PLEASE NOTE THAT RICHARD IS NOT ACCEPTING NEW PROJECTS AT THIS TIME.
I am an architect who specializes in all types of residential remodelings and additions. Many of these involve kitchen remodelings, which I love!
Why do I especially like kitchen remodeling? Kitchens are the HEART of the home in daily life. When done well, kitchens can be a joy to cook in, and help bring family and friends closer together. But this requires understanding that kitchens should be far more than just attractive cabinets and appliances!
You have a choice of many different types of design professionals to help you with your remodeling: architects, interior designers, specialized kitchen designers, even some contractors who imagine they have a flair for design! Which one do you choose? And do you really need an architect for something as “simple” as a kitchen remodeling?
Well, ask yourself, after spending oodles of money, when your project is done, how do you want to feel about it? Hopefully, just like these folks did about theirs!
Licensed architects are specifically trained in “big picture” thinking, and can create options that might include a small breakfast nook addition, opening up a structural wall or raising the ceiling, or exploring whether your kitchen is even in the right place in your house! As a licensed architect, I can explore more structurally-involved solutions that other unlicensed design professionals simply aren’t trained (or even willing) to provide.
Also, unlike some other designers that homeowners might consult, such as in-store advice from kitchen showrooms, cabinet dealers, or kitchen contractors, I can provide completely independent solutions and advice that are right for YOU. (I don’t sell any particular cabinets or appliances, and my design fees don’t change based on how much you’re spending. Nor are my fees hidden in the construction cost or cabinet cost.) And you might be surprised at how little having this expertise costs you…
When a home remodeling is done well, the transformation is truly magical. But I know, as a former professional magician, that what appears amazing and almost effortless to the untrained “layperson,” is often the result of years of education, practice, and lots of difficult “behind the scenes” work.
Residential Design with Decades of Experience behind it!
Coming up with a design that is both pleasing and affordable is difficult enough. The number of design decisions to be made is staggering. Add a bewildering array of complex governmental regulations such as setback requirements, seismic bracing requirements, Daylight Plane restrictions, Title 24 energy requirements, Flood Zone controls… Then, add to this the difficulty of finding reputable contractors, negotiating a fair contract, addressing insurance concerns, solving problems on the jobsite, and monitoring the quality of work, and it’s no wonder that a project can seem enormously complex. It is!
So, make your life easy. My goal is to help you avoid surprises and make your project as pain-free and trouble-free as possible. And have a project that looks great, besides!
You want a beautiful project that is within your budget — one that is custom-tailored to you and your family’s lifestyle. This will be one of the most important investments of your life. Shouldn’t you have the best help you can find?
Comprehensive Design Approach
Unlike most architects, I am also a trained interior designer, in fact, one of the few architects in the country who has taken and passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Exam and received their coveted certification. Your design will reflect attention to both interior AND exterior concerns.
Expertise at “Aging in Place” & Accessible Designs
During many years of designing hospital and nursing facility remodelings, I acquired specific expertise in creating environments for people with disabilities, as well as planning projects to accommodate later years where you might not be as mobile as you are now. Rather than being forced to move out of your home, you can plan now to make it possible to stay as long as possible. Click here for an example of an accessible kitchen I designed.
The focus is on YOU!
You may have noticed that this website doesn’t open with glitzy photos of my work, unlike most designers’ websites. Yes, there are plenty of examples of what I’ve done for other people in the “Home Makeovers” section, but these don’t really indicate what I would do for you. I listen carefully, and try to understand what aesthetics appeal to you, and then work interactively to craft a design that feels almost like you’ve designed it yourself. (But even better!)
Call me for a free 20-minute discussion of your project.
If you aren’t ready to take the full plunge yet, I also offer some “baby step” consultations that may be just what you need for now.