few months ago, we shared the beginning stages of a sustainable Maine home in progress with you. This homeowner desired to implement practical, sustainable elements within a traditional, Cape Cod style home. In our last post, we walked you through our process from laying the foundation to completing the basic structure of the home. Today, we’ll give you a detailed look inside so you can see how we’ve insulated the house for maximum efficiency.
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Making A Statement With A Spiral Staircase
Spiral staircases have truly stood the test of time. They’ve been around for thousands of years, but it’s not uncommon to find them in a contemporary home today. This unique design can make the most out of a compact space, make a statement, or often do a little of both at once. Read on to learn more about spiral staircases and see some of our favorite designs…
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Traditional Meets Sustainable – Part 1
When you read the words “Maine home,” we bet there’s plenty that comes to mind: rolling hills, peaceful views, and classic New England style. Sustainability and efficiency, however, are probably not at the top of that list. In the past, prioritizing sustainability would dictate the overall design of a home, meaning styles like a classic Cape house would be out of the question. Today, however, it’s easier than ever to incorporate green features into traditional architecture… of course, having years of experience with both like we do doesn’t hurt either.
In this series of blog posts, we’ll be documenting the progress of a Maine home that features both classic design elements and a forward-thinking approach for both the current homeowner and the generations to come. We hope you enjoy following along!
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Making A Splash With A Home Pool
Summer in New England is always much too short. With just a few months of warm, sunny weather each year, us locals are inclined to make the most of it. For many of our clients, that means installing a home pool. It can be a laborious (not to mention costly) addition, but a well-designed pool area offers plenty of fun for kids and adults alike. As we move closer and closer to Fall, we’ve decided to look back on some of our all-time favorite designs.
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Capturing New England Charm with Weathervanes & Cupolas
When it comes to constructing or renovating a home, location is one of our major sources of inspiration. And here in New England there’s plenty to inspire: from the dreamy seacoast to peaceful lakes to idyllic pastures. Often this is expressed on a large scale — through natural stone terraces, shingle-style siding or grand entryway columns — though we love to luxuriate in the details, too! Cupolas and weathervanes are classic elements of a New England home, and we like to incorporate them into our designs whenever possible.
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A New England Hideaway, Complete
Nearly three years ago, we gave you a sneak peek at one of our projects in progress. This cottage-inspired, New England home is now complete, and we’re thrilled to give you a tour.
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A Beach Cottage Bathroom Transformation
A beach cottage offers an escape from reality. It’s a place for quality time spent with loved ones, fun in the sun, and relaxation. Of course, the design of such a place should enhance the experience, creating a soothing sanctuary away from the demands of everyday life. That’s exactly what we did when we transformed the master bathroom of a 1950s beach cottage into an open, contemporary, and all-around luxurious retreat.
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A Lakeside Family Playhouse
Back in the Summer of 2015 we shared photos and behind the scenes details of a Maine family playhouse under construction. After a great deal of hard work, we’re pleased to share that the whole family and many of their friends were finally able to relax and play in their new vacation house! Take a look inside…
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