As 2021 is coming to an end our Gaines Group team is looking back on the amazing clients, strong friendships, and challenges we have faced this year throughout the pandemic. To welcome in the new year we are following a classic tradition and sharing some of our team’s new year resolutions.
Charles Hendricks: over the past few years I have adopted the word grace for my resolution. I strive to give myself and others grace. I want to continue to focus on grace this coming year, but I am also drawn towards the word empathy right now. I want to continue to find ways to be, act, and grow more empathetic to better understand how I can serve others.
The value of adding someone that has years of training to think through design options to provide the optimized solution for facilitating the life you want to live in that particular place is the obvious answer. (and a really long sentence)
However, there is more to the design choice when thinking about a new home vs a custom home. The results of this early choice will have compounding impacts through the process of design and construction. An architect goes through extensive education and training to learn to think design, a skill that most have not developed. A home of business that is designed by an architect has taken into consideration so much more than just how it will be built or simple aesthetics, the design process thinks through daily life, challenges that might come up, energy usage, movements, habits, views, and the particular site. Architects are doing more than just providing what you will need to get permits, they are working on a holistic solution for a home or business that is just right for you. Architects stay in touch with the latest building science thinking and trends in the industry to be able to provide clients with the options available to achieve the best value solutions. Maybe most important, the architect acts as the client’s advocate through the process to reduce stress and make the process fun.
This home perched on a mountain top with views for miles is a good example of a custom design. The homeowner found an online plan as their starting point and then we set out to manipulate the design to create the space just right for this building site. We don’t usually start with an existing design and this one changed a lot to make it work for this site, but every project we do is truly custom. We start where our client needs us to start to realize the right solution for their lifestyle goals.
As you can see from the photos, this project is all about the views. We worked with the client to develop a comprehensive design where all the details come together into a beautiful, comfortable oasis. Framing the views from as many points as possible inside and outside the home was critical for the success of the design. The building science that informed the design decisions also loomed large as this home will be impacted by strong winds and lots of snow with the high altitude. As the parts of the assembly come together we are thrilled to see the care and attention to detail the builder is taking to provide the best product possible (see the lumber sitting up off the ground, a good indication that the builder cares about his work).
Design matters is a recurring mantra in our daily work. We take pride in listening to the goals of our clients and developing the best possible solutions to meet those goals from aesthetics, budget, to framing views. We are thrilled to see this one take shape and would love to talk to you about your dream home to come.
It is that time of year again and we are beyond excited to dive into another First Friday Christmas at the Chesapeake Western Depot. We are thrilled to get back to engaging with our community and getting back to what matters, building community. Santa once again returns to the R.S. Monger & Sons Window and Door Showroom and will be available for visits and pictures until 6:30 pm, First Friday Christmas will last until 7:00 pm there will also be drinks and cookies provided!
We will also be featuring a pop-up art gallery in the upstairs offices, featuring Tony Distefano, Nicole Clatterbuck, and Lorie Mier! Please come enjoy the music of Red Wing Academy students upstairs at the Depot and purchase some presents from our artists! You can learn more about this event and RSVP to attendhere!
“Growing up in extremely rural Virginia, I have always been inspired by my number one muse, nature, and the materials that are derived from it. After working in a jewelry-crafting supply store in Richmond, I began making jewelry about 10 years ago because simply put, I wanted to make original things for myself that nobody else had. Earth Metals has been the slow-developing process of turning the hand-crafted items I make and sell to friends into a tiny side business and regular hobby. I try to use natural materials when I can and have a penchant for using recycled materials as well. My work is a sum of multiple influences, from my deep fondness for the outdoors to the slight obsession with all things celestial. The literature and music that I love weave their way into my work. Death and its beautiful, rightful place in the cycle of nature is also something I’ve always pondered; you’ll see that theme reflected in my work as well. I am obviously an ardent fan of skeletons. I try not to take my art too seriously; I create for the pure and simple joy of creating. “
J. Nicole Clatterbuck is a sometimes-jewelry designer, sometimes-nature photographer, educator, caretaker, writer, and freelance music booking agent in the Shenandoah Valley. She’s also an avid reader, a mediocre painter, traveler, and a passionate outdoors explorer. She has lived in a number of stunning places but will always count herself lucky to consider Virginia “home.”
Nicole Clatterbuck will be a featured artist at Christmas at the Depot, to RSVP to this event checkhere. Or to learn more about the other featured artists at this event check out Lorie Mier, and Tony Distefano.
An artist with a camera documenting the beauty of the world. Tony DiStefano has called home many beautiful places from the forests of Western PA to the mountains of Southeastern New York State. He has now found his place in Harrisonburg – an area rich with opportunities for creative souls – for more than half of his adult life. You might recognize Tony from his many local shows and his earlier collection, “Through the Lens” back in 2019!
Tony’s work documents his love of the outdoors, as an avid hiker and fisherman since childhood, he has found wonder in nature. Inspired by his brother’s and uncle’s work with macro photography, Tony began his photographic journey in 2013. A prolific shutterbug, he has captured and shared hundreds of captivating images, ranging from birds, flowers, and insects to rural vistas and natural light portraits. While Tony’s work primarily focuses on nature he enjoys highlighting the tiny details organisms have to offer that wouldn’t normally be noticed by the human eye, giving small organisms a big personality through his macro lens. His work also highlights the beauty of texture found in nature like a praying mantis skin or a humming bird’s wings!
For more information on this event or to rsvp check here! Tony’s work will be featured along with Lori Mier’s!
