Jeff Pelletier

A large canvas tent is nestled within a grouping of trees and flowers. There are two people sitting inside it, drinking from mugs, sheltered from the weather.

Custom Residential, Landscape Architecture

Seven Tips for Enjoying Your Outdoor Spaces All Winter Long

We think embracing the outdoors is key to fully enjoying the winter season. If you live in Seattle, you might be scratching your head. Enjoying the outdoors in all this rain? In short, yes! There’s so much to enjoy this time of year, so take a leaf out of Scandinavia’s book and prepare to get cozy.

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A close-up shot of a table covered in papers with the hands of people marking them up.

The Business of Design

How a Philosophy of High Performance is Changing the Way We Work

Designing a home or building is one thing. Designing the work experience of your employees is quite another. But the design mentality we bring to our projects also allows us to adapt and innovate how we operate as a team. Though our firm has evolved over the years, our values have not, guiding us to adopt the philosophy of a high-performance team.

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Looking down the long deck of a historic cabin. The sun is lighting up the old stone wall and the large wooden pillars cast shadows on it.

Custom Residential, Sustainable Practice

Going the Extra Mile for an Unusual Addition

Living in a log cabin just might be one of the more sustainable things you can do. If you’re a city-dweller, you might never get the chance to do so unless you’re like one of our scrappy clients who saved a log cabin by attaching it to their home as an addition.

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A historic home with a second story addition that, while bold, suits the home.

Custom Residential

Questions to Ask Yourself About Building a Second-Story Addition

Adding a second story to your home can be a great solution when you want to stay in your house but need more space. Once you’ve decided to build up, though, the decision-making isn’t done. What questions should you be asking yourself before you commit to a second-story addition?

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Architecture, Ask a Designer

What It’s Like Working with an Architect

When you see an architect portrayed on television or in the movies, they’re either totally unrelatable, wildly eccentric creative-types, or in all black, mingling at a cocktail party as if they would rather be anywhere else. Inevitably, these characters have egos so big they barely fit in the frame. But what’s it like working with real-life architects?

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The blue ceiling and yellow wall of a historic home with modern-made historic details.

Ask a Designer, Custom Residential, Historic & Traditional, Interior Design

Matching a Historic Feel with Modern Materials

How authentic does something really need to be? When you remodel a historic home, or just love a lived-in look, it can be difficult to determine when (and how) to make a new object or material look original. Here, we’ve laid out a few rules of thumb to follow if you’re ever in this predicament yourself.

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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.

Developing a new custom residential property on undeveloped land with Board & Vellum.

What to Look For When Buying Land to Build a Vacation Home

Buying land for a vacation or second home comes with hidden risks: buildability limits, utility costs, environmental constraints, and remote-build logistics. Before you fall in love with a view, learn what to look for so you can make a confident, informed purchase. Here’s what our architects consider before, and after, you buy.

Designing Backyard Spas & Wellness Retreats – Landscape Architecture – Board & Vellum

Designing Your Backyard Wellness Retreat

A hot tub is a feature. A wellness retreat is an experience and the difference is design. From cedar saunas and cold plunge pools to outdoor yoga platforms and curated water features, we’ll walk you through how we design a backyard sanctuary that restores, performs, and reflects exactly how you live.

Designing & Permitting Backyard Buildings

What does it take to get your backyard building built? Whether its an accessory structure, a detached accessory dwelling unit, or a garage, a little gumption goes a long way. With careful planning and a little patience, you can have the backyard building of your dreams.

Navigating the World of Backyard Buildings

When it comes to backyard buildings, there are many things to consider. The first is: what exactly is a backyard building? From accessory structures to detached accessory dwelling units to garages, we’re breaking down the three main types of backyard buildings and how they function on your property.

Your House Shouldn’t Be Perfect

Homes are meant to age. And while obviously new spaces have their place, there is something special about a home that feels a little imperfect. Here are some of our favorite materials that add an organic, lived-in feel to a home, even when the spaces are entirely new.

Rolled up project construction documents for a home.

Factors That Impact Permit Timing

How long does it take to get a permit? This is a perennial question we wish we had a simple answer to. In reality, there are many factors that can impact permit timing. Here, we explore what those factors are so you’re armed with the right knowledge before your project goes in for permit.

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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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