Award-Winning Cottage Featured in Cabin Life

Check out the latest issue of Cabin Life magazine!

Bonin Architects’ award-winning lakeside cottage is the cover story of the May 2012 issue.  The article titled “Mini Retreat, Maximum Fun” describes how our remodeled cottage reuses as much of the original material as possible, makes the most out of  layout and storage, and creates an ultra-fun spot for entertaining guests on beautiful Pleasant Lake in New London, NH.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

The beach cabin was in good shape for its age, but dark and rough inside. The goal was to maximize space, natural light and lake vistas. “We had very specific things we wanted to do,” says Sheri, a former property manager whose experience with architects, landscapers, and tradesmen came in handy during the project. “That’s the fun of having a cabin – you fix it up and make it your own.”

She found inspiration in books and magazines – Cabin Life included – on cabin design and lakefront living. The Webers brought the stack to architect Jeremy Bonin, AIA, of New London, N.H., who distilled common themes from pages of images. On the wish list: a cathedral ceiling, French doors, lots of glass, and a screened back porch facing the lake.

Lots of open storage was another must. Builder Jay Tucker of Old Hampshire Designs in New London was called in to do the revamping. Old Hampshire sanded floors, opened the ceiling, and created built-in nooks and cubbies. “It’s still all exposed wood inside, like a beach house,” says Tucker. “We upgraded it, painted it, made it a pretty little living space.”

“We tried to use as much of the original materials as possible,” notes Bonin. “We turned casement windows on their sides, reframed and regrouped others.” Bonin also guided the couple through a maze of required permits, as the cabin is just 50 feet from the water.

For more information on this great cottage, see our website at http://www.boninarchitects.com/en/selected-projects/selected-projects/83-portfolio/selected-projects/119-le-petite-pointe-cottage.html

Timber Home Living Drawing Board: Bonus Points

Looking to add a guest bedroom or bonus room over a timber frame garage?  If so, you won’t want to miss the article in the current issue of Timber Home Living magazine, “Bonus Points”!  

Architect Jeremy Bonin gives tips for handing ceiling height and headroom issues, heating and cooling issues, and accessibility issues specific to second floor access.

Read an excerpt of the Timber Home Living article on the Press page of our website.

Timber Home Living article

Check out one of our newly built timber homes in the latest issue of Timber Home Living (October 2011).  

Afraid you won’t be able to the features you want in your timber home?  In the Pro Pointers article titled “Design Details”, New London, NH Architect Jeremy Bonin describes design elements that work well in timber frame houses.  

Bonin gives trends and pointers for incorporating these into your home design:

Wine cellars

Open floor plans

Lofts

Clean line

Timber frame homes are very similar to conventional homes as far as the systems and features that can be integrated into the design.

Looking for a timber frame architect?  Call Bonin Architects or stop by our office on Main Street in New London today!

Building, Remodel & Decorate: Trend Watch – Image Magazine

The Spring 2011 issue of Image Magazine, distributed to homeowners in 46 towns along the CT River Valley in New Hampshire and Vermont, features a unique section called Trend Watch, a homeowner’s guide to building, remodeling, and decorating. In this regard, we see the same trends in conventional homes as we do in timber homes.

When asked about current home design and building trends, NH Architect Jeremy Bonin pointed to home size.  “Smaller is definitely a trend,” said Bonin, Principal Architect of Bonin Architect & Associates in New London. “The size of the custom house is coming down.  We’re seeing fewer rooms and more multi-use spaces.  Instead of two separate rooms with several hundred square feet each, these are combined into one slightly larger room.”

Another trend, says Bonin, is maximizing outdoor space.  “We design many lakefront homes in the Sunapee region.  These homes have a lot of interaction of the indoor living space and the exterior landscape or lake side of the home with views and outdoor activities.”

Energy efficiency is another front-runner in design and building trends.  Bonin, a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional), uses his training in sustainable design in each and every project.  “For energy efficiency and sustainability, we use guidelines from LEED and Energy Star,” adds Bonin.  “The building envelopes are well-insulated, we specify durable low-maintenance materials, high-quality windows and doors, and homes are sited to take advantage of passive solar as well as views.”

Other building and remodeling trends Bonin notes:

• Open kitchen, dining, and living areas
• First floor Master Suites and one story living
• Incorporating three-season porches with energy efficient windows to use year-round

Jeremy Bonin has contributed to many publications.  Click the link to read some of his articles on green building.

Construction Digital Considers Future of Green Building

Construction Digital, an online magazine, spoke with experts from McCarthy Building Companies, GreenStreet and Bonin Architects and Associates to discover the latest trends in green building, the factors driving sustainability and the effect that green building has on the overall construction industry.

“Virtually all of our clients are interested in incorporating green building systems and materials into their project, however they can be translated into their project to fit their site and budget,” said Jeremy Bonin, Principal Partner and Lead Architect at Bonin Architects and Associates.

Read the full article here:

The Leaders Shaping the Expansion of Green Building

Bonin Architects Featured in Luxury Home Quarterly

The September / October issue of Luxury Home Quarterly features a vacation home design by Bonin Architects & Associates of New London, NH. The home featured in the article is located in the South Peak Resort Development, Lincoln, NH and is a timber home that also won a National Dream Home Award.

Luxury Home Quarterly calls the home “a marriage of beauty and efficiency” found in the “form in the design of New England Homes”.  The home design features five bedrooms and 3 ½ baths within a timber frame structure.

View a slideshow of this award winning home.

SIP Panel Industry Grows Market Share Despite Retreating Housing Market

Note:  This is good news from the Structural Insulated Panel industry!  If you are looking for architects experienced in SIP panels, contact us about your project!

Industry survey reveals gains in residential market share helped producers dodge full force of construction downturn



July 1, 2010 – Despite four years of declining U.S. housing starts, the structural insulated panel (SIP) industry has avoided the full force of the economic recession, according to a recent survey conducted by the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). Results indicate that the industry experienced a 12 percent decrease in residential production volume in 2009, compared to a 28 percent drop in U.S. single family housing starts over the same time period.


2009 is the fifth consecutive year the industry has gained share in the residential market. It is now estimated that the panelized building system accounts for between one and two percent of U.S. single family home starts. SIPA Executive Director Bill Wachtler attributes much of the industry’s growth to the increasing popularity of green and energy-efficient homes. SIPs are composed of insulating foam sandwiched between two structural facings, creating an effective thermal barrier that can save homeowners up to 50 percent on heating and cooling costs.


“The rising cost of energy and concern over global climate change has really pushed green building into the mainstream,” said Wachtler. “SIPs give architects and builders an easy way to create an airtight building envelope that will improve the energy efficiency and durability of any home or light commercial building.”


Of the total 42 million square feet of SIPs produced in North America in 2009, 43 percent went to residential buildings, 32 percent to non-residential buildings, and the remaining 24 percent were used for non-building purposes, such as industrial coolers. An estimated 1,300 commercial buildings were constructed with SIPs in 2009, including schools, retail stores and agricultural buildings. Non-residential production declined 19 percent from the previous year.


“Like all industries we are affected by the recession and the drop in new construction,” said Wachtler. “But the strong market share gains we’ve experienced in the residential market indicate that the SIP industry is likely to see a significant boost in production as the economy recovers.”


Several different combinations of materials are used to construct SIPs, but the basic concept remains the same. The most popular facing materials are oriented strand board (OSB) and metal. Plywood and other materials such as fiber cement board accounted for only 6 percent of SIPs used in building applications.


The survey also polled SIP manufacturers regarding their geographic distribution. The top ranking regions for SIP use were the Mountain, East North Central (upper Midwest), and Pacific regions.


About SIPA
The Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) is a non-profit association representing manufacturers, suppliers, dealer/distributors, design professionals, and builders committed to providing quality structural insulated panels for all segments of the construction industry.


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Timber Home Living “Designing the Perfect Smaller Kitchen”

If you haven’t seen the latest issue of Timber Home Living magazine Special Kitchen & Bath Issue (June 2010), be sure to pick up a copy at your local Border’s!

The article, “Living Little” by Janice Brewster, focuses on how to have an efficient kitchen that won’t break the budget. It’s true, when you are planning to build a new timber home, kitchens and bathrooms can be the most expensive rooms in the house.


If your wants exceed your budget needs, your kitchen may end up smaller than you had originally planned. No worries - you can still have a terrific kitchen! Brewster interviewed Architect Jeremy Bonin on tips for kitchen placement, maximizing storage space, and flooring options.

Are you building a timber home and need help getting everything you want in your kitchen? Let Bonin Architects help!

Home Renovations: Hire an Architect

If you are undertaking a home renovation project, which could include renovating, remodeling, or a complete tear down, consider using an architect, even if you are a do-it-yourselfer. Why?

Here is Popular Mechanics' article “5 Reasons Architects Are Worth the Money to Redo Your Home” by Joseph Truini:

"If you're like most homeowners, you probably dream of one day completing a major home-remodeling project. And I'm not talking about retiling a tub here. This is the once-in-a-lifetime renovation—the kind that dramatically changes how you live, energizes the entire household, and makes all the neighbors really jealous. Perhaps your dream is to build a two-story addition with a family room below and a master bedroom and bath above. Or maybe you've always wanted to expand the kitchen and install French doors leading to a wraparound deck. Regardless of what your dream entails, all major remodeling projects can benefit from the expert design help of an experienced, licensed architect. I know what you're thinking: Architects are way too expensive and only necessary when building multimillion-dollar homes—and last week's economic roller coaster isn't helping any. The truth is, architects are well worth the extra cost on large remodeling jobs because with thoughtful evaluation and design, they can meet—and often exceed—your expectations. In fact, depending on the size or complexity of the remodeling, calling in an architect might be the only way to get the project off the ground, and to ensure your dream comes true. Here's why you consider taking the plunge if you're gung ho about a large-scale redux on the house.

1. To See the Big Picture
An architect has the training and skill to produce a detailed design based on your particular needs and desires—a design that's sensitive to the architecture of your existing home, and scaled to the proper proportions. However, what truly makes an architect valuable is the ability to develop and refine a vision of the completed project that you can see and understand. And architects are experts at seeing not only the big picture, but also the hundreds of tiny steps between concept and completion."

Read more: Popular Mechanics

Television Interview with NH Architect Jeremy Bonin

Kearsarge Valley Magazine recently interviewed Jeremy Bonin about our architectural services for timber homes. Watch the interview here:




For more information on Bonin Architects, including our architectural fees, please visit our website! We'd love to hear about your plans to build an energy efficient timber home!

Why Should You Hire an Architect?

We’ve all done it…browsed through the section of standard floor plans in a magazine, critiquing each one against our family’s wants and needs in a home. There are literally thousands out there, some free, some for sale. The problem is that finding the perfect plan for you is like finding a needle in a haystack. If and when you do find a great plan, you have a host of other considerations to make before purchasing it including your site, local and state building code requirements, and the energy efficient materials and systems you want to include in your home.

The Log Home Directory asked Green Architect, Jeremy Bonin, for his insight on how an architect helps you incorporate all of your requirements into a green home, as well as help you with such things as site analysis, environmental studies (including wetland and shore lands), and bid negotiation – well beyond what a standard floor plan in a book can provide.

Read Jeremy’s article posted on the Log Home Directory’s website. For more information or to talk to Jeremy about your plans to build a green home and how to get started, call or email us!

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC

Timber Frame Architect Jeremy Bonin Discusses Long-Term Benefits to Building a Green Home

The September 2008 Special Green Issue of Timber Homes Illustrated features an interview with Green Architect Jeremy Bonin on energy efficient home design, sustainability, and his specialty in timber frame design.

Writer Peter Lobred asks Jeremy, a LEED accredited architect and the author of the timber frame book, “TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home” pointed questions about building a timber frame home and incorporating sustainable design. After explaining some of the catch phrases in the green building industry, Jeremy answers questions such as “What are some basic considerations – or the most crucial elements – that consumers / architects can incorporate into their plans for sustainable design?” and “Does there seem to be a natural fit between timber frame homes and green considerations?”

Asked about the cost versus benefits of energy efficient home design and sustainable options, Jeremy reminds homeowners that the simplest solutions are not only the most cost effective they usually provide the largest return on investment. For example, designing the home for passive solar heating and daylighting adds no cost to the home and offers huge savings; using an energy-efficient insulation system such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) and only designing as much house as you need means lower energy bills for years to come.

If you’re building a green home with timber frame, post and beam, structural insulated panels, or any other energy efficient building system, energy efficient home design starts with site selection and site design. Jeremy suggests consulting with an architect in the earliest possible stage, even prior to purchasing your land, to discuss your ideas and green strategies you want to incorporate.

Read the entire article, Simply Green.

Jackie Lampiasi, Marketing Director
Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC