New Home Construction in East Thetford.

“"My wife and I had pursued several options as we developed a plan for our home. In many cases we were frustrated with the input we were receiving, so we began looking at timber frame plans because of their openness and creativity. It seemed that an architect familiar with timber framing had a special eye for the type of features we were looking for in our home. We contacted them and we were pleasantly surprised when they informed us that they were happy to assist in designing a home that accommodated our needs. We were frustrated because we had general design ideas but couldn't put it all together and needed the creativity of an architect. Bonin Architects did a wonderful job in working with the best of our ideas. They assisted us with difficult site issues and we are now able to go forward with the construction of the home confident the home is filled with our ideas and their expertise.””

“Nancy Leary did a beautiful redesign on my 1850's VT farmhouse. She seamlessly incorporated all my needs, in a fashion that was respectful of the original character of the house, but which also managed to incorporate all the conveniences of the 21st century. The project included: restoration of original front porch, design and installation of a new, modern kitchen, total LR redesign including: creation of stove fireplace and appropriate flanking built-in bookcases, design and installation of new windows and exterior door in LR, relocation of front door, and realignment of beams under original pine plank flooring to eliminate serious buckling and slant. Besides doing a basic basement rehab, a including a new concrete floor, new windows and insulation, upstairs Nancy also did a new insulation of many exterior walls, and in the master bedroom, the installation of new gas fireplace and incorporation of old mantel . Her attentiveness, humor and care throughout the project made her a pleasure to work with. I recommend her highly.”

“Elizabeth Herrmann's attention to the soul of her work and the spirit of the homeowner is a strength she possesses effortlessly. Add to that her eye for beautiful, efficient, unique detail and expert knowledge. Elizabeth is extremely pleasant to work with, as well.”

“When adding a new addition to our traditional farmhouse, MaryBeth did an excellent job addressing our concerns of keeping the historical aesthetic . Easy to work with, creative and professional, we'd definitely recommend her to others who are looking to add onto an existing home and wondering how they can remodel and not lose the "feel" of their original house.”

“Sonya Misiaszek came highly recommended to us by friends who were satisfied clients. It was very important to us that we had an experienced architect who would complete the job in a timely manner, would listen to our needs and wishes, had a good working relationship with the general contractor and his subs, and who was sensitive to the pristine wooded lakeside setting in which our 5,000+ sq ft home was to be constructed. We lived several states away from the project and were very pleased with Sonya's management of the design and construction and with her help in making decisions from afar. Sonya incorporated all of our unconventional ideas that made this house unique and dearly loved by our family. She included secret spaces for each of our children, two screened in sleeping porches with panoramic lake views, a loft on the second story looking over the kitchen, two stone fireplaces, a large walkout basement with ample storage space and a large boat room. She helped us select natural finishes that gave the house the interior "golden glow" for which we were hoping. We also specifically asked for the house to have a "camp like" feel, and Sonya's familiarity with New Hampshire inspired her to add camp sinks in the kids' rooms, painted floors and horizontal pine paneling (some distressed) and ceilings throughout, and stained rustic skirl siding on the exterior. This house is solid, and there is nowhere that we feel safer. It is very cozy, virtually pest proof, and it not only fits into its natural surroundings but also feels like a true reflection of us. The property came with a number of building restrictions and environmental protection issues. Sonya's patience and persistence kept the project moving, and it was completed in less than 14 months. Our expectations were exceeded.”

“I renovated my 1905 home in downtown Hanover, NH in 2009. The renovations included new bathrooms, but the challenging changes--and the ones most important to me--were the ones that transformed my kitchen and the adjoining dining area. I hired Haynes and Garthwaite to plan the project, do the drawings, and supervise the work. I worked closely with Andrew Garthwaite. I was, and remain, so pleased with what was done and how it was done that I am hoping to persuade Andrew to do the designs for my condominium in Cambridge, MA. The Hanover renovations achieved what I wanted them to achieve, stayed within the limits of the budget Andrew and I had established, and were more exciting than stressful to live through. Before the work, the first floor of the house was relatively dark. The spaces were cramped and impractical for whatever activity they were supposedly destined (cooking, entertaining...). The kitchen was an awkward L-shaped thing with dreadful cabinets, appliances in illogical places, and basement stairs in an unfortunate spot. The dining room was too small to accommodate even eight people comfortably. I showed Andrew the open-floor layout of a recently-built condo and basically said: reproduce this effect in my house--without destroying the character of the house. Amazingly, that was exactly what he did. A useless outdoor porch became part of my new dining room/kitchen. The basement stairs were moved to an outside wall, where they were out of the way (and also easily accessible, through a new outside door, to plumbers and electricians and other people with muddy boots). Lovely, well-designed cherry cabinets and drawers complemented grey-black granite counters. An island separates the kitchen from the dining area, where I recently fed ten people comfortably. New windows mean that the entire kitchen-dining space catches first the morning and then the afternoon sun; recessed lighting and attractive hanging lamps take over after sunset. I have two armchairs, a coffee table, and a large Bijar rug between the dinner table and the kitchen island. Even though the house has two studies, I now tend to work sitting in one of the chairs in the dining area, simply because the aesthetics of the space are so pleasing. Three old bathrooms--each with its own set of problems--are now thoroughly updated. Everything works, and the bathrooms look attractive. In the bedrooms, closets and built-ins have enhanced storage space without making the house look like a victim of identity theft. Thanks to Andrew's skills and dedication, we started with excellent and precise plans. But Andrew was constantly available during the project, watching for unanticipated possibilities as well as problems. The results were really terrific. I recommend Andrew and his firm without reservation to anyone embarking on a renovation project.”

“Don Bladja and his team at Koal PLLC have provided remarkably professional and creative work product for our home development efforts. It has been a joy to see our vision unfold with Don as he deftly works with our builder, his structural engineering partner, our cabinet maker, and others on our complex project. He has taken a very rough plan, started by another architectural firm with which we were unsatisfied, mixed in quite a number of unique and complicated requests from us along with forbidding site restrictions and has turned it into a detailed set of drawings that has "wowed" all with whom we have shared. Our builder and his tradesmen have easily implemented our shared vision straight from Don's plans. Many of our complicated requests, including a float room, sauna, elevator, and golf simulator/theater/business conference room combination (to name just a few) started as simple ideas scribbled on a napkin. With Don's expertise and experience, he quickly showed us many alternatives; turning our crazy simple sketches into detailed plans that worked within our uniquely challenging house footprint. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Don and his team. We only wish there were more than 5 stars to rate Koal PLLC, so you would more fully understand how impressed we have been!”

“Jen Lane provided both creative and practical advice for our remodeling project --(addition/garage). Jen was respectful of our ideas, and tailored her designs to meet our requirements. I was impressed with Jen's ability to meet deadlines and stay on budget. Jen was also a good source of information on local contractors. I have already recommended Jen's work, and will continue to do so.”

“I love the addition Alan designed! He changed a small catalogue plan cape into a unique and beautiful home. His integration of the addition with the pre-existing building was brilliant. Alan thoughtfully attended to all issues that came up during the construction process, from managing landscape changes to resolving the smallest details. All this while respecting my budget! I never expected that the renovation and addition process would be so much fun.”

“In 2012, after talking with several different architects, I selected Karyn Scherer to design my new home. I ended up not only with a lovely, comfortable and well-functioning house, but also a wonderful new friendship. I knew exactly what I wanted…sunlight, air, flow of spaces, cozy but spacious, low maintenance… Karyn listened and understood my ideas and goals. Together, we began the process of designing and building my house. Working with Karyn was easy and pleasant. While discussing all the many decisions and choices to be made, Karyn could explain to me in ways I really understood, what was involved; why we could NOT do A, if I absolutely wanted B and C. Or, she could come up with a different way, perhaps less complicated or less expensive to achieve whatever the particular goal was. Designing and building a new home is most certainly a complicated PROCESS, and I think it’s extremely important that the architect and the home owner maintain a good working relationship throughout. There are always some unexpected surprises and I found that Karyn was able to problem solve creatively any time that happened. Respect, trust, and good communication were the important pieces in our working relationship. It certainly paid off…I really love my house and I consider Karyn a good friend !”