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Ask a Designer, Custom Residential

How Much Time to Plan for a Remodel or House Project

When you just are dying to update one particular thing in your house, it's a good idea to just slow down for a sec, and make sure you have a master plan. You'll be kicking yourself if you end up redoing something you've already put money into. Here are some planning tips.

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Custom Residential

Christmas Lights for Architects

Christmas lights are far too much work to take seriously. Here are some thoughts on how to blow apart convention and have a great time with crazy Christmas lights on your house or apartment building.

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Three Kinds of Cabinets: Flush Inset, Flush Overlay, and Overlay – Cabinet Types – Board & Vellum
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential, Interior Design

What Kind of Cabinets Should I Select?

Custom cabinets are pretty freaking amazing. There's a lot to choose from (style, hardware, color, finish...), but one of the most basic decisions is what kind of style cabinet door construction you want, or is right for your space. Here are summaries of the three kinds of styles with some easy-to-follow diagrams.

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Ask a Designer, Custom Residential, Interior Design

How to Live with Carrara Marble

Carrara marble is a classic material that holds timeless appeal. Unfortunately, it has some challenges that require careful consideration. Read on for some thoughts on this beautiful stone.

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Other Tangents

Adventures in Strange Toilets

Whether you talk about it or not, toilets play a really big role in our daily lives. And sometimes, we come across some truly bizarre choices... not always bad. Here are a few that Jeff came across in his travels.

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Other Tangents

Designing in 3D with SketchUp

Dreaming of your perfect floor plan and sketching in a notebook is a fine tradition that I fully support. But, if you're tech savvy enough, I suggest taking it to the next level, downloading SketchUp, and having fun with your ideas. Take your dreams and use them as inspiration in communicating with your architect.

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Would you like to read more from the team?

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.

Tanager Apartments – Board & Vellum
16x9-euclid_union-rendering-view_6-night

Tanager Apartments | Rendering by Board & Vellum.

What to Expect in Your Multifamily Feasibility Study

If knowledge is power, a feasibility study is an invaluable investment in your potential multifamily project. A comprehensive feasibility study should give you the important, foundational information you need to make informed decisions about your project early. Thorough and efficient, so you can move forward with confidence and clarity.

Office-to-Residential Conversion, Commercial Conversion, Office to Housing Conversion, Office Space to Multifamily Apartments Conversion: Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture by Board & Vellum (Rendering of Stream Queen Anne, the first office-to-residential project permitted in Seattle after the pandemic.)
Exterior Updates

Strategic updates to the building’s exterior — like a high-contrast paint upgrade — celebrate its commercial origin while bringing it into the 21st century with a new use. Queen Anne Commercial Conversion | Project Rendering by Board & Vellum

Your Guide to Multifamily Feasibility Studies

If you’ve been thinking about developing a multifamily project, whether it’s new construction or a conversion, apartments or townhomes, you’ve probably heard someone mention the need for something called a “feasibility study.” But what exactly is a feasibility study, and why is it such a crucial first step?

Aerial view of a single-family residential neighborhood for a blog post on middle housing.

The Middle Housing Bill FAQ

Washington State’s HB1110 — also called the Middle Housing Bill — is setting the stage for big changes to code and zoning in Seattle. But what is middle housing? And what is the “missing middle” HB1110 seeks to fill? You have questions and we have answers based on our best, current understanding of this landmark legislation.

Cantilevered Home – Modern Cantilevered Residence – Board & Vellum

Do I Need a Feasibility Study?

A lot of questions come up before embarking on a design project! A feasibility study, especially for complex or potentially complicated sites or projects, might be just what you need to kick off a successful project.

Growing in Place – Board & Vellum

What To Consider When Future-Proofing Your Home

How long do you plan to stay in your current home? If you’re considering staying in it through your golden years, you’ll want to start thinking about future-proofing. Confused? Don’t worry! Here, we’ll walk you through the four basic principles to follow when you’re planning to age in place.

Four chairs encircle a round coffee table. In the background, a large window looking out at Puget Sound is flanked by two built in book cases.

How to Design to a Concept Instead of a Theme

Concept vs. Theme. Maybe you’ve never thought about the difference between these approaches to design. Maybe you didn’t even realize they were related to design! The difference is subtle, but being able to tell them apart could be what keeps you from taking your design vision to an unpleasant extreme.

Considering a project, or curious about something?

Say hello, and send us your questions via the form below. We’re always pleased to make new connections, and eager to get to know you, your project, and your goals.

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Board & Vellum is honored to be a Gray Awards Finalist for landscape design, earning the recognition for the rooftop garden at the Lucille on Roosevelt.

Honored as a finalist for residential landscape design.

LEED Certified in White

Our team includes LEED-accredited professionals.

Certified Passive House Consultant in White

Our team includes certified Passive House consultants.

NGLCC Certified as LGBT Business Enterprise – Board & Vellum Recognition

A Certified LGBT Business Enterprise Since 2016.

PSBJ’s Top 25 LGBTQ-Owned Businesses 2016 in White

Honoring companies that lead in promoting equality.