Inspirations

See our blog for new projects, announcements, and all things TMS Architects.

Save Water in Style with a Xeriscape

A sustainable landscape that does not require heavy maintenance or an overabundance of water does not have to be without beauty or color. Originally started in the Western U.S. in areas that were prone to drought or dryness, xeriscape gardens and landscapes offer an alternative to save water in style.

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Looking for something extra to add visual interest to your outdoor landscape? If you’re unfamiliar with the idea of rain gardens, you’ve been missing out on a quintessential, sustainable garden staple. The things that attract us to gorgeous rain gardens are their undeniable reduction in pollution, their contribution to water preservation, and they allow you to enjoy beautiful native plants.

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In a delightful departure from some of TMS Architect’s other projects, TMS Principal Bill Soupcoff had an opportunity to work with  long-time clients on the renovation of their  Beacon Hill pied a terre.  The couple are owners of a successful inn on the seacoast of New Hampshire and wanted a small apartment in Boston where they could decompress and enjoy the cultural opportunities offered by the city.

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TMS Architects, under a design team headed by project architect, Jason Bailey AIA, and interior desiger, Laura Malloy of Malloy Interiors, just completed another extensive renovation for Bottomline Technologies’s Portsmouth headquarters  to accommodate their growing Marketing and Creative Design Team departments.  Bottomline Technologies is a world leader in cloud-based payment, invoice and banking solutions for corporations, financial institutions and banks around the world and TMS has worked with Bottomline for several years, revamping office space in Portsmouth as well as other Bottomline locations around the country.

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With so much recent knowledge about rainscaping, the flood of information can often be overwhelming. So, we’ve taken our favorite tips and compiled some of them to help you learn more about shaping your landscape into a functional, working rainscape.

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For your new wildlife retreat or rain garden, you’ll want to seek out drought resistant and native plants. The reason is simple — they’re well adapted to your specific climate, soil type, and pests. Ultimately, these advantages allow such plants to sustain themselves on less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Without any help from humans, these plants will thrive, giving way to an eco-friendly landscape that still looks fantastic. Luckily, most native plants are also drought resistant and can handle poor soil conditions as well.

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Having a great yard design is a blessing in itself, but maintaining incentives to spend even more time outdoors can be optimally rewarding. So, why not give yourself something to look forward to when you step outside? Our designers at TMS Architects can help bring structure and beauty to your landscape regardless of your lifestyle. While there are a huge array of possibilities for charming outdoor garden rooms, we’ve taken a few hints from classic garden designs to compile some of our favorite ideas.

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Hardscapes aren’t limited by their sharp edges and abrupt angles. Think of them merely as the canvas upon which you can splash greenery and spring blooms to create charming garden looks. While some may have settled for mundane shrubbery and annuals jammed between the driveway and sidewalks, your exterior has the potential to be dynamic and cohesive. Keep the flow in your garden by considering these ideas for utilizing hardscaping to suit your landscape desires.

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Many thanks to Selectwood, a wonderful building supply resource center in Portsmouth, NH, for featuring a TMS designed home in the Spring 2015 Builder’s Price Guide.  The project, A Seaside Renovation, was a collaborative project between TMS Architects, CM Ragusa Builders and, of course, the homeowners!

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When you picture a gazebo, you might visualize the grandiose setup of the wedding you recently attended. You might picture whimsical flower arrangements, twinkling candles, and the spirit of romance in the air. However, gazebos can actually serve as wonderful landscape staples — places to picnic with your family, enjoy the breezes on a warm summer day, and cultivate your favorite flowers.

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With the right plants, you can make your garden come to life even after the sun goes down. While we mostly think of enjoying gardens as a daytime activity, there are a variety of plants and landscape design elements that can be incorporated into gardens to make them just as vivid and awe-inspiring at night as they are in the sparkling sun. Imagine having your very own moonlit garden to enjoy while dining al fresco, hosting an elegant soiree, or simply taking a nighttime stroll.

Here are some of our favorite moonlit garden design ideas.

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Several years ago, a few members of “team TMS” were lucky enough to tour an amazing place known as Bedrock Gardens, located in Lee, New Hampshire, 20 miles inland from NH’s coast and halfway between Boston and Portland. We recently received a postcard announcing this year’s series of Open House events at the gardens which prompted this post about the gardens and to urge you to attend one of these marvelous self-directed tours. It is an experience not to be missed!

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Don’t be deterred by the name. The concept of the pergola is in reality very straightforward. It’s simply a row of vertical columns constructed to support a trellis or horizontal beams that are situated above. As the temperatures climb, you might be looking for a way to continue to enjoy your landscape without suffering in the stifling heat of Summer. Pergolas are classic, beautiful structures you should consider because of their ability to provide a versatile reprieve.

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Sloped or Grading Landscapes Unite with Visual Appeal

Dealing with sloped landscapes can be difficult, but it’s not impossible to manifest an alluring garden. It’s certainly not easy and requires a lot of effort, but all you really need is time, devotion, and an attentive eye. To overcome the hurdle of a sloped landscape, we must carefully shape and contour the land in order to establish a set framework for the landscape’s design. This process, called grading, is crucial because it places the groundwork for proper water flow and drainage.

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Morey Stettner, a business reporter for The Portsmouth Herald recently interviewed William Soupcoff, a founder and principal architect of TMS Architects.  It was a very informative piece as we all learned some things about Bill that we didn’t know before….such as his first “real” job:

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Lafe Covill, Associate AIA , TMS Architects Project Manager and Cristina Marais, our Interior Designer, spent the morning at a renovation they have been working on for some time and we were thrilled to see the construction photographs they brought back with them!  Located in the mid part of New Hampshire, this project involves a complete renovation of the master suite, the main living spaces and bathrooms.  TMS has been collaborating once again with CMRugusa Builders on this renovation as we have on completed TMS projects, Seaside Renovation and Family Room Renovation.

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New England Home Magazine recently debuted a section called Perspectives  which shares interesting tidbits from various architects and designers such as “What I’m Looking At” and “Shopping Bag”.  One of articles in this section is called What Makes It Work” and we were delighted that the March-April issue  featured a home designed by TMS Architect, Shannon Alther, AIA. 

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We are all for designing eco-friendly and sustainable homes. Many homeowners are now looking for eco-friendly features in their homes from the materials they are built with to the way they are built. Whether you are building or remodeling, there are things you can do to make your home more eco-friendly.

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A TMS Architects designed project in western Massachusetts, the Hampden Country Club, is in the final stages of completion with an opening date of early May scheduled for the new Clubhouse and end of June for the Banquet Facility.  This three year project features a 24,000 square foot Clubhouse complete with a generous dining room, separate bar and lounge, men and women’s lounges, a pro shop, luxurious spa, golf simulator room, exercise room, conference room and a wedding garden.  

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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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