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Apparently, the barstool dilemma was just a prelude to the dining chair dilemma. We thought we had this one figured out long ago, but no such luck. Yes, just like 90% of you reading this, we wanted Eames side chairs. Even though I love the new colors that Herman Miller introduced this year, I just don’t […]
So here’s the great thing about house bloggers – even though I sometimes feel alone in my obsession with the details of domesticity, I take comfort knowing there are others out there who share my weirdness. And that’s why I think it’s ok to devote an entire post to waste receptacles. You see, I have been longing for […]
First off, a big thanks to everyone for weighing in on our barstool discussion last week! We were ready to pull the trigger and place our order (the blue leather was our secret favorite), when we realized we hadn’t double checked to make sure the darn thing would fit. I know, seriously. The problem is, this […]
[warning: long post alert] New flooring, finally! First though, to truly appreciate the “after”, let’s reflect on the chezerbey flooring of yore. The living and dining room were graced with green carpet. Fortunately, there were decent oak floors underneath. The kitchen had linoleum from an unidentifiable era. It may look retro cool, but any natural […]
One of the things that our friends ask us the most is, “how do you agree on things?”. Over the last few years, we’ve learned that it’s best to divide up tasks based on personal strengths and interests. But when it comes to the design process, we’re equally involved. Fortunately, we both have a similar design aesthetic […]
An architect is a qualified professional that not only designs your home or remodel but acts as your advocate throughout the entire process. A good architect will listen, they’ll be honest about how much things cost and how long things take and they’ll use their years of expertise to navigate an onerous permitting process, help vet potential contractors and be there for you during construction. If you don’t have an architect, that work is either done by you or the builder and compromises and sacrifices will inevitably happen.
This depends largely on the size and scope of the project and where you’re located. In some jurisdictions it’s easy and straightforward to get a permit, in others it can take 6 months to a year or longer. We usually advise clients to budget 3 -6 months for design for smaller projects and 12 months for larger projects. Permitting timelines can extend those estimates. Construction can take 4-6 months for small remodels or 16-18 months for custom homes.
Absolutely! We love to see what clients like (or don’t like!) and we’re used to gleaning the important info from all sorts of media – photos, sketches, diagrams – we’ve seen it all!
Maybe – this really depends on the housing market and how much time you have before you make an offer. It also depends on the property itself. If you’re looking at a house with a steep slope, we may advise that a geotechnical and structural engineer make their own evaluation. This can add more time based on people’s ability. We can usually make some basic recommendations based on our knowledge of the local codes, but it’s not a replacement for a more thorough feasibility study. If possible, we usually recommend that people make an offer contingent on a more thorough analysis. What we don’t want to do is give you a rosier outlook only to find that there were some unexpected issues with the property.
Depending on the scope of the project, phasing can be a practical approach. However, we usually advise that homeowners do everything in one phase if possible – this not only takes less time but simplifies the permitting process and is a more appealing process to contractors. When you phase a project, you have repeat mobilization costs that create a more expensive project in the end than doing it all at once. We’re happy to talk through phasing options though as each project is unique and sometimes it does make sense.
Yes! For us, interior design is an integral part of our process. We enjoy working with homeowners to think about their homes holistically and have extensive experience in all aspects of the design process.
In our experience, successful projects have homeowners that are engaged but trust us and the process. They ask questions and are clear communicators. They make timely decisions and speak up if something doesn’t feel right. They’re transparent about budget and schedule constraints so there aren’t missed expectations.
Say hello. Tell us about your project.