home design: lakefront home

Showing posts with label lakefront home. Show all posts

Renovating a Home or Cottage: What to Expect

The Spring 2012 issue of Kearsarge Magazine features one of Bonin Architects’ current remodeling projects, complete with before and after photos.

Architect Jeremy Bonin gives pointers on working with an architect during the design process and how their experience can save you time and money. The five ways architects can help with your remodeling project:

Know how to work with old homes: If the original drawings are not available, the architect will document the existing spaces affected by the new design. “This can mean multiple visits to verify dimensions, structure, plumbing, and a myriad of other building components. In older homes, the documentation process may be longer due to walls and floors that are not straight or plumb, or intricate woodwork and moldings to be saved, salvaged or duplicated.”

Realize design is a process: Several considerations will be reviewed and revisited many times during the design process including your family’s current and future needs, energy conservation, budget, and schedule. The architect uses sketches, renderings, and 3D computer models to draw your ideas and bring the vision of your remodeled home to life while keeping in mind traffic patterns, air flow, light, and the aesthetic of the home.

Will plan on contingencies like budgeting for unanticipated problems with your older home like outdated wiring and rotted structural elements that may not be seen until the walls are torn down.

Will help build your team: Your project could take as little as a month or as long as a year. You will be working, sometimes on a daily basis, with your architect and contractor; therefore, you should feel comfortable and trust them as they will working with you for an extended amount of time. Your architect will help you interview and hire a general contractor if you do not have one, checking qualifications, references and compatibility of work to your remodeling project.

Architects understand the steps: In addition to the design process, your architect will guide you through the steps, including permitting and pricing. Preliminary pricing may be obtained during the design or, if the contractor is selected, pricing may be established at milestone points during the design.

A home is our shelter and escape from the busy world around us; it should feel inviting and meet our needs every day. Selecting a good team to work on your remodeling project will reward you at every turn.

Last Day to Vote for AIA NH People's Choice Award!

Today's the last day you can vote for your favorite project entered into the 2012 AIA NH Excellence in Design Awards!

Bonin Architects' submission is #1, The Landing, Newbury, New Hampshire. Located on Lake Sunapee, this gorgeous new custom home replaced an old uninsulated cottage. The new home design conforms to the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act guidelines for placement and property setbacks. The home sits on a narrow 32' wide lot, has 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, and plenty of space for entertaining. See more finished pictures of this custom home on our website at www.boninarchitects.com.

Vote online at http://www.aianh.org. Remember, voting ends today!

Lake Home Construction Photos: Near Mt. Sunapee NH

Construction is ongoing on our lakefront vacation home being built in Blodgett’s Landing, Newbury, NH, right near Mt. Sunapee, a tear down project replacing a small, worn-out cottage.

It sure is cold after our nor’easter (Newbury received 14” of new snow), but the crew has a weather-tight shell and temporary heat to help. The site is very tight, with neighboring houses on either side, which can hamper snow removal efforts, but so far has not been an issue.

Interior framing, plumbing, and electrical is ongoing. Check back for progress photos!

NH Lakefront Cottage Renovation

One of our recently completed projects is the renovation of a lakefront cottage on Pleasant Lake, New London, New Hampshire.

The property was subdivided and had originally had two cabins on it. A cabin on “The Point” was torn down to open up the lake view from the other cottage. Some of its materials were salvaged for use in the main cottage renovation.

The new cottage serves as a three-season entertainment area for family and friends with lakeside access and wonderful seasonal views.

Master Planning of the lot for a future primary residence was also completed, accounting for CSPA lot coverage, setbacks and storm water management.

Photos by Great Island Photography, LLC

Lake Sunapee Home

One of our latest designs is a Lake Sunapee home for an older couple, their children, and grandchildren. The cottage style home fits in nicely with the architecture around the lake.

Goals of the home are energy efficiency, one floor living for the parents, and well-designed common and private areas for each family.

The project is in the design development stage, where we determine spatial requirements and accurate dimensions for rooms and areas, as well as outdoor space for entertaining. Broad material choices are being made in this stage of the home design. One or more meetings will be dedicated solely to the kitchen design to choose appliances and their location, cabinets, flooring, counters, and special requirements for the owners.

Vacation Cottage Plans, Sunapee NH

Construction will begin right after Labor Day on our client’s vacation cottage in Blodgett’s Landing on Lake Sunapee. The new cottage was designed within the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act (CSPA) guidelines and the historic nature of Blodgett Landing’s architectural style.

The cottage design has its roots in the Landing’s Victorian influenced architecture; steep gables, expansive porches and lacy "gingerbread" trim all have been distilled into a clean modern interpretation of the area’s homes.

The floor plans are designed to enjoy lakeside living with the basement level providing access to and from the lake, along with a ¾ bath, media room and game room with a snack area and wine refrigerator.

The cottage plans feature a spacious porch overlooking the lake and adjacent open kitchen, dining, and living room for entertaining. The master suite on the second level also features a covered balcony for quiet evenings spent watching the sunset over Lake Sunapee.

Home Addition Remodel

Here's one of our latest projects for an addition and renovation of a 1970's contemporary home in New London, NH.

The addition will house a new garage on the basement level and Master Bedroom suite above.

A spiral stair in the Master Bedroom will access the third floor studio. The renovation includes replacing all of the old glazing with Eagle Windows with Douglas fir frames. Check back for progress!

Lakefront Green Home

The design is underway for a lakefront home for our clients, a newlywed couple building on their property overlooking Chase Pond in Wilmot, NH. The home is a traditional New England style home designed at approximately 2500 square feet.

Goals for this custom home are energy efficiency, low maintenance, and flexibility in the design, as our clients are planning to live in it well into their retirement years. The home has several special features: an open floor plan, three bedrooms, each with private baths; a tower, and a large media room.

Having an open kitchen, dining area, and great room are a priority for this couple. Holidays are filled with visiting friends and extended family.

The second floor Master suite will be the couple's private retreat. Years down the road they will be able to move to the first floor suite.

Check out our other house plans in the works on our website!

Architectural Drafting Services: Custom Home Design

One of our most recent clients were not interested in building a timber frame home, but were drawn to the openness and creativity timber houses afford. At the same time, they did not require full architectural services, only limited drafting services, but wanted to work with an architect to pull their design ideas together and make them work with their land’s difficult terrain and elevation issues. We were happy to assist them by providing drafting services for their new custom home.

The result is an attractive, welcoming river front home with water views that meets their family needs – four bedrooms, plenty of storage, and space to entertain guests in both formal and informal social gatherings.

The full basement has 1832 square feet of living space as well as a two-car garage. Entry to the house from the garage is accessed through a mudroom that has two large benches and a generous closet for coats. A kitchenette with counter seating is a welcome addition to the open family room. The basement opens to extensive outdoor patios, which creates the perfect space for casual entertaining and to enjoy the surrounding property.

The first floor, meanwhile, features an open kitchen / living area with plenty of windows to capture water views of the river. A formal pantry provides additional storage space and provides access to the formal dining area that seats eight comfortably. The Master Bedroom suite is spacious and features French doors leading to a screened porch overlooking the Mississippi River.

Our clients are very happy with their home and in working with an architect, stating, “Bonin Architects did a wonderful job in working with the best of our ideas and where input was required they were happy to do so. They assisted us with some difficult terrain and elevation issues and we are now able to go forward with the construction of the home confident that the home is filled with our ideas and Bonin Architects’ expertise. We had consulted half a dozen design services all of whom took weeks or months to present alternatives. Bonin put the plan together in less than one month.”