We have been so busy over the last month we failed to post photos from our big party! Here is the press release and some photos from the event.
Gaines Group Architects moves firm headquarters to renovated historic Harrisonburg train station.
The Gaines Group, PLC, Architects is pleased to announce the relocation of its firm headquarters to the historic Chesapeake Western Railroad Depot in the heart of Harrisonburg, Virginia. This milestone marks multiple points of celebration for the firm. Over the last 37 years this business has grown from a one-person operation to a thriving two-location small architectural firm serving communities across four states including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. In the last 15 years it has experienced a substantial increase in the number and average size of projects and has doubled the size of the firm. This year Raymond Gaines and Charles Hendricks were joined by Paul Tassell, Adrienne Stronge, Deborah Smith, and James Halstead as principals, thus increasing the businesses’ resilience. The firm is celebrating sixnewhires who bring a diverse set of talents to the organization. Providing architectural services for a project base that includes custom residential, multi-family residential, industrial, educational, commercial, renovation, child care, and more has allowed the firm to continue to grow in spite of the COVID pandemic.
Charles attributes the firm’s growth to its focus on design that creates a better future for all. He says, “Our focus is to find ways to build a stronger community for everyone. We do this through our projects, designing sustainable solutions into every project. We use design strategies that are durable, energy-efficient, and healthy that not only benefit our client, but the community as a whole. We also seek out organizations in our communities that we can partner with and support through volunteer efforts to further this goal. From our work on boards and commissions, to giving our time and skills, we want our legacy to be one of caring for others, the environment, and our collective future.“
It’s been awhile since we’ve written about Aging-In-Place, but as promised, we bring Part 2 to this series focusing on aesthetic misconceptions about this type of design. (Read Part 1 here). As a reminder, you can hear more about Aging-In-Place Design on the on the WSVA Early Mornings podcast where Charles recently joined Beth Bland of Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) to talk about Aging in Place.
In the podcast, Beth addresses the common belief that Aging-In-Place modifications/aging friendly design can’t be beautiful or aesthetically pleasing. Unfortunately, this is a common misconception that prevents people from adding these modifications to their homes. We want to break that stereotype. You can make a beautiful house that is also accessible to people with a wide variety of abilities.
This misconception stems both from misinformation and often, a confusion of the terms “ADA compliant design” and Aging-In-Place design.” Here’s a recap from Part 1 in case you missed it.
ADA compliant design vs. Aging-In-Place modifications Recap:
Often ADA design and Aging in Place modifications overlap, but Aging in Place is centered around customizing spaces for you and your abilities. It expands beyond simply meeting the bare minimum requirements of basic building codes to creating something unique and beautiful for your day to day life. This sort of design can be added to your existing home or built into a new one.
Not only is Aging in Place customized around each individual’s physical design needs, but the entire process can be customized around your needs and might include financial, location, and relational considerations.
Beth asks, What things can you do to make aging-in-place modifications in a home look pretty?
Many designs are becoming popular that also happen to be aging friendly. In showers, you can take a tub out and put in a roll-in shower. In the interview, Charles says that he now puts no-step showers into most new houses because “they’re just gorgeous… people love them.” Example pictures below.
Bathrooms are particularly important for modifications because water and soap can lead to slip and fall related accidents. For those with balance and mobility challenges, a towel bar that functions also as a grab bar can be installed. (One example here). Sinks can have open space beneath them to allow wheelchairs to slide underneath and give more access to the faucet. A curved front of a sink not only makes a sink more accessible for wheelchairs but gives easier reach for everyone because the sink follows the natural curve of our bodies.
This Modern Home has a beautiful sitting area in their restroom at the vanity (right).
Another example is to have a detached garage (left) that’s connected to the house by a breezeway. This distance from your house keeps chemicals and fumes out that come from your car and things that are often stored in a garage. Air quality is important to everyone, and you can be even more sensitive to poor air quality as you age. A breezeway creates visual interest to a house design and gives space for creative landscaping options. (See left for a beautiful example).
Kitchens
In the kitchen, you can also have a roll-under cabinets, islands, or bars. The space underneath functions dually for stationary chairs and wheelchairs. Counter tops of varying heights make it more accessible for kids, wheelchairs, and any height! Examples of a roll-under island design below.
Aging-In-Place modifications can be an expression of your creative style. For example, this home has a unique pull-out spice drawer that’s hidden in it’s design and allows for easy access without overhead reach (pictured left).
Grand Doorways and Beyond
These modifications are often a common part of design that you may not even notice unless you were paying attention or it was helping with your specific need. One such example is bigger doorways that allow wheelchairs and every size person to easily get through. Imagine too that you’re carrying a large platter of food for dinner or moving a couch into your home. A wider doorway like the one pictured below accommodates these kinds of common activities too. Aging-In-Place is for everyone.
For more information on making a home aging friendly, see these links to a few professionals and experts that are right here in the Valley:
Our blog has more resources and healthier, energy-efficient, and durable design tips, at www.thegainesgroup.com.
VPAS where Charles is invited on occasion to speak on the topic.
Amy Depoy, an licensed occupational therapist at Cardinal Care with over 25 years of experience.
The #hilltophouse is complete, built by Sauder Builders, Inc,. We were able to photograph the inside (outside photos pending the landscape to spring forth with spring weather). #hilltophouse was designed with a goal of allowing family to gather with connection to the outside at all times. The incredible kitchen developed by Lantz Custom Woodworking serves as an anchor in the main living space with the two-story brick wall on the other side of the open living space giving instant character. The exposed steel beams sit on top of the heavy wood timbers that mimic the exterior porch columns supporting the loft above. The open cable rail system allows for the industrial style to take on a modern twist while the wood floors from Weavers Flooring warm the space that will capture many years of memories.
The primary bedroom and bathroom suite is an oasis for relaxation. The brick is carried into this space giving the space instant charm while the large windows and doors open the space to incredible views. The oversized shower and soaking tub will serve as a wonderful place to unwind and relax.
The second floor features a bunk room, third bedroom, and gaming room along with another bathroom. This incredible home will be the homestead of many generations to gather and celebrate milestones and holidays.
The floating stair blends the industrial and modern style while maintaining the open light style of the living space.
More pictures of the exterior to come as soon as the landscaping come in.
As Spring sweeps in, temperatures change and your house has different needs. Here are 7 Spring Energy Saving Tips that will help to lower your bills.
Utilize Sunlight from Windows: On chillier spring days, save money on heating and lighting. Open the blinds and let that sunlight in in the middle of the day! Be sure to close your insulating curtains before sunset to trap the warmth inside so you don’t lose your gains as the sun sets.
Utilize Window Blinds: Spring in Virginia has temperature ups and downs, so conversely, on hot days, save money on your AC bills by closing the blinds to the windows to block out the heat. Honeycomb blinds work best to stop heat gain into spaces.
Program the Thermostat: On warmer days, set the thermostat higher when you’re gone to save energy. Remember if you have a traditional heat pump, more than a 2 degree change may cause your system to call for emergency heat which is very costly. If you have a newer system that uses a variable speed compressor this is not an issue.
Hang Clothes to Dry: As the temperature warms up, string up a clothesline outdoors to use the sun’s heat instead of the dryer.
Stop hand washing your dishes: Say no more! For larger loads, most modern dishwashers actually use less water. Letting dishes air dry can save more money and electricity.
Replace your HVAC Filters on a regular basis: bonus points for having a performance contract with your HVAC company to make sure your system is running in perfect order.
Assess your home: Check on air leaks, windows, insulation, water, etc. Read more about 5 things you can do for a spring house assessment here.
The #HilltopHouse is in the final days of construction and our client is counting down until move in time. The builder, Sauder Builders, Inc has delivered his signature high level attention to finish details home. The cabinetry done by Lantz Woodworking and, as you would expect from them, is like artwork. The interior brick walls, wood floors, floating stair, exposed steel beam, heavy timber, industrial windows, and wrap around porch are just as we hoped after hearing our client describe what they wanted.
This home is truly a result of listening to the dream of a client and putting the pieces together. We have known these clients for a very long time and have even worked with them in a variety of roles in the community, so we know each other well. It is even more special to hear that their daughter was able to flex her design skills in several parts of the interior of the house.
We are fortunate to have been able to work on their house with them and to get to work with Larry to see this project through to construction. It is breathtaking.
This home is less than 30 days from the finish line and the details are almost done. In a time when delays and shortages have become the norm and when the unexpected has become the expected, I am so impressed with the quality that Larry and his team has been able to deliver.
It is a beautiful home and I know our clients are going to love the space and all the memories they will be able to create here, for many generations to come. This is why we design. Taking the dream that someone has in their mind and putting it on paper so that a builder can execute it – this is the process that should happen. I wish I had gotten to design every corner and pick out every finish, but that’s not what needed to happen on this project. This project had a team and each member of the team brought their skills and knowledge to deliver the dream home that our clients wanted in the end.
We will hopefully get finished photos very soon so you can see it all clean and dust free!!! Stay tuned.
Hiring Architectural Associate / Design Professional
Attention Architects and Interior Designers, we are looking for community-focusedteam members to join our growing team. Gaines Group Architects, an award-winning design firm, continues to grow and we are looking for additional architectural graduates to add to our team. If you are just getting ready to graduate or 5+ years of experience and would enjoy a firm that is dedicated to design that builds stronger communities, please reach out to us. We have positions open in both Harrisonburg and Charlottesville.
The architectural designer position will serve to support the development of all types and styles of projects with a focus on healthy, energy-efficient, and durable design solutions. You will get experience in all phases of design as well as client relationship building. We collaborate on everything in our office and work as a team on all projects.
We are looking for someone dedicated to community service that loves all types and styles of architecture. We will help you along the way to learn and grow as a designer. A strong applicant will have a desire to understand building science and constructability of all project types.
We are more interested in finding the right addition to our team than in a particular skill set.
Architectural or Interior Design degree from an accredited university
Familiarity with AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe, and Sketch-up
Reliable, self-motivated, independent, adaptable, and versatile with an enthusiastic collaborative spirit.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and Acrobat.
Excellent critical thinking skills with exacting attention to detail.
An ability to manage multiple priorities and diverse responsibilities.
Strong verbal, written, and visual communication skills.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Knowledge of construction documents and the design and construction processes.
With 36 years of experience in Virginia, this award-winning architecture and interior design firm works hard to deliver excellent service at an affordable price. With offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, Gaines Group Architects can serve design needs anywhere in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, or North Carolina. Constantly looking for the best answer, we work tirelessly to stay on top of the latest trends and best practices in the construction industry. We believe strongly in being in service to our community and the right person for this position will share that passion.
