The Blog
Our day to day is much more than just design work! Here we share our inspirational and busy days with all of you!
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hardwood flooring is by far the most popular flooring choice in homes, old and new. it brings a warmth to the home, and unifies spaces while allowing each room to take on personalities of their own.  style to choose a width of hardwood flooring, is to define you're homes style. SELECTING A SPECIES CAN BE TRICKY, LET ALONE BOARD WIDTH, AND STAIN. THE CLASSIC WHITE OAK OF NEW ENGLAND AND BEYOND IS THE MOST COMMON, WITH WIDTHS STARTING AROUND 2 1/4" UP TO 15" WIDE. THE LOOK YOU ARE GOING FOR IS DEFINITELY A FACTOR WHEN SELECTING THE WIDTH OF YOUR FLOORING. NOT TO FRET, IT REALLY IS A PERSONAL PREFERENCE AND THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG. SURE, IF YOU FOLLOW TRENDS, YOU'VE BEEN SEEING THE WIDER PLANKS GAIN POPULARITY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS - AND DUE TO THAT POPULARITY, PRICE IS MORE AFFORDABLE THAN IT USED TO BE. WE ARE SEEING THE MOST COMMON WIDTH, BRIDGING THE GAP, IF YOU WILL, IS ANYWHERE FROM 4 1/2" - 8" WIDE. ITS SOOTHING, REALLY. LESS TINY LITTLE PLANKS DISTRACTING YOUR EYE, AND MORE SEAMLESS FLOOR, AS A BACKDROP FOR YOUR STUNNING FURNISHINGS, ART, WHAT HAVE YOU.
photos: a. tesa architecture  SPECIES WE'VE SETTLED ON A WIDTH RANGE, HAVE WE FORGOTTEN SPECIES? THIS IS ENDLESS TRULY. WHAT YOU WILL WANT TO DO IS STRONGLY CONSIDER YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE IN YOUR HOME. THERE ARE MANY WOODS OUT THERE THAT ARE TOO SOFT TO WITHSTAND, SAY, A DAILY FAMILY LIFE WITHOUT GOUGES, DENTS, AND SCRATCHES. PINE IS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS. IT IS BEAUTIFUL, KNOTTY, RUSTIC, BUT SOFT. HEART PINE, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE INNER PORTION OF PINE TREES CAN BE VERY DENSE, AND MUCH BETTER AT WITHSTANDING DAILY USE.
photos: sustainable lumber co, tiny blog BEETLE KILL PINE ANOTHER PINE, WE ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS BEETLE KILL PINE. COULD BE A BLOG POST ALL ITS OWN...BEETLE KILL PINE IS A SPECIES OF PINE FROM THE MIDWEST (COLORADO REGION) WHICH UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A FUNGAE TURNING THE BARK A BLUEISH HUE AND ALLOWING THE TREES TO BECOME SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEETLES. THE BEETLES IN TURN HAVE KILLED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF THE PINE TREES IN THIS REGION, AND LOCALS FEAR AN UNCONTROLLABLE FOREST FIRE. THE WOOD, LUCKILY, IS STILL USABLE AND HAS BEEN FREED OF ALL INFESTATION! CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE TO LEARN MORE. A GREAT SUPPLIER OF THE PRODUCT, SUSTAINABLE LUMBER CO. OUT OF COLORADO WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO OUTFIT YOUR NEEDS IF YOU SAY, WOULD LOVE A BLUE BEETLE KILL PINE WALL OR FLOOR IN YOUR HOME.  photo: a. tesa architecture THE OTHER SPECIES MAPLE, OAK, HICKORY, AND BLACK WALNUT ARE ALSO A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES, IN ORDER OF LOWEST TO HIGHEST PRICE. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO YOUR RESEARCH...WOOD SPECIES ARE RATED ON THE JANKA HARDNESS SCALE, FROM STRONGEST TO WEAKEST. THE HIGHER THE RATING, THE MORE DURABLE YOUR FLOOR WILL BE TO DAILY LIFE.
photos: granite pro inc (left), wood flooring engineered (right) BLACK WALNUT BLACK WALNUT IS GORGEOUS, AND HAS INCREDIBLE GRAIN CHARACTERISTICS - BUT IT IS PRICEY. IT IS A DARK WOOD WITH A DEFINITE "LOOK" TO IT THAT YOU MUST BE COMFORTABLE WITH IN ORDER TO INSTALL IT THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE HOME. IT HAS A NATURAL RESISTANCE TO INSECTS AND DECAY, HOWEVER THE SPECIES IS DWINDLING SO PRICE WILL BE HIGH.  photo: a. tesa architecture HICKORY HERE WE HAVE A SPECIES THAT RATES THE HIGHEST AMONG OUR FAVORITES IN HARDNESS, IT IS 1820 ON THE JANKA SCALE - ABOVE MAPLE (1450), AND WHITE OAK (1360). ITS GRAIN IS KNOWN TO VARY GREATLY, AND BOARDS NEXT TO EACH OTHER CAN CREATE A STRIKING CONTRAST FROM LIGHT TO DARK TONES. IT IS UNIQUE FOR SURE, AND THE PRICE IS NOT CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN WHITE OAK. IF YOU'RE UNIQUE...GO FOR IT.  photo: paul johnson carpentry  photo: tracy topham interior design MAPLE MAPLE IS A LOCAL (NEW ENGLAND) LOVE, AND HAS ROOTS (HEHE) TO OUR REGION. IF THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, MAPLE IS FOR YOU. IT HAS A SIMILARITY TO OAK WITH A WIDE RANGE IN COLOR TONES AVAILABLE. MAPLE HOWEVER, LIKE THE NEW ENGLAND WEATHER, IS UNPREDICTABLE. IT CAN HAVE A VARIED GRAIN STRUCTURE MEANING STAINS/WEATHERING MAY NOT DEVELOP EVENLY OVER TIME. THE WOOD ALSO HAS A YELLOWISH TINGE TO IT, SO DEPENDING ON THE STAIN YOU CHOOSE, YOUR FLOOR COULD SAY "I'M YELLOW" AND HAUNT YOU DOWN THE ROAD.    photos: a. tesa architecture WHITE OAK
WHITE OAK IS POPULAR, AND NOT FOR ANY OLD REASON. ITS STABLE - MAKING IT AN EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR HUMID CLIMATES (OCEAN FRONT) OR FLUCTUATING CLIMATES (NEW ENGLAND'S FREEZING WINTERS & HOT SUMMERS). IT REACTS VERY WELL TO STAIN, AND IF LEFT NATURAL WITH JUST A PROTECTIVE POLY COAT - IT WILL AGE BEAUTIFULLY WITHOUT TURNING YELLOW (COUGH, MAPLE). IT IS AFFORDABLE, AND STILL HARD ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND DAILY WEAR AND TEAR. NOT TO MENTION IT COMES IN ANY WIDTH IMAGINABLE (UP TO ABOUT 15") AND THE GRAIN CAN VARY FROM MINIMAL, TO "INTENSE" WE'LL SAY - IF THAT'S WHAT YOUR INTO. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE??
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Whether your style is refined traditional or bold contemporary, take a peak at a few of our favorite kitchens. In designing a new home, the floor plan is often dictated by how our homeowners utilize their kitchen. The name of the game is always maximizing the views while incorporating as much cabinet space as possible. Let us know which ones are your favorites!              A dated turn of the century home in downtown Newport has been gifted with handy new owners, transforming it into a haven from city life with modern finishes and an incredible open floor plan. Previously, the entry was dark with thick red wall to wall carpet, dated floral wallpaper and small sectioned off rooms. The kitchen was entirely cut off from the rest of the living space, with a small side entrance to the backyard. The new owners took advantage of the backyard in this downtown lot and removed two full walls from the kitchen to create an enormous chef's kitchen flooded with natural light. BEFORE   Eager to keep any original history of the house that was salvageable, the homeowners discovered original fir hardwood flooring beneath this linoleum and salvaged a good majority of it. The main living spaces (think old red carpet) are now refinished original fir flooring. The beach vibes are emanating from the new color palette of this home!  An awkward vanity in this guest bath on the second floor was fixed with a shift of the door frame and utilization of the adjacent unused sitting area of the previous master bedroom.  If you are a lover of unique historical character, do not fear! The homeowners discovered original ship-lap under this bold pink wallpaper and have kept it to integrate some character into the new space. A fresh coat of white paint and the room has been transformed into a bright and sunny guest bedroom. AFTER A new master bath was added to the rear of the house, with a unique take on a privacy wall. To take advantage of the natural light in the space, the glass partitions allow light to flood into the shower, while providing privacy from the backyard.  This kitchen is certainly the focal point of the home. An enormous kitchen island has given the owner's a place to cook, and entertain simultaneously. The entire back wall was previously cabinets, sink, and counter tops which have been swapped for a window wall that slides entirely open. In the warmer months, this space becomes one with the backyard and deck area. The island base is covered in reclaimed ship-lap from the original walls that were removed.    A window wall that slides entirely open to the backyard!  Reclaimed ship-lap from the walls that were removed adds character to the space and utilizes some original pieces of the house! A peak of the refinished original fir hardwood flooring in the background leaves us excited for the finished product of this downtown reno!
Often times when designing a home, we find ourselves switching up the finishes and color palette to truly bring out each architectural detail. Selecting these finishes with thought as to how they will all tie together is very important. There is no reason a house should not be unique in window trim or siding color. It stands out amongst its neighbors all the more! If done right, unique combinations can make a bold statement. So much thought and consideration goes into customizing your home around your life and dreams, wouldn't you want the exterior to reflect the unique aspects of your life lived in it? See how the home below catches the light on the natural cedar shingled roof? The colors will age with time and create a gradual pattern of the path of the sun. Flare to the eyebrow creates a look of a blanket covering the window, increasing the beauty of the fine craftsmanship involved in installing such a feature.  Here we have details finely crafted into the soffits and porch ceilings. Dark mahogany wood contrast with a light grey shingle stain, and white support brackets. The edge of a natural cedar shingled roof compliments the dark wood underneath its overhangs.  Here, we've brought you inside to a space where color is often seen on the walls, or in tile back splash. The designer and homeowners reversed the ever growing trend of a white kitchen with bold nautical blue cabinetry. White accents and a glass subway tile back splash coupled with bright white painted moldings and ceiling details balance the bold color. Its all about the balance!  A red cedar shingle below is sharply contrasted with emerald green window trim, door color and soffit color. Talk about a bold decision with emerald green windows! This warm and cool combination is a classic gateway to a timeless look for the exterior.  You know what is tricky to do? Adding curves to an already vaulted ceiling. With the help of fine craftsman, we are able to specify things such as wood for the ceiling. The finish of the wood reflects the natural light beautifully and no need for paint or bold furniture to add an element of design. The ceiling is enough!  Just one more photo, we had to share!  |
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