Design Principles
Maximize small spaces and small budgets.
While different people have different concepts of what a “small space” is, my goal would always be to encourage you to live within the smallest footprint that is feasible for your household. Sometimes you need an addition, but sometimes you just need some minor changes to your existing floor plan.
Additions or renovations to your home should be comfortably within your budget. While it is easy for project costs to spiral out of control, I can help you to develop a budget that is realistic before you begin construction. One aspect of my experience is developing affordable housing, so I have experience creating beautiful spaces with limited funds, and I can advise you on how to get the most “bang for your buck”.
Build green and smart for the future.
Many of the major green building concepts are not necessarily expensive and can be easily accomplished within a modest budget. One important tenet of green design is to carefully consider the future in all design decisions. Designs that maximize flexibility or are planned with future modifications in mind can adapt well to change over time. Priorities for the design would include increasing energy and water efficiency, and selecting materials for construction that are non-toxic and durable. An efficient, climatically-responsive house will be more comfortable and less expensive to operate.
Design holistically for your lifestyle.
To be most efficient with my design, it is helpful to understand as thoroughly as possible how you live in your house, and how you envision that changing with the addition or remodel. Too often we can rush to a solution (i.e. “we need to add a bedroom here”) before really verbalizing what the design problem is (i.e. “we want to accommodate out-of-town guests and have extra space for our kids to play”). Sometimes there is a better solution if we work together to evaluate your needs clearly.
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