Journal

Design insights, written by the architect.

Practical, no-jargon guidance on renovations, custom homes, sustainability, and getting the most from working with an architect — from the drafting desk of Eric Davenport, AIA, NCARB.

Why Fall Is the Smartest Time to Start Your Home Renovation

The best time to begin a renovation is not spring — it is now. Starting the design in fall puts you through permitting over the quiet winter months and into construction by spring, ahead of the crowd. Here is how the renovation calendar really works.

September 17, 2026 · Eric Davenport

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September 10, 2026

Renovating a Historic or Prewar Home Without Losing Its Character

The best renovations of old houses look like nothing happened — and like everything works. Here is how an architect updates a brownstone, a prewar apartment, or a century-old Colonial for modern life while protecting the character that made you fall for it.

September 3, 2026

Kitchen Design That Works: An Architect's Guide to Renovating the Heart of the Home

A great kitchen is designed around how you actually cook, gather, and live — not around a showroom layout. Here is how an architect approaches a kitchen renovation, from the working triangle and lighting to the walls worth moving.

August 27, 2026

How Much Does a Home Renovation Cost in NY & NJ? A 2026 Budget Guide

Renovation budgets fail for predictable reasons — and succeed for predictable ones. Here is an honest breakdown of what kitchens, baths, additions, and whole-home renovations cost across the New York metro in 2026, plus where the money actually goes.

August 20, 2026

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in New York: Costs, Rules, and Smart Design

An ADU can add rental income, house aging parents, or give your family room to grow — all on land you already own. Here is what a backyard cottage, garage conversion, or basement apartment actually costs in New York, what the rules allow, and how to design one worth building.

August 6, 2026

How Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home in New York?

From first sketch to move-in day, a custom home in the New York region typically takes 18 to 30 months. Here is an honest, phase-by-phase timeline — and the three things that most often add months you didn't plan for.

August 5, 2026

Waterfront Home Design: What to Know Before You Build on the Water

A waterfront home is the most rewarding site an architect can be handed — and the most demanding. From flood elevations and setbacks to orientation and glass, here is how to design a house that earns its view on the Hudson, Lake George, or Long Island Sound.

July 1, 2026

Art Deco Architecture: Everything You Need to Know

Setbacks, sunbursts, Vitrolite, and the Chrysler Building's crown — Art Deco remains America's most optimistic architectural style. Here is its history, its vocabulary, and how architects renovate and reference it today.

June 25, 2026

Critical Questions to Ask an Architect Before You Hire One

The interview is your best risk-management tool. These are the questions experienced clients ask architects — and the answers that separate the right firm from an expensive mistake.

June 18, 2026

Induction vs. Gas: What New York Homeowners Should Know Before Their Next Kitchen Renovation

Induction cooking is faster, safer, and dramatically better for indoor air quality — and New York's building codes are moving in its direction. Here is how architects think about the induction versus gas decision in a kitchen renovation.

May 27, 2026

Aging in Place by Design: Nine Upgrades That Keep Your Home Yours for Decades

The best accessible design is invisible. These nine universal-design upgrades — from curbless showers to future-ready blocking — let you stay in the home you love without it ever looking institutional.

April 30, 2026

Urban Landscape Design: Making the Most of Small New York Outdoor Spaces

A 300-square-foot backyard, a townhouse roof, a Juliet balcony — small urban outdoor spaces punch far above their weight when they are designed with the same rigor as the rooms inside.

March 25, 2026

How Much Does an Architect Cost in New York? A Transparent Guide

Architect fees in the New York metro typically run 8 to 15 percent of construction cost — but what you get for that fee, and what it saves you, is the part most guides skip. Here is the honest math.

February 19, 2026

Net-Zero Ready: The Envelope-First Approach to Sustainable Home Design

Before solar panels, before heat pumps, before any technology at all — the path to a net-zero home runs through insulation, air-sealing, and windows. Here is the envelope-first logic we apply to every project.

January 22, 2026

Home Addition or New Build? How to Decide When Your House No Longer Fits

When a growing family outgrows its house, the instinct is to move or build new. Often the smartest answer is neither. Here is the framework we use to help clients decide between adding on, gut-renovating, and starting over.

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