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Week 27, 28…I’ve officially lost track. We’ve been focusing on the kitchen, but we’re keeping that under wraps until it gets closer to being done. And this past weekend, we installed the cork! We are exhausted and sore, but excited with how it turned out – a rich blanket of chocolate-brown that, without the finish, […]
A couple weekends ago, Kyle and I stopped in to Velocity Art & Design, to re-evaluate the Modernica Case Study Daybed (we finally decided it wasn’t big enough, but maybe we could put one in the loft…someday). Anyhow, it just so happened that Amy Ruppel had a showing there that was just about to end. We purchased the […]
Last June, Kyle forwarded me an e-mail about a “designer’s favorite spaces” contest hosted by local shelter mag, Seattle Homes & Lifestyles. On a whim, we decided to enter in the bathroom category and lo and behold we won! The article is in the October issue and you can read it online here. Big thanks to our friend […]
Ok, maybe I won’t give up the weekly progress reports just yet. I think our to-do list is still random enough. 1. Backtracking a bit – here’s the recap on our lyptus butcherblock: Our lyptus came as a 25″x144″ piece. We discovered that biscuiting together two pieces would be significantly cheaper than buying one slab. Not wanting […]
We went to bed after 1:00 last night but things are coming together! Here are a few quick photos…have a great week! Hang in there, Bailey. We’re almost there.
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.