Inspirations
See our blog for new projects, announcements, and all things TMS Architects.What Makes Shingle Style so Distinguishable?
TMS Architects and Interiors has been designing beautiful New England homes in a variety of traditional and modern styles for over 35-years. One of those iconic styles is called Shingle Style. Of true New England origin, Shingle Style was made popular in the latter part of the 19th century and was inspired by the idea of a slower, simpler and romantic lifestyle. For this reason, you’ll find this style populating locations where relaxation is a way of life, such as the oceanside, lakefronts and mountainside retreats.
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A Vibrant Modern Lakehouse
One of our recent projects here at TMS Architects Interiors was a stunning furniture install at a picturesque lakeside location in New Hampshire. This home is a mixture of neutral natural textures with a contemporary edge. The look nods at lakeside living while showcasing some exciting fabric and color choices for a special flair.
Take a peek at the highly anticipated install day unfolded!
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Make The Most of Your Space With Custom Built Ins
Storage is something we all seem to need more of these days. Why not find a way to add it to your home while making it visually appealing at the same time? Built-in cabinetry is extremely customizable and adds a high-end look to any room. Cabinetry can be creatively designed in any style or configuration- the possibilities are endless! Built-in millwork enables the addition of plenty of storage without adding bulky standalone pieces. This is especially important if you have a small space or an awkward layout that would not allow for the use of typical furniture. You can turn what could be an otherwise unusable nook into something specifically designed to suit your particular storage needs.
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Not Taking The Parts For Granted
I always like to chat about the necessary parts of buildings that we sometimes take for granted. Even the most benign functional things can play an essential role in the feel, texture, and style of a place. One of the most useful of these things is architectural screens, fences, and lattice. Screens and fences are used for privacy or as a visual or physical boundary. Lattice is another such barrier that is supposed to block the view and access to critters from under your porch while still allowing air to flow. There are so many choices we make as architects to design them, so they disappear to blend into the surroundings or play a starring role. These fences play an important roll in setting the tone for two very different aesthetics.
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Simple Interior Upgrades to Make a Big Impression
Are you spending more time at home these days and realizing that your home lacks that something special? Or maybe you’re just tired of seeing the same old things day after day? Luckily there are a few quick and easy changes you can make to your home that will make your surroundings much closer to that ideal house you’ve always dreamt about.
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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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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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Interior Design Trends to Watch in 2016
As a brand new year begins, many of us find ourselves craving a fresh start. While everyone else is breaking a sweat at the gym or trying out a trendy new juice cleanse, we prefer our New Year’s resolutions to have some staying power. Giving a room in your home a brand new look can be the perfect way to invigorate your senses this winter and beyond.
We chatted with TMS’s Interiors Project Manager, Cristina Marais, about up and coming Interior Design Trends for 2016. Think blushing pinks, splashy wallpaper, patterned tiles, natural elements, and a focus on comfort and hospitality. Read on for a little inspiration…
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Celebrate the Season in Portsmouth, NH
There’s a reason this time of year is considered the most wonderful, the most magical. The world is a little kinder, the nights a little cozier. The best part, of course, is being together with the people you love most. Cherish this month with these incredible Portsmouth events — Travel + Leisure called us “Christmas Capitol of America” for good reason, after all!
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Historic “Refreshing” of Three Chimneys Inn
TMS Architects’s principal , Rob Carty and interior designer, Cristina Marais, recently worked with the historic Three Chimneys Inn on a project to provide some changes to the inn that will be in keeping with the time period of the historic structure. Built in 1649 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Three Chimneys Inn is one of the oldest homes in New Hampshire. It now serves as an inn in Durham NH, home to the University of New Hampshire, with twenty-three guest rooms, dining in the historic ffrost Sawyer Tavern and serves as a host for many weddings, events and conferences.
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Preparing Your Home for the Holidays
Your home with guests is a very different space than your home with just you, and preparing for visitors can be an overwhelming time crunch, especially with the heightened expectations of the holidays. With Thanksgiving just past and the rest of the season soon to follow, here are some of our favorite tips and ideas so that you can enjoy this time instead of being flattened out by it. Your home should exude what ‘home’ means to you, and put every guest at ease; be it a crackling fire in the living room, late night hot chocolate sitting around the kitchen table, or everything in between. Let your home be exactly that — for both you, your friends, and family.
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Pantone Announces Spring Color Trends for 2016
Some days it feels as if the modern world exists in a whirlwind: work, technology, and the changing seasons rushing faster with each year. While Pantone’s annual release of the ten colors to watch for Spring 2016 might seem a striking harbinger of this change (How is it almost November? And it’s already time to think of spring?) it’s also an exciting reminder of all that is to come in the future ahead, and serves as a stunning design inspiration for every project soon to begin.
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What’s Cooking in the Kitchen? Part Two
As we continue our discussion of trends in kitchen design, materials and appliances, it is interesting to note that kitchens are combining a mix of cutting-edge technology and materials while also incorporating “retro” designs and a wide array of colors. Long gone are the days of avocado and gold appliances and in addition to stainless steel, kitchens are sporting appliances in a wide array of styles and colors. KitchenAid just introduced the industry’s first-ever black stainless steel finish which they term a “new neutral look”.
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Elements of Autumn
Autumn is finally here — the beginning of seasons where families come together and houses truly become homes. This is the time when New England is truly at its best and most beautiful, with the smell of woodsmoke, the sharp tang of apples fresh from the branch, the brush of cool air through rich turning leaves on a mountainside.
The best part? The ease of bringing the beauty of this time of year into your home. A touch of simple, subtle decorating, and your stunning home exudes the sophisticated atmosphere of comfort this season creates.
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What’s Cooking in the Kitchen? Part One
September and October seem to be months in which the focus of many shelter magazines turns to kitchens. Perhaps this is because we are coming inside from a summer of grills and outdoor living and realize that our kitchens might need some work! As Bill Soupcoff, AIA, one of TMS’s principals always says…”It doesn’t matter whether a home is historic or modern; the kitchen is still the heart of the American home.”
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Historic In-Town Home Renovation
The new owners of this historic residence wished to retain its formal aesthetics but recognized that their young and energetic family needed some additional casual space. The kitchen and the spaces in the rear ell did not meet the owners’ needs and the second floor master bedroom also served as access to the second floor spaces in the rear ell. All bathrooms were antiquated and the home also lacked direct exterior access to the large back yard and swimming pool.
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Elements of the Ultimate Vacation Home
If you could build your dream vacation home, which fun features would you add? That’s a question that has been on our mind ever since we shared this Family Playhouse under construction, which will eventually include a half basketball court and 9-hole mini golf course! When designing a vacation home — especially one in a rural area — many families are finding creative ways to keep the fun in-house. So what would we put in our ultimate vacation home? Read on for a little inspiration…
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Changing the Meaning of Space
TMS Architects is delighted to have our second August post from local Portsmouth historian, J. Dennis Robinson. As is usual with Dennis, his examination of the past and the history of Portsmouth often leads us on voyages of discovery of the present. This article describes a very special place in Portsmouth; the Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park.
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Blending in to Stand Out
As a New Hampshire based architecture firm, we have the pleasure of taking on projects in some of New England’s most beautiful and historic settings. This area is chock full of lush lakefronts, breathtaking coastal views, and idyllic downtown areas with centuries-old charm. When constructing a new building in a naturally beautiful setting, it just makes sense to take a cue from Mother Nature when it comes to design. Today, we’ll share some of our favorite designs that stand out by working with their natural surroundings.
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Step Inside Dover, NH’s, Oldest House
After taking a breather from the publication of his latest book, Smuttynose Murders, and spending some time on the Isle of Shoals, local historian, J. Dennis Robinson returns to the pages of TMS Architects’ blog, with a piece on Dover’s Woodman Museum. There is still time to visit this wonderful piece of New Hampshire history before school vacation ends!
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