10 Tips to Go Green This Thanksgiving 2025

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 21, 2025 | family, Holiday

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, family, and—let’s be honest—a lot of food. As we look ahead to Thanksgiving 2025, it’s the perfect time to commit to making your celebration more sustainable. By incorporating just a few eco-friendly practices, you can reduce your waste and carbon footprint without sacrificing any of the holiday joy.

Here are 10 tips to make your Thanksgiving celebration green:

In the Kitchen & Shopping:

Shop Local for Your Feast: Commit to buying ingredients from your local farmer’s market, a Food Co-op, or a farmer in your area. This not only supports your community but drastically reduces the transportation distance and associated carbon emissions of your meal.
Skip the Paper and Plastic Bags: As you head to the grocery store, always remember to take your reusable bags.
Use a Reusable Roasting Pan: Skip the increasingly popular, but environmentally unfriendly, disposable roasting pans. A sturdy, reusable roasting pan is a better choice for the environment.
Compost Leftovers: Instead of throwing away vegetable scraps, turkey bones, or uneaten leftovers, remember to compost them. This diverts food waste from landfills, where it would otherwise produce methane gas.

On the Table:

Use Cloth Napkins: Americans use an enormous amount of paper napkins each year. Help reduce this paper waste by switching to cloth napkins for your celebration.
Use the Fancy China and Silverware: Ditch the disposable plastic utensils and paper plates. Using your permanent China plates and silverware not only elevates your table setting but prevents single-use waste from ending up in a local landfill.

Hosting & Travel:

Ask Guests to Bring Reusable To-Go Containers: You’re guaranteed to have leftovers! Help your guests take food home sustainably by asking them to bring their own reusable to-go containers instead of relying on disposable plastic or aluminum.
Use LED Bulbs: Use LED bulbs to light your celebration. They use significantly less energy and last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Remember to Recycle: Be mindful of all the extra packaging that comes with holiday groceries and new items. Set aside bins and remember to recycle all eligible packaging instead of throwing it away.
Carpool: If you are traveling or hosting guests, plan to carpool. By reducing the total number of miles driven individually, you can collectively lower the carbon emissions associated with your holiday travel.

Community Spotlight: Recognizing the True Builders of a Resilient Future

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 19, 2025 | community

The best way to build a truly stronger community—one that is resilient, vibrant, and promotes local growth—is through the powerful act of helping one another.

This philosophy forms the core of our architectural practice. Our design ethos is driven by the commitment to build a future that is inclusive for all. We believe the idea that we can all support each other is critical to a healthy, flourishing future for our region.

Celebrating the Work That Binds Us

While we focus on the physical spaces that bring people together, we want to highlight the vital work being done by others in our community. This is the work that builds bridges of understanding, fosters deeper connections, and spreads goodwill across our neighborhoods. The impact of these individuals is immeasurable.

This Thanksgiving season, we want to help you celebrate a friend, neighbor, or colleague who is making a tangible difference. It’s time to shine a light on their positive impact!

Nominate a Neighbor: In Our Jack Brown’s Gift Card Giveaway!

We’re making it simple for you to share some appreciation—and maybe win a delicious meal while you’re at it!

Here’s how to celebrate someone doing good:

Go to our Facebook Business page or our Instagram Business page.
Tag a friend in the contest post and tell us their name.
Let us know the good they are doing!

That’s it! It is that simple. You and your nominated friend will each be entered into our drawing, and if selected, you both will win a $50 gift card to one of our favorite burger destinations, Jack Brown’s!

Action Required: Tag Someone Today!

We will take all the names and place them into a drawing pot on Thanksgiving Day (November 27th). Be sure to get your tags in before then!

Tune in on Friday, November 28th, when we will announce the lucky winner and their nominated friend.

Go now, today, tag someone and let’s celebrate the people who are building a better community, one selfless act at a time!

Click Here to See The Post!

5 ways to future proof your custom home

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 14, 2025 | Accessibility, aging in place, architecture

There are many articles and systems out there written to tell you how to future proof your custom home. As you process all that information think through your family history, current conditions in the area you plan to build, and the local climate. While there are very robust energy rating systems that will in fact get you to very low energy usage, we are blessed here in Virginia with ample sun for solar and low energy costs from public utilities (relatively speaking). This changes the conversation about whether you should invest in a robust system to reduce energy costs – especially when you take into account the costs associated with things like triple pane windows vs double pane windows for instance.

Thinking through your family history and your expected mobility challenges is another place where you should spend some time. Of course, none of us knows what tomorrow holds, but if your family members all live into their 90s and don’t have mobility challenges, how likely is it that you will have mobility challenges? Working through a life plan that goes with your home is critical to make it economical and adaptable.

Looking at the climate conditions and the severity of storms hitting the area where you are building is a dynamic analysis as things continue to change, but can be very informative on the systems you select. The frequency of 2″ rainstorms in our area have increased by more than 100% in recent years. These storms with greater intensity often bring strong winds along with concentrated rainfall – this may impact your future proof decisions on overhangs, gutter size, and roof slope.

Here are 5 considerations that apply to most new custom homes we design:

Make the floorplan as flexible as possible. Consider 1 level living opportunities and reinforced wall systems for future grab bars. Have a zero step shower and lever style door handles where possible on an accessible floor level.
Create the most energy-efficient and durable building envelope solution you can afford without designing for an extreme climate. All predictions have Virginia staying fairly moderate for temperature swings for the foreseeable future. While passive house is a great strategy for clients that want to achieve zero energy status, the insulation values and strategies required to get this certification add considerably to the cost of construction.
Make sure your electronic and communications system is wired for a changing future technology. Add in options for pulling new wire easily in the future as technology evolves.
Pick the most durable and low maintenance building materials. Remember quality costs more, but in the long run will save you time, money, and frustration.
Consider a rainwater catchment system. While storms in our area are wetter than in previous decades, it seems the space between storms can draw out longer than typical as well.

While we don’t know what the future holds for anyone of us, creating a resilient and durable custom home will protect your investment as best as can be protected.

Designing Spaces That Bring People Together: Reflections from Lost Lands

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 12, 2025 | team

This past September, our office manager Lindsey attended Lost Lands, a gathering and music festival near Columbus, Ohio that celebrates sound, creativity, and community. While music festivals may seem far removed from architecture, experiences like this are powerful reminders of the ways design influences how we connect with one another.

At Lost Lands, tens of thousands of people came together in an open space, united by music. The design of the festival itself — from the placement of stages and pathways to the art installations and lighting — shaped how people experienced each moment. The wide-open fields created opportunities for gathering, while thoughtfully placed structures provided shade, shelter, and a sense of orientation in a sea of activity. In addition, there is a certain thoughtfulness to how the individual spaces interact with each other to create a cohesive space for a full experience.

Because of this thoughtfulness, there is no negative impact on one space from another, whether that is lighting, sound, or crowds. Rather, a sense of community and interaction is created instead.

Check out this video featuring one of Lindsey’s favorite artists, while taking note that she is surrounded by four additional stages, all with different artists playing other music at the same time. There is no distraction from her experience due to the thoughtfully placed areas, sound systems and lighting systems.

Warning: This video includes flashing lights and laser displays. Not intended for those sensitive to these visuals.

In architecture, we strive for the same outcomes. Homes, offices, and community spaces aren’t just walls and roofs — they’re settings for connection. The way a porch invites neighbors to stop and chat, how a kitchen island draws family and friends to gather, or how a workplace lounge encourages collaboration — all of these design choices mirror the festival’s intentional planning to bring people closer together.

Taking inspiration from a setting like Lost Lands gives us the opportunity to create meaningful spaces that help bring people together, while harmoniously working with the spaces around it.

Festivals like Lost Lands also highlight the importance of flexibility. Believe it or not, most of the stages, art installations and gathering areas are temporary. They are designed to adapt quickly, meet the needs of large crowds, and then disappear, so that the grounds can be used to host other events and serve the local community throughout the year. In our work, we can take inspiration from that adaptability, creating designs that can grow with families, evolve with businesses, and support a changing community over time.

At its core, whether at a music festival or in the heart of your home, design is about people. It’s about creating places where memories are made, connections are strengthened, and life is celebrated.

Ready to let your spaces build connections?

We would love to hear from you!

Get In Touch

What to Know Before Hiring a Contractor

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 10, 2025 | resources

When you’re investing in a renovation or construction project, choosing the right contractor is one of the most important decisions to make. As architects, we have seen projects delayed, budgets stretched, or results below expectations due to contractor issues that could’ve been prevented. To help our clients navigate this, here’s a practical guide to hiring a contractor — with key pointers from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR).

Rule 1: Use a Licensed Contractor, and Verify It.

One of the first rules is: deal only with licensed contractors. Virginia law requires that contractors meet state competency and licensing standards.

Even if a person claims to be “just doing side jobs,” unlicensed work may mean you have limited legal recourse if something goes wrong.

Before you move forward:

Check the license status (and whether there have been disciplinary actions) via the DPOR’s license lookup tool.
Confirm that the contractor is licensed for exactly the kind of work you’re hiring for (e.g. general contracting, plumbing, HVAC, specialty work).

Rule 2: Get Multiple Written Estimates & Ask Questions

Don’t rely on just picking the contractor with a great reputation: meet with them and get to know their priorities. Different contractors have different skill sets and strengths. You need to make sure your contractor aligns with your vision for the project. Ask them how they pick their sub-contractors. You want them to get multiple estimates from trusted partners.

While comparing contractors, dig deeper:

Visit a current project and talk to their current clients.
Ask the contractor to explain how they handle communications, schedule, and questions that arise during the construction phase.
Beware of a builder that has never seen a challenge during construction. You’ll want to hear from them how they deal with the challenges, because in construction, there are always challenges.

Rule 3: Insist on a Detailed, Written Contract

Verbal agreements are risky. DPOR reminds homeowners that licensed contractors are required by law to provide a written contract for residential work, signed by both parties.

A solid contract should include:

- The full scope of work (what’s included, what’s excluded)
- Start and end dates (or schedule with milestones)
- Payment schedule tied to completed work (not just arbitrary dates)
- Any warranties or guarantees
- How change orders will be handled
- What happens in the event of delays, disputes, or termination
  
  Make sure all promises, guarantees, and warranties are spelled out in writing — don’t trust oral statements.

Rule 4: Limit Your Upfront Payment & Tie Payments to Milestones

A red flag is when a contractor asks for large sums up front. DPOR suggests that a reasonable down payment should be no more than 10% or $1,000, whichever is less — unless the project requires custom or preordered materials, in which case up to 30% might be justifiable.

Also, divide subsequent payments over project milestones — each payment only issued after a defined portion of the work is satisfactorily completed. Don’t pay in full until the project is completed to your satisfaction and all documentation is turned over.

Rule 5: Be Alert to Warning Signs & Scams

DPOR outlines several “tip-offs” indicating possible trouble:

Door-to-door solicitations (remember, you have a three-day right to cancel a contract signed in your home)
Claims of leftover materials from another job
High-pressure sales tactics (“you must decide right now”)
Requests for full payment before work starts
Only accepting cash or untraceable payment forms (e.g. Venmo, etc.)

If you notice any of these behaviors, proceed cautiously or walk away.

Rule 6: Ask for References, Photos, and Proof of Insurance

Beyond the basics above:

Request recent project photos, ideally in the same style or scope as yours
Ask for references (other clients) and follow up
Confirm that the contractor carries liability insurance and worker’s compensation, and request certificates of insurance

If your project requires building permits or inspections, verify the contractor has done that before — and that they will handle it properly

Large window with bench seating in a custom home.

Rule 7: Understand How Change Orders & Delays Work

Changes are almost inevitable. Be sure your contract states:

How change orders must be handled (written, approved, priced)
Whether extra time will be allowed for changes
What happens when delays (weather, supply chain, permit holdups) occur

This clarity helps prevent disputes later.

Rule 8: Document Everything & Maintain Communication

Keep a project file:

Copies of the contract, any change orders, subcontracts, invoices
Photos taken before, during, and after work
Written correspondence (emails, texts)
Weekly or regular progress meetings/agendas

Good communication helps ensure transparency and gives you evidence if disagreements arise.

Rule 9: Understand Your Legal Rights in Virginia

Because the contractor is licensed through DPOR, certain consumer protections apply. If things go wrong:

You may check for past disciplinary actions using DPOR’s license lookup tool.
You can file a complaint with DPOR (if licensed)
For contract disputes, your written contract and documentation serve as your principal recourse

As architects, we have seen the consequences when contractors are hired without due diligence: design intent is diluted, structural or code compliance errors, cost overruns, and definitely frustration. A well-selected contractor who understands your goals, communicates clearly, and honors contracts is essential to turning architectural visions into reality.