News
All Together Now: Integrated Design at Board & Vellum
The benefit of an integrated practice like Board & Vellum, which offers architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, is that all the projects we work on get better – even if they don’t involve all the disciplines. Here, B&V principal Jeff Pelletier explains why.
March 21, 2017
Integrated design is a phrase that confuses a lot of people. I’ve talked before about where architecture and interior design meet, but now that we have our landscape architecture studio fully up and running, I wanted to talk about how a design practice like ours works with all three of our disciplines: architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. There’s a lot of overlap between the three, but the big take-away is how integrated design can elevate the entire project.
Here are some of the top questions we get about how our three disciplines work together
Am I required to include all three services if I choose Board & Vellum for my project?
Absolutely not. Our practice is as integrated or as separate as you’d like.
How does having a team of landscape architects and designers on your team help my project if I’m only interested in architecture or interior design services?
On any architectural project, we are looking at how your project integrates with the landscape. Where should French doors open to? Are there trees that will create unfavorable shading? We already do this analysis but now, having our landscape team on board, we can quickly run our ideas by them and ensure that our work is faster, more accurate, and better suited to your site.
Can I still hire an external interior designer or landscape architect?
Yes! While our team integrates seamlessly within our three disciplines, we also love working with outside consultants. Hiring a design team is a personal decision. Maybe you have a landscape architect you love from a previous project. Bring them on! Our main goal is to help you realize a great project that feels right for you. Plus, we love meeting awesome new people.
Do your landscape and interior studios operate independently?
Yes! Just as our architecture team can operate independently, these two studios operate on numerous solo projects. Additionally, both the Interiors and Landscape Studios operate as sub-consultants under other architects. A multi-family project designed by another architect may select our Interiors or Landscape team to work with them. Assembling a team is always specific to the project and our architecture team easily steps back out of the way if needed.
Are interiors or landscape services available à la carte?
Absolutely. This is the greatest benefit of having these services in-house. While we work on a lot of larger projects, we also love the smaller to medium sized projects which would often never hire anyone beyond an architect. Maybe the budget is tight or it just isn’t on your radar. Having these services in-house means we can easily add a few hours as needed from our other teams to help elevate the overall experience. We’ve done simple inspiration landscape plans for clients who want an initial concept, but plan to build it out themselves over a few years, to spending a few hours with a client reviewing their finish selections and providing some final tweaks or ideas. We’re here to help, not dictate a specific level of service you need.
As the founder of Board & Vellum, one of the early goals I had was to do more landscape work. I already had an intimate connection with interior design (my first job was an interior designer in New York City after graduating with my Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell), but landscape had been a personal passion. To say that I love designing outdoor rooms and spaces is a massive understatement. Now that we have all three services in-house, it really does feel like we can approach every project in an integrated and holistic way. The whole team has been charged up and loving the evolution of our services.
The benefit of an integrated practice is that all the projects just get better. Our internal design crits have a pool of people with unique perspectives, and we can ensure that our designs are considerate and exciting. When you’re thinking about your project, consider the benefits of an integrated practice ensuring that whether you want a green wall inside your home, a second story addition with a killer deck, or an outdoor room next to a backyard cottage, that the landscape, furnishings and interior design, and architecture all flow as one.
