Jeff Pelletier
Architecture, Custom Residential
Spec Home vs. Semi-Custom Home vs. Custom Home
When designing a new home, it’s important to understand the level of service you’ll need to get the particular quality of new home you’re hoping for. From a spec home, to a semi-custom home, to a fully custom home — here are the differences between the levels of service and the quality of the end result.
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Architecture, Custom Residential
The Benefits of Building a New Home vs. Remodeling an Old One
Remodeling a home is not always the right call — there are a lot of complicated factors at play (and we’re here to help). If you are wondering about the advantages of building a new home instead of remodeling an old one, here is a quick primer on the advantages of new construction.
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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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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.
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.
Building Walkable Neighborhoods
The walkability of neighborhoods is an important factor in community health and livability. While we see around the globe the benefits of neighborhoods that are easily traversed on foot or bike, in the U.S., many of our cities are oriented toward vehicular traffic, rather than pedestrians. So what could make our communities more walkable?
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.
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?
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.
Navigating the Challenges of Middle Housing
Washington State’s Middle Housing Bill creates a lot of opportunity, but it also presents some challenges for self-developers. Here, we explore the expanded choices HB1110 offers, and how having a multidisciplinary design team can help navigate the real-life outcomes of this new legislation.
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Achieved a Just label from the International Living Future Institute in 2023.
Honored as a finalist for residential landscape design.
Our team includes LEED-accredited professionals.
Our team includes certified Passive House consultants.
A Certified LGBT Business Enterprise Since 2016.
Honoring companies that lead in promoting equality.