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See our blog for new projects, announcements, and all things TMS Architects & Interiors.A Look Back at 2025 for TMS Architects & Interiors
A Year in Review- 2025
For the team at TMS, 2025 was one for the books. From a new office to new colleagues (and babies) to exciting new projects, much has changed over the past year. As the New Year approaches, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the milestones, both meaningful and memorable, that shaped the last 12 months.
Honoring TMS Founder John Merkle
Reflecting on a Lasting Legacy
We begin this year-end reflection by honoring John Merkle, one of TMS’s founders. John’s passing marked a profound loss for our team. His vision, leadership, and dedication helped shape not only the architecture firm we are today, but also the culture of collaboration, integrity, and care that continues to guide our work.
More than 40 years ago, John helped build TMS from the ground up. His passion for historic preservation led to the restoration and revitalization of many beloved New England landmarks that continue to be appreciated today. We remain deeply grateful for the foundation John laid and for the lasting impact he has had on our colleagues, clients, and surrounding communities.
As we reflect on 2025 and look ahead, our goal is to honor John’s vision in the work we do every day.
Click here to learn more about John and his legacy.
TMS Cofounder, John Merkle
Looking Ahead While Honoring the Past
Guided by John’s legacy, 2025 was also a year of growth and transition for TMS, and one that brought meaningful change to how and where we work together.
New Office
A New Space for Collaboration
One of the most notable changes for our team this year was not one, but two office relocations. After 20 years in our longtime home at One Cate Street, we relocated to a temporary space while final touches were completed on our permanent space.
Now, four months into our new long-term office at 2 International Drive, we’re enjoying a thoughtfully designed environment that supports collaboration with clients and colleagues alike. With updated technology and a design studio that has doubled in size, the space reflects how our firm continues to evolve. We look forward to putting the finishing touches in place and welcoming partners and clients in for a visit. And while the new office space may not fall into the historic preservation category, we hope that revitalizing an existing office space and its embodied energy would get a thumbs up from John!
A snapshot from this year’s Halloween party from the lobby into our new design studio, which matched the party theme with its Lutron lighting effects.
New Colleagues
Welcoming New Talent to the Team
As our project pipeline grows, so does our team. In 2025, we welcomed four new (and new-ish) faces to TMS.
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Sicilia Sturk joined us full-time in January after graduating from Suffolk University with a BFA in Interior Design, following her time as a TMS intern in 2023.
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Leah Wyner came on board in February as our Marketing Coordinator.
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Kristina Pereira joined the finance and administrative team in March and has quickly become an essential part of daily operations.
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Most recently, Senior Project Manager Scott Sprague joined the firm, bringing more than 25 years of experience in high-end residential design and commercial project management.
We’re thrilled to head into the new year with this talented group as part of the TMS team.
A recent team photo from our TMS holiday party (Storm Trooper included).
Life Updates
Celebrating Milestones Big and Small
On a personal note, several team members celebrated exciting life milestones this year. Dan Santacroce and his wife, Sam, welcomed baby Luca in May, and Ellie Hayes and her husband, Rickie, welcomed baby Maisie in June. There were also a couple of first birthdays celebrated, with Amy Hartmann and her husband Eric’s daughter Noemi turning one, and Mike Cerbone and his wife Sara’s son Cole turning one as well! We’re delighted for the growing families, and ready for the kids to get working on their drafting skills (kidding…).
Baby Maisie getting acclimated with her measuring tools.
Some TMS colleagues also saw new parts of the world in 2025, with Jason Bailey travelling to Scotland, Amy Hartmann to Aruba, and Lafe Covill enjoying some time in Mexico, to name a few.
Picturesque Scotland landscape from Jason’s Euro trip.
(Not So) New Colleague Milestones
Celebrating Long-Term Dedication
In 2025, TMS proudly celebrated its 41st year designing homes and buildings throughout New England and beyond. As we surpassed four decades in business, we also recognized several architects and designers who celebrated 10+ years with the firm:
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Shannon Alther, AIA — 29 years
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Kraig Kurtenbach — 27 years
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Tim Giguere, AIA — 25 years
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Jason Bailey, AIA — 24 years
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Robert Carty, AIA — 22 years
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Lafe Covill, Associate AIA — 13 years
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Cristina Johnson, AIA, NCIDQ — 12 years
Their dedication continues to shape the quality and consistency of our work.
Completed Project Highlights
Designs Brought to Life
Several uniquely beautiful residential projects reached completion in 2025, including a historic carriage house revival, a timber-framed lakefront home, and a 990-square-foot guest cottage. Explore our newly photographed projects:
Timber Point
Carriage House Revival
Winnisquam Shore
Shingle-Style Guest Cottage
Countryside Gallery Kitchen
Modern Farmhouse Renovation
In-Progress Project Highlights
Looking Ahead to 2026
Alongside completed work, our in-progress builds advanced this year as well, with some set to finish in the coming months. From a colorful, modern oceanfront home to a classic lakefront gambrel, we’re excited to bring these designs to life for our clients to enjoy.
Seaview Avenue In-Progress Artwork Install
Lakeside Gambrel Construction Photo
Stay tuned for updates on these projects, and for exciting commercial work currently underway.
2025 Recognitions
Industry Highlights and Honors
It is always a joy to have our work recognized by other professionals within the industry, and this year we had the pleasure of being acknowledged by peers and industry publications including:
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NHH Remodeling/Renovation Winner – Portside Revival
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Modern Luxury Interiors: Best New Hampshire Architect
Additional features appeared in Maine Home + Design, New England Home, and New Hampshire Home, and we even had a Lego replica of our Seaside Classic created, which we would say is an unexpected yet touching highlight!
“Uplifted” Feature Cover as seen in MHD August 2025 Issue
“A Fresh Take” Feature Cover as seen in NEH July/Aug 2025 Issue
- Shingle-Style Guest Cottage Featured in New Hampshire Home
“A Cozy Retreat” Feature as seen in NHH Sept/Oct 2025 Issue
- Mighty Views Featured in New Hampshire Home
- Featured in New England Home: Tips for Designing Coastal & Lakefront Homes
Closing Note
Looking Forward
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re grateful for all of the personal and professional accomplishments that have helped define the year. From new team members and new family members to new projects and shared traditions, TMS continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.
As we head into 2026 and our 42nd year as a firm, we wish our colleagues, clients, and community a happy and healthy New Year. We hope that 2025 has treated you well, and we want to thank you for being part of our journey. And, as our other TMS cofounder, Bill Soupcoff, would say- Keep up the good work! We’re looking forward to all that 2026 has to bring. Cheers!
TMS Turns 41
1984. Gas was $1.13, the Celtics won an epic game 7 against the Lakers to earn the title of 35th NBA Champion, and the original Apple Macintosh personal computer went on sale. This also happened to be the year that TMS was founded (the most significant fun fact, if you ask us. Who needs computers, anyway?).
41 years ago, William “Bill” Soupcoff and John Merkle joined together to create what is now TMS Architects & Interiors, a boutique home design firm servicing New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and beyond, to create wonderfully unique and luxurious homes.
TMS Founders John Merkle and Bill Soupcoff on the cover of the 1999 May-June Issue of Residential Architect.
TMS Group Photo, 2003.
From the jump, Bill and John shared a common passion for architectural design and both heavily valued ethics, fairness, and the insistence of superior work quality. Coming from different backgrounds (John graduated from NYIT; Bill from MIT), these two took their shared interests and unique educations and created a partnership that resulted in some of the finest architectural work in New England. Some projects you may recognize if you are local to the New England seacoast area include the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel restoration, the Music Hall restoration, and the Bridges House, as well as many stunning residential projects that pepper the coastal, lakefront, and inland roads of the region.
Wentworth by the Sea Hotel.
Portsmouth Music Hall Restoration Team Uncovers Original Ceiling Mural.
As the decades have passed, there have been monumental changes within the industry and the world in general, but TMS’ values have remained the same. Our mission is to fully embrace our clients’ visions and turn them into buildings that are beautiful, functional, and sustainable. Whether it’s a residential build, a pool house renovation, or commercial office design, communication and attention-to-detail are critical.
Residential Kitchen Design, 1997 Project.
Residential Kitchen Design, 2023 (Coastal Legacy).
Considering the growth of technology since 1984, our founders established the TMS name when architects primarily relied on hand-drawn sketches. We are now able to take clients on a three-dimensional tour of their future homes thanks to virtual reality. How times have changed! (although many of our designers still enjoy creating by hand). As technology and our business have developed, so have our skills, capabilities, and portfolio. We have worked to establish ourselves as both an architectural firm and an interior design firm, collaborating with clients in all phases of the design process. Whether in the initial construction phase or in the final decorating phase, we set out to not only meet our clients’ expectations but exceed them.
Archived TMS Hand-Drawn Residential Rendering.
Lakefront Residential Rendering, 2025.
Over the years, our work has earned us more than 40 awards for excellence of design. These projects have ranged from a 2004 National Trust for Historic Preservation Award for our work on the restoration of the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel (spearheaded by John Merkle, our initial historic preservation enthusiast!) to the 2025 Modern Luxury Interiors New England award for Best NH Architect. These awards and the variation of them display just how much time, thought, and energy goes into understanding what our clients desire for each project. and teaming up with them every step of the way to achieve just that. We are honored to have been serving our community for 41 years, and we look forward to the new projects we have yet to take on. Thank you to everyone who has helped make TMS Architects & Interiors into what it is today (employees, clients, family, community, etc) and here’s to the continuation of beautiful, unique, and sustainable building design!
Initial Rendering of Expanded Interior Design Resource Studio in the new TMS Office Space.
TMS Group Photo, 2025.
TMS- New Office, Same Vision
As a firm, we pride ourselves in our ability to help clients who are looking to upgrade their spaces and create their dream homes. For one of our current projects, the tables have turned. We are excited to share that we will be relocating to a brand-new office this summer! After hitting our 40th anniversary (it doesn’t always have to be a mid-life crisis) we took some time to reflect and realized we were starting to outgrow our space- now, we’re ready to bring the TMS twist to a new one.
The move will be a short one distance-wise (just across town) but will surely have a significant positive impact on our team and our clients. Our new office will allow an abundance of room to host clientele, collaborate with teammates, and test out new design strategies. This includes a design and resource room double in size for our interiors team.
One Cate Street has provided 25 years of wonderful memories, acting as a catalyst for bold ideas and brilliant outcomes in design and build. It is a bittersweet feeling saying goodbye to our longtime headquarters, but we are thrilled for what is to come at Two International Drive. Stay tuned as we give you updates on our move, and a sneak peek at some renderings and construction progression of our own future home.
In case you haven’t yet, tour our current office before we go.
Architects Can Ski, too!
It was a brisk and bright March day up in the Maine mountains on Tuesday, and thanks to our structural engineering friends at Thornton Tomasetti, we were able to take full advantage of the conditions and have a day full of snowy fun!
Thornton Tomasetti held its 3rd annual Black Mountain of Maine Takeover up in Rumford and we were invited to come up and take on all the event had to offer- from alpine skiing and Nordic skiing to snow tubing and snowshoeing, and who could forget one of the best parts of the day- lunch and Après Ski!
As the sun burnt off the morning fog, the temperature rose, winter coats were quickly shed, and we got a real feel for the springtime ski season. Whether it was on the mountain, in the ski lodge, or out on the deck, it was a perfect day for mingling with the family and friends that came up to join, as well as our industry partners who also made the trip up North. Plus, whoever had the disco ball ski helmet, we’re all very jealous and also inspired.
We always appreciate and enjoy the unique opportunities that come with working in this field. Thank you to Thornton Tomasetti for having us and to all who participated in this refreshing team building and networking event!
Happy 12th TMS Anniversary Cristina Johnson, AIA, NCIDQ!
It’s been 12 years of TMS for Principal Architect and Interior Designer Cristina Johnson, AIA, NCIDQ, and we couldn’t be more grateful!
Cristina joined our team in 2013 and helped build our Interior Design department from the ground up. She has served as a principal since 2023 and is directly involved with most of the projects that pass through our office. From residential renovations to commercial office and hospitality work, her experience includes new builds and renos ranging from $20,000 to $85 Million. No matter the scope of the project, she particularly enjoys striking the balance between aesthetics and functionality, so clients can live happily and easily.
Outside of the office, Cristina is currently dedicating most of her time to renovating her own 1850’s farmhouse (can you tell she loves what she does?).
A big thank you from our team for all of her hard work over the years and everything she has helped our team achieve. Here’s to many more years of beautiful design!
Brief List of Cristina Johnson’s Awards:
New Hampshire Home Awards
-Excellence in Interior Design-
2019 ~Coastal Dream
2020 ~Classic Seaside
2021 ~Wisteria Place
-Excellence in Remodeling/Renovation Design-
2019 ~Lakefront Transformation
2021 ~ Summer House
-Excellence in Kitchen Design-
2022 ~Ocean Break
2023 ~Cove Light (transitional)
2024 ~Oak House (contemporary)
-Excellence in Historic Renovation-
2023 ~Downtown Federal
-Excellence in Whole House Design-
2024 Winner ~Coastal Legacy
Our Office: Where Deadlines and Design Magic Meet
Life is funny. We (us, personally) spend so much time focusing on the smallest details in regard to the homes of our clients, making sure every corner of a room and frame on a window exceeds their expectations. Rarely do we stop and admire our own humble abode.
For the past 24 years, we have called One Cate Street in Portsmouth our home. In a building full of offices, we try to differentiate ourselves before you walk through our door. Once you make it up the four flights of stairs, your effort is rewarded with vibrant greenery. A traditional chest just outside our entrance often adorns various magazines to glance at or grab as you walk in.
One of our favorite parts about our office happens to be at the very entrance of the space, and that is the curved, Douglas Fir-treaded staircase that extends down into the main foyer. There’s just something about a grand view of a foyer that starts a morning off right. As you walk down the stairs, an intricate copper heron statue greets you. This statue, which also once served as a fountain, was created for us personally by renowned metal sculptor and New Castle native, Walter Liff.
The foyer includes a few fun touches, like our digital signage board and a vast display of magazines that we have been a part of throughout the years. Coming through the foyer, you have a few options when it comes to your next stop:
1. The design room. This is the interior design team’s safe haven. A room filled floor to ceiling with all of the textures, colors, and samples you could dream of. The lighting in this room has been specially constructed so that, depending on the mood of the specific design we are showcasing, it will shine in a variety of cool to warm color temperatures.
2. The conference room. Walk into the conference room, and you will see a grand display of our past projects thanks to the posters that line the walls. These serve as a wonderful source of inspiration and intrigue for anyone at the (rectangular) roundtable. Additionally, our witty tech guy, aka Principal Architect Tim Giguere, has worked hard to give the conference room some top-notch technological capabilities. This “smart” room allows seamless technology sharing throughout meetings, whether it’s through individual laptops, the designated conference room computer, or even a smartphone. Collaboration and communication galore!
3. The center island. To get to the office pods and the offset office rooms of our principals, you’ll pass the center island. This piece of focal point furniture has been the epicenter for many-a holiday party and networking events, and it also holds an eye-catching miniature 3D version of our Drift Line Residence project. If you’re lucky, you may run into our trusty office pooch/fierce guard puppy, Cava (pictured below).
Making it past the alley, the room opens up to walls of brick and vaulted ceilings that serve as our main workspace. Our interior design team, architects, and project managers have made themselves comfortable in these pods, where the layout lends itself easily to interaction.
We also can’t forget about the kayak. The stunning flotation device was hand-crafted by Lee Harvey, one of our former architects. He meticulously carved the stunning piece and was gracious enough to let us display it front and center in our workspace, which we have done proudly for the last decade. The piece lives on in his memory and reminds us of what it means to be a part of TMS.
From front to back, our office has become a unique product of the creative minds that have called it home since 2001. Whether it’s a small “Aha” moment on a random morning, or the exciting reveal of an award-winning project magazine feature, this office has seen it all. It has served as a testament of all of the hard work done by our team thus far and the growth that is to come.
Check out our social media if you would like to see some video content of our space and stay tuned for some throwback pics and company updates moving forward!