Ask An Architect- Discovering Your Dream Home's Design Aesthetic

When embarking on the exciting journey of building a custom home, one of the first and most important steps is determining your design aesthetic. This can be a challenging process because it's about articulating your personal style—how you want your home to look and feel, both inside and out. For many, it can be challenging to communicate what they love about specific architectural styles or design elements.

So, how do you uncover your unique vision? We hosted this Ask An Architect webinar to help our clients go beyond just looking at pictures. While images are certainly a valuable part of the conversation, they're only one piece of the puzzle.

Watch the full Ask An Architect Webinar here.

The Power of Narrative

Before we even start talking about Pinterest boards, we like to begin with a deeper conversation: What's the story of your life in this home? We want to understand how you live, what you want to achieve with the space, and how you envision people interacting with it.

This narrative approach helps us understand your priorities. For instance, is your home meant to be a cozy sanctuary, a bustling hub for entertaining, or a peaceful short-term rental? The answer to these questions informs the design in powerful ways, shaping everything from the floor plan to the materials we choose.

Sifting Through the Inspiration

Almost everyone comes to us with a collection of inspiration—whether it's a meticulously organized Pinterest board, a scrapbook of magazine clippings, or screenshots on their phone. Instead of simply accepting a massive number of images, we prefer to work with clients to refine their vision.

We ask targeted questions to help you clarify what you really love. Is it a specific material, the natural light in a room, or the flow of the floor plan? This helps us translate your visual inspiration into a design "vocabulary" that we can use throughout the project. It's not about finding a single style, but about understanding the elements that resonate with you most.

Beyond the Buzzwords

Clients often come to us with a specific term in mind, like "mountain modern," "mid-century modern," or "timeless." These terms can serve as a great starting point, but they are also open to interpretation. What "contemporary" means to one person can be entirely different for another.

Rather than getting hung up on labels, we use them as a jumping-off point for a deeper conversation. We ask you to define what these terms mean to you. When a client says they want a "mid-century modern" home, but their inspiration photos are all of Craftsman-style houses, we can work together to understand the specific elements they love and find a way to incorporate them into a cohesive design that fits their vision.

The Challenge of Compromise

One of the most challenging aspects of the design process is aligning your dream with a practical budget and square footage. A stunning image from Instagram might be of a 10,000-square-foot house with a budget that's far beyond your reach.

Our job is to help you filter your priorities. We work with you to separate your "must-haves" from your "wish list," finding creative and cost-effective ways to achieve the vibe you're looking for, even if the scale is different. It's about translating the feeling of that inspiring image into a design that's achievable and truly custom for you.

Ultimately, designing a home is about telling a story. By moving beyond just aesthetics and focusing on your life, your vision, and your priorities, we can create a home that is truly unique and personal to you.

From Abstract Dreams to Concrete Plans

The process of designing a custom home can feel abstract at first. It starts with a blank canvas—a piece of land, an idea, a feeling. This is why having some grounding elements, like a specific site, a clear number of bedrooms, and a general style preference, can be so helpful. Without these anchors, it can be challenging to move from a general daydream to a tangible design.

This is where our process truly shines. We love walking a property with our clients, imagining what the home could be on that specific plot of land. We take all the abstract ideas and start to turn them into something tangible, all while encouraging our clients to share as much as possible. We want to hear what's important to you, what you value, and what story you want your home to tell. This narrative becomes the foundation for everything we do.

Bringing the Vision to Life with Renderings

Once we have a solid understanding of your vision, we use 3D renderings and animations to bring it to life. A two-dimensional drawing can only tell part of the story. Still, a 3D model allows you to see how the house will sit on the land, how the slope works, and how the light will hit the different spaces. This is incredibly valuable for a client because it provides a tangible way to see themselves in the home before it's ever built.

For us, the renderings are also a critical tool for ensuring the design is buildable. We construct the 3D model in a way that mimics how a contractor would build it in real life, which helps us catch potential issues early on. Of course, it's important to remember that these renderings are an aid, not a perfect replica. The camera lens can make a space appear smaller than it actually is, and textures may not be an ideal match. That's why we always include furniture and people in the renderings—to provide context and scale.

The Crucial Role of Materials

The materials you choose for your home are directly tied to your budget, your vision, and the overall style of the house. For example, opting for a full basement on a sloped mountain lot will have a vastly different cost than a simple slab foundation on flat ground. Similarly, your choice of exterior finish, such as siding, brick, or natural stone, will significantly impact the final price.

This is why we have these discussions early on, even if it's just to be conservative about material usage. We also have to consider external factors, such as Homeowners' Association (HOA) or Architectural Review Board (ARB) requirements, which may mandate the use of specific materials, like stone or brick, on certain parts of the house. This can create a tug-of-war between the desired aesthetic and the budget.

Windows are another great example. Vinyl windows are a cost-effective option, but if you're trying to achieve a more rustic or modern look, the standard white vinyl may not be the best fit for your style. The good news is that materials and building methods are constantly evolving. It's essential to be flexible and work with your contractor, who may have access to new products or alternative solutions that can help you achieve your desired look within your budget. Our process is designed to be adaptable, allowing us to make adjustments without derailing the entire project.

Homeowner Regrets: What to Watch Out For

A common question we hear is about homeowner regrets. What are the things people wish they had included in their homes? While we learn a great deal from our clients and from listening to the broader design community, specific themes do emerge. For instance, we see numerous videos and articles about new kitchen features or smart home technology that people wish they had known about sooner.

When it comes to the kitchen, many people realize after moving in that a particular layout or a specific cabinet feature would have made their life much easier. While we're not kitchen design specialists, we continually learn from our clients and our network of subcontractors and designers. We view it as a collaborative process where your ideas and the expertise of other professionals can combine to create a home that's not only beautiful but also highly functional.

Homeowner Regrets: What to Watch Out For

A common question we hear is about homeowner regrets. What are the things people wish they had included in their homes? While we learn a great deal from our clients and the broader design community, specific themes do emerge. For instance, we see numerous videos and articles about new kitchen features or smart home technology that people wish they had known about sooner.

When it comes to the kitchen, many people realize after moving in that a particular layout or a specific cabinet feature would have made their life much easier. While we're not kitchen design specialists, we continually learn from our clients and our network of subcontractors and designers. We view it as a collaborative process where your ideas and the expertise of other professionals can combine to create a home that's not only beautiful but also highly functional.

The Crucial Role of Materials

The materials you choose for your home are directly tied to your budget, your vision, and the overall style of the house. For example, opting for a full basement on a sloped mountain lot will have a vastly different cost than a simple slab foundation on flat ground. Similarly, your choice of exterior finish, such as siding, brick, or natural stone, will significantly impact the final price.

This is why we have these discussions early on, even if it's just to be conservative about material usage. We also have to consider external factors, such as Homeowners' Association (HOA) or Architectural Review Board (ARB) requirements, which may mandate the use of specific materials, like stone or brick, on certain parts of the house. This can create a tug-of-war between the desired aesthetic and the budget.

Windows are another great example. Vinyl windows are a cost-effective option, but if you're trying to achieve a more rustic or modern look, the standard white vinyl may not be the best fit for your style. The good news is that materials and building methods are constantly evolving. It's essential to be flexible and work with your contractor, who may have access to new products or alternative solutions that can help you achieve your desired look within your budget. Our process is designed to be adaptable, allowing us to make adjustments without derailing the entire project.

Designing for Long-Term Happiness

One of the most valuable things you can do during the design phase is to think about long-term happiness. This is a profoundly personal concept, and it varies for everyone. For some, happiness is centered around a kitchen that's perfect for gathering and cooking. For others, it might be a living room designed for entertaining guests, or a master suite that ensures a good night's sleep.

Our job is to listen and understand what you truly value. By asking the right questions and encouraging you to share your story, we can identify these core priorities and make them the focal point of the design. This means we don't just hand you a standard floor plan; we create a design that reflects your lifestyle and your vision for the future.

Avoiding Regret with Staged Construction

We understand that you can't always do everything at once. That's why we often discuss staged construction or an upgrade path. Instead of forcing your entire vision into a single budget, we can design the home to be built in phases. For example, you might create a primary living area now and plan for a future addition, such as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or a larger master suite.

Thinking long-term means we can lay the groundwork for these future projects. We'll design the structure with the end goal in mind, ensuring that when the time comes to expand, the process is as smooth as possible. We also help you prioritize which materials and features are easier to upgrade later. For instance, replacing flooring or appliances is often less costly and less complicated than a significant structural change, such as installing a stone fireplace or adding a new wing to the house. By being strategic, you can have a beautiful home today with a clear path to your forever home.

The Value of Collaboration

Ultimately, building your dream home is a collaborative effort. It’s a partnership between you, the architect, and the builder. We encourage clients to be assertive, accountable, and aware throughout the process. This means speaking your mind, owning your role, and understanding what you bring to the project.

We don't want you to feel nervous about providing feedback. Your honesty is crucial for us to get the design right. By working together transparently and candidly, we can turn your budget and your priorities into a beautiful, functional home that you'll love for years to come.