Time for an interior update #renovation

When these clients contacted me they had just purchased her childhood home. The finishes, rooms, cabinets, views, and overall layout were rich with memories and traditions. They decided it was time for an interior update #renovation. So we went to work to update and reimagine the spaces while trying to preserve the historical emotional connections.

The structure of the building is in good shape, but the rooms are smaller than desired and the house has lots of small rooms. The ceilings heights for today’s typical home were low and the house feels dark.

So we worked on an economical way to adapt the spaces to bring in light and to raise the ceiling height. We removed various walls to open up the spaces and modernize the layout.

We are getting cloeser to finish materials each day.

Architectural Mentoring during a Pandemic

Each semester I usually have at least one student job shadow in the office from an area school. On occasion I have a college student job shadowing and even interning (paid) with us. For many of these students this is their first exposure to an architectural office. It is a chance to explore the profession and see how we do it (every office is different). The high school students that job shadow with us use it as a time to figure out their path in college. We have had some that were energized by the experience and some that used the time to confirm they wanted to go a different direction in college. This experience is exactly for that kind of soul searching. For a college student it is a time to find their passion and test some of their skills.

I first met Keeanna Moore at the MTC Annual Breakfast where she was being presented an award for being an awesome Interior Design student back in 2016. Since then we have met a few times to talk about career path, college options, and life. She is currently attending Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. One of the requirements of graduation from this Interior Design program is to intern in an office to get some “real world” experience. Unfortunately for Keeanna’s timing, this needed experience hit right when the Pandemic hit the US and architectural / interior design offices across the country shut down in-office operations, including ours. So when Keeanna reached out to us for an internship we had to get creative. She and I worked out a virtual meeting schedule, project, and some baseline goals for our time together. I want the students spending time with our office to design an experience that is beneficial to them. I ask each to think about their goals and how our time together can be most beneficial. Here is her recap of her time with our office.

During my two months in quarantine, I had the privilege of completing an internship with The Gaines Group Architects Firm of Harrisonburg, VA. After staying in contact with Charles Hendricks throughout my college career, I reached out to him for some help with completing my interior design degree. While the whole world shut down during a pandemic, some college students still had to find a way to complete needed internship credits to be able to graduate on time. Charles agreed to help in any way he could without hesitation. During my 8 weeks I was able to collaborate on a modern house renovation. He gave me floor plans and I went to work redesigning for my clients. Charles and I met weekly through Zoom for feedback and critiques. He constantly provided his knowledge when it came to the specific project we were working on, he always asked how he could help me, and he challenged me on my designs as any good designer or architect would. I learned so much more than I had hoped for. At the end I had beautiful renderings that I can add to my portfolio. While completing an internship during COVID-19 definitely came with its challenges, I am so thankful for this local business that was willing to help. After graduating in December I hope to land a job at a residential firm where I can design similar projects to the one I worked on with The Gaines Group. I am so incredibly thankful for Charles and his interior designer, for taking time out of their busy lives to help me on my project and for helping me complete a requirement for my degree. I truly could not have done it without them.

Taking time to mentor the next generation is a passion for me. I love seeing students find passion for design and realize how their work impacts others. This was time well spent for everyone involved.

Modern Home with a view

All of the homes we design are custom. That is more than just a new house, it is a design that is just right for our clients. We work to understand their patterns for living, how they want to live in the future, and how they currently live. This takes into account who cooks, sleeps late, host friends, reads, swims, plays, watches television, works from home, and more. We take time to hear the life you want to be able to live and design a home that will facilitate that lifestyle.

The style of the home is an important piece of the design process. What you like in colors, spatial configurations, ceiling heights, and aesthetics are all part of the conversation for design. However, the layout and function are the more important parts of a custom home. It is what sets your home apart from new homes. It is the process of creating a space for living the life you have dreamed of living. When we work through the process, the steps it takes to create a custom home, I know it is right when we are done drawing. The clients know once they move in and experience life in a home designed specific for them. That is why I love doing residential design. That is why I put so much of my emotion into our custom home designs.

This beautiful modern home is a great example of why design matters. Built by Herr and Company, this home is healthy, durable, energy-efficient, and timeless. It is not just because of the quality infused into the design and construction, but because design matters and we took the time to get it right on paper before construction ever started. This is why thoughtful design is so important – you get it right on paper before construction ever starts.

A special thanks to Elite Insulation, AAble Plumbing, and Excel HVAC for making sure this home is comfortable and energy-efficient! Having the systems right is just as important as getting the aesthetics right.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

Let me know what you think of the final result.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

At the front porch we wanted it to have clean lines, so we recessed the beam into the structure. This keeps a modern aesthetic at the entry.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

The views from the project site are simply amazing.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

When doing modern aesthetic, the attention to craftsmanship is highlighted because of the minimal trim details. I was thrilled with the execution of our design from Herr and Company.

The master bedroom suite will provide luxury accommodations right at home.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

This Closet is amazing!

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

The open floor plan and abundance of windows will make this gathering space a highlight for anyone visiting or living here.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

Working with partners like Gabby at Classic Kitchen and Bath is key to a successful project. Gabby does a tremendous job working with our clients to hear their goals, stick to their budget, and deliver exception solutions.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

The Master Bath is a place of luxury.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

We simply love the stair and the craftsmanship that brought it to life.

MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG
MODERN HOME HARRISONBURG

Custom design can only be achieved through thoughtful design. This is a much different solution from just a new house. The payoff is in the finished product – no wasted space, functionality infused into every square foot, and value added to the overall project.

Home School Resource Guide to Architecture

I have been working on creating a resources page for Home Schooling. Here is the start of the list:

Coloring Pages

depot tree

Chesapeake Western Railroad Depot

Church Addition

Eastern Mennonite School

Virginia Farmhouse

Geography

Online Architectural Tours

Wierschem, Germany

Oh the Places We Go – identify the locations where our swag has been found on google maps

Waterfall House

Identify a work of architecture, architect, year built, location and write a brief summary of why it is important. Here is an example, click HERE

Architectural Bingo

DOWNTOWN BINGO

Vocabulary Challenge

Want to challenge your student with new vocabulary? Here is a list of Green Terms Defined.

Architectural Shapes

Have a young one learning shapes – get them to find the shapes in these architectural photos: Architectural Shapes

15 Week Architecture Construction and Engineering Course

When I was in Charlottesville I taught a 15 week course to introduce high school students to the construction industry. Here is the syllabus for the program. ACE Mentor Program Design Challenge

harrisonburg architect

Class Activity – Draw this room to scale

Gather supplies of a ruler (or any straight edge), graph paper (paper with squares on it) and a pencil, or a pen if you are desperate.

With the paper on the table, use your FEET and measure out the length and width of the room where you are located by walking from one wall across the room to the other side of the room.

Using the squares on the paper, where one square equals one footstep, mark the paper, and use the ruler to make straight lines. This is NOT easy for some people, so make sure that you are using the straight edge to make straight lines and ask for help if it keeps getting messed up.

Origami House

Build and decorate a quick house. Make a few and you can have a small village full of Origami Houses

Our friends at NEED.org always have cool resources. Here is a list of Distance Learning Resources that are hands on. NEED.org

If you know of links I should include, let me know by adding to the comments below.

Time to Renovate your home? Here are some things to consider when doing a renovation and addition

I am hearing from a lot of people that are ready to renovate their homes. After being at home for months, many have figured out they want to improve life through some home modifications. It could be a gym addition, modification to allow for an open floor plan, outside gathering space, need for more interior space, upgraded kitchen, or just a place away from those pesky school kids that you are now teaching. Home modifications can be complicated if not planned well. They also disrupt life for 3-6 months, so having a comprehensive plan is key.

Here are 10 tips to make your home renovation and addition projects a success.

  1. Call an architect to discuss your plan and review your existing home (structural system, mechanical system, lot set backs….) to see if your goals are possible. This meeting does have some cost, but if you go through this you will reduce challenges in the end. I have seen too many start construction before a complete plan is done only to run into costly construction phase changes.
  2. Make sure your budget matches your program. An architect can help in the beginning with a big picture guess to renovation costs. However, you will need to bring a builder into the process during schematic design. This is called integrated design process. You pay the builder to price the renovation and addition as you go through the design process so when you get to the finish line there is no surprise. You hit the target and have made all of the decisions along the way. Architect and builder can be a strong team that saves you money in the long run as we each have our specialty.
  3. Pick special moments to spend a little extra to make the project truly unique for your lifestyle. Limit these special moments to what enhances the life you want to live while making all the spaces functional. This is the balance between program and budget that is worked out in design.
  4. Let the architect do a full design including overall layout, elevations, sections, but also a performance specification and structural system design. This complete package will save you money during construction.
  5. Work with a team that knows quality. I often give a list of builders that I work with on a regular basis. These builders are on my list because I know they deliver high quality and happy clients. In our industry, word of mouth is the most effective marketing strategy.
  6. It will cost more than it does on HGTV unless your project is also being filmed and you are getting donations in exchange for marketing to a national audience.
  7. Have a living plan in place for during construction. Will you rent a house in town, move into a RV, create a mobile kitchen in the basement, or go on an extended vacation for months? Having this plan in place and the associated costs if key to a successful project.
  8. Renovation and Additions require a lot of decisions, spending money, and people making noise. It can be stressful. Having a plan in place prior to construction is the best way to make this an enjoyable process.
  9. Ask for references from your architect and contractor. Hearing from others that have gone through the process is critical to making this very big decision. Don’t only ask them about the process, ask them about the results, how it is holding up, is it comfortable, does the design solution facilitate the life they hoped it would provide? I hear all to often that people had to make sacrifices because of surprises discovered during construction, this happens, but it happens a lot less when you have a good design before construction starts.
  10. Think holistically. A renovation or addition is a big step. Do research on your neighborhood – are you over building? Check on your long-term goals – how long will this change facilitate the life you want? What maintenance items can be taken care of during this process – are you electric bills too high, is there an uncomfortable room that needs to be insulated?

Remember, the design and construction process should be fun! You are creating your dream home and solving challenges that you have been living with. Hire a team that is excited to work through this process with you and have your priorities in mind when they are making decisions.

sunroom renovation

Feel free to call me to discuss before investing your hard earned money with a team. I am glad to offer guidance to help you understand the process.

Custom Green Home