Jeff Pelletier
Interior Design
To Buy, or Not to Buy, Knock-Off Furniture
Not everyone can afford to buy a house full of designer furniture. So, do you turn to knock-off pieces instead? (No. Or, not 100% no.) Here’s our philosophy for stretching your furniture budget, planning for longterm, and, all the while, still having somewhere to sit down at the end of the day.
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Ask a Designer, Custom Residential
Common Bathroom Floor Plans: Rules of Thumb for Layout
There are a few typical floor plans to consider when designing the layout for a bathroom in your house. These eight lessons illustrate the common plan options and describes the advantages and disadvantages of each. Of course, there are always exceptions, and a good designer can find a solution that meets your needs.
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Ask a Designer, Commercial
What Is a Tenant Improvement Allowance?
As a business owner, understanding what a tenant improvement (or TI) allowance is, is essential to inform the choices you’ll make when selecting a new commercial space and negotiating your commercial lease. The TI allowance will also define how much of the cost of your commercial build-out will come out of your pocket.
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Ask a Designer, Custom Residential
Why Custom Construction Details are Worth It
When you find yourself in a space that really feels amazing, take a moment and study how the details come together. These custom details take time and skill to produce, typically done during the construction documents phase, and the details are what take a project to the next level.
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The Business of Design
Advice for Starting a Design Firm
Starting a design firm isn’t easy. It takes a lot of luck, it can exciting, but also stressful. You’ll need to take some calculated risks. It worked out at B&V, and we’ve grown to about 40 people in 8 years. Here are some tips learned along the journey of starting a design firm.
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Ask a Designer, Custom Residential
Should You Remodel, or Tear Down Your House and Build New?
So, your house isn’t meeting your needs. How do you decide what to do? Should you remodel or tear it down and build your dream house? Or, should you leave the house alone and move instead? Here are six areas you need to consider to help you make this complicated and delicate decision.
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If you enjoy reading our blog as much as we enjoy writing it, that simply makes our day. You may also enjoy a few of the related posts below.
Designing for Natural Light in Your Home
Living through dark Seattle winters makes you appreciate every hour of daylight. From light tubes and transom windows to north light, skylights, and smart landscaping, here are the design strategies I rely on to bring natural light into your home and make it feel bright and welcoming all year.
What Makes a Home Feel Custom?
What makes a home feel custom and worth the investment? The answer changes from one person to the next. From fitted kitchen drawers and hidden shower drains to a secret scullery and a seriously quiet house, here are nine custom home features I’ve seen elevate everyday life at home.
Pre-Leasing Considerations for Your Commercial Space
Finding the right commercial space for your business can feel overwhelming. Board & Vellum’s pre-leasing consulting helps businesses uncover hidden risks, evaluate tenant improvement budgets, and explore design opportunities before signing a lease — turning uncertainty into clarity and setting the stage for long-term success.
Designing for the Senses
Designing a hospitality space is about more than what’s behind the front door. The scents, sights, and sounds that radiate onto the street prime your guests and passers-by for what they’ll experience inside. Your menu is important, of course, so how can you feed your guests’ senses from the start? Let’s visualize it.
Why Architects Are Your Best Advocates in a Complicated Permit World
Permitting in the Puget Sound Region is a complicated endeavor, but you don’t have to go at it alone. At Board & Vellum, we have the knowledge and experience to help get your project to the permitting finish line. In fact, architects are key players in helping you achieve permit success. Here’s how.
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