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Welcome to the Board & Vellum blog.
Our blog is a resource for anyone wondering how to approach their project, seeking answers for their design questions, or simply eager for a peek inside our world. It’s a friendly resource from the design team at B&V.
Advice for Young Architects
Arts & Culture
Ask an Architect
Building Green
Civic
Commercial
Custom Residential
Events
Firm Culture
Historic & Traditional
Interior Design
Landscape Architecture
Multifamily & Mixed-Use
News
Other Tangents
Seattle Design Community
The Business of Design
Third Places
Ask an Architect, Custom Residential, Interior Design
Reducing Stress with Good Design
Reducing stress with good design is a thing, we promise. Even if you can’t put your finger on it, sloppy design causes stress. But well-designed spaces make you feel good, often without you realizing. Our goal as architects and designers, is to create those spaces that you love to be in, stress free.
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Interior Design
Our Current Favorite Lighting Fixtures
Are you daydreaming about new light fixtures? You will be soon! We asked our team of interior designers what light fixtures they are currently swooning over. Check out each their responses in this post for some great designers, studios, and manufacturers out there who are making some beautiful fixtures you’ll love to see.
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Commercial, Interior Design
How To Create a Residential Feel in a Commercial Space
Are you hoping for a residential feel — that "homey" comfort — in your commercial space? You aren’t alone! Spaces that capture that homey feeling draw people in, and can help people feel more comfortable and relaxed in your establishment. How do you pull it off? Here are our top ten design elements to make it happen.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Early Spring Flowers
It’s definitely starting to feel like spring, even if we know there’s more rain around the corner. Early spring flowers are emerging, marking the start of the beautiful seasonal change, leaving winter behind. Read on to learn about three of our favorite early-blooming powerhouses: cornelian cherry, manzanita, and crocus.
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Building Green, Custom Residential
Approachable, Sustainable Ideas to Save Money in Your Home
People assume that green building, or using sustainable practices, will cost them more money. But, while some upfront costs may be higher, often, the long-term costs are lower. Here are five approachable and sustainable ideas you can explore to help make your home healthier for you and your family while being better for the environment.
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Ask an Architect, The Business of Design
Do Architects Advocate for the Client or for the Architect?
Does an architect or designer advocate for your interests or for theirs? We believe your design team should advocate for you. That doesn't mean just being a "yes man" — it means working with you to design the best path forward. Here are a few areas we can especially help by being your advocate.
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Landscape Architecture
How Much Does It Cost to Redo the Landscape at My House?
Estimating the budget for redoing your yard doesn’t have to be just a finger in the air, and a simple cost-per-square-foot estimate won't quite get you there, either. We recommend using your home’s value as a starting point. Here is a quick guide for what you can hope to build at different budget levels.
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Ask an Architect, Custom Residential
Can You Convert Your Attic to Living Space?
Just because it seems like there is enough space in your attic to be converted into a finished room, doesn’t mean it’s actually a good idea to try it. Most of the time, it turns out to be unfeasible, and here are the four main reasons why we usually don’t see these projects move forward.
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Interior Design, Landscape Architecture
Seven Reasons You Should Add House Plants to Your Interior Design
House plants can be a great improvement to an interior space — here are seven reasons why you'll benefit from including them as part of the interior design of your space, and it's not just for aesthetics.
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Commercial, Interior Design, Third Places
Ten Design Elements to Consider for Your Third Place
Always dreamed of quitting your 9-5 job and opening your own coffee shop? Or perhaps looking to spruce up your existing quaint café? Look no further! Here are ten key design elements you won't want to forget, taking your Third Place’s design to the next level and encourage your clientele to linger.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Contrasting Winter Colors
In winter landscapes, there are certainly fewer blooms, but fortunately, even dormant plants can offer visual interest. Contrasting winter colors in the landscape often come from other elements of the plant, such as the bark. These three plants are some of the ones we’ve enjoyed seeing shining through the snowy weather.
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Building Green, Interior Design
Selecting Sustainable Materials: Your Go-To Guide
Of course, materials play a large role in interior design, and their impact on the sustainability of a project cannot be ignored. So, how do you select sustainable materials that live up to your requirements? Here is a quick guide for what to look for, including material makeup, material source, manufacturing processes, and third-party certifications.
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Ask an Architect
How Do Architects Work with Out-Of-Town Clients?
Do you have to hire an architect or designer in the same geographic area as your project? No. But, that being said, there some crucial things to know and consider if you go this route. Here are answers to common questions we get about working with out-of-town clients or non-local design teams.
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Commercial, Custom Residential, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Multifamily & Mixed-Use
Virtual Reality for Architecture: Experience Your Space Before You Build It
Can you visualize a space from floor plans as if you were in it yourself? Don’t worry, most people can’t, and that sometimes makes it hard to communicate design ideas. Virtual reality can help with that — we can spin up a VR model so you can experience it as close to real as it gets.
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Arts & Culture, Events
Work by Jon-Eric Schafer in the “By Others” Gallery at Board & Vellum
We have a brand new show at Board & Vellum’s By Others gallery: ceramic sculpture and watercolors by Jon-Eric Schafer. Join us for the opening at the Capitol Hill Art Walk, February 14th, 6-9 PM. For a teaser, read our Q&A with him to learn a little about his work.
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Interior Design
How To Live Big in a Small Space
Do you live in a small space? (Or, do you have small spaces in your larger home?) There are all sorts of things you can do to maximize small spaces, to help them “live larger” so-to-speak, so you don’t feel cramped. Here are seven tips to keep in mind.
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Commercial
Design Your Retail Space for Selfies (Yes, Really.)
Maintaining a small retail business is really hard — you need great marketing, and to get your space in front of a lot of eyes. We say, design your retail space for selfies! If your shop or restaurant looks unique and interesting, your visitors will help market it for you. Here’s how to get started with design.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Sights & Scents of Midwinter
Is winter all just chilly, dark, and gloomy? Well, maybe if you don’t know where to look, or where to sniff. Don’t fret, there are some lovely — often overlooked — sights and scents to enjoy in the midwinter landscape, and we’ll explore some of our favorites here: Witch Hazel, Daphne, and Sarcococca (or Sweet Box).
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Ask an Architect, Custom Residential, Interior Design
Ten Tips For Designing a Great Small Bathroom
Judging from the number of sub-par small bathrooms out there leaving you wanting more, it must be hard for some people to design them! It's true, it is tricky to design a great small bathroom, but it is completely doable. Here are ten tips to help you design one that feels just right.
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Building Green
Environmentally Responsible Design & Sustainability
Pairing environmentally responsible design with beautiful-designed spaces is very important to us. So, to kick off the near year, we wrote a manifesto declaring the principles we’ll follow to ensure we are doing the best we can to help not only our clients but those who inhabit the spaces and places we create in the future.
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Landscape Architecture
Maximizing a Small Urban Yard
Take a digital walk through this small, urban yard to see just how much fits into this tight, city lot. But first, let’s hear about the story behind how this unique project actually came to be. You may recognize it from the B&V portfolio: The Urban Yard at the Seattle Box.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Textures & Colors of Winter
Winter landscapes can be full of textures and colors, includling blooms! There is a lot to love, but here are three of our favorites for Pacific Northwest winter gardens: Oregon Grape, Setsugekka Camellia, and Golden Sweet Flag. Learn a little about them, how to care for them, and how to feature them in your garden.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Late Autumn in the Pacific Northwest
As our Pacific Northwest autumn months get darker and darker, it’s easy to feel a little gloomy. But, if you look around, there are actually a lot of beautiful flowers blooming, even in the chill and rain. Here are a few of our favorites to watch in the late autumn season.
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Arts & Culture, Events
Work by Claire Showalter in the “By Others” Gallery at Board & Vellum
In the mood for some art? Good! The Capitol Hill Art Walk is coming up again, and we are hosting a new artist, Claire Showalter, at Board & Vellum’s By Others gallery. Read our Q&A with her to learn a little about her work and her process ahead of the November 8th opening reception.
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Ask an Architect, Custom Residential, Interior Design
Cheap Design Tricks for Your Home Improvement Project
People ask us a lot how they can save money on their home improvement project, and there are plenty of great tricks that suit smaller budgets. (Spoiler Alert: You still need good design.) Here are ten cheap design tricks that will help you get that extra ”oomph” out of your budget.
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Building Green, Custom Residential, Interior Design
Six Easy Sustainable Design Options to Consider for your Next Home Remodel
Sustainable design doesn’t mean you have to have solar panels, reuse your water, or have a green roof. There are plenty of smaller efforts you can take that can have a positive impact both on your carbon footprint and your budget. Here are six sustainable design options to get you started.
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Interior Design
Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating: What’s the Difference?
What is the difference between interior design and interior decorating? For starters, it's more than picking out pillows. There are a lot of misconceptions about these two roles, but it’s important to understand the difference before you hire someone to help you with your space. Here are the details and some common misconceptions.
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Ask an Architect, Commercial, Custom Residential, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture
Ask an Architect: Highlights from The B&V Blog
Our blog has always been a way for us to pull back the curtain on what we do as architects and designers: to advocate for our clients and help anyone learn a bit more about how we do things. This is a collection of highlights from the past few years, all in one place!
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Custom Residential, Interior Design
Five Ways to Design for Entertaining
Do you love to entertain? Here are five ways you can design for entertaining: tips for features you may want to design into your space to make your life as a host easier, more fun, and to help your home support the social events you enjoy planning and hosting.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Early Autumn in the Pacific Northwest
Even though the Pacific Northwest is known for its eternal greenery (Hello, Emerald City!), we do still have plenty of beautiful fall colors. Here are three of our favorites, from trees to sedums that thrive in our northwest climate and will brighten up your fall day.
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Interior Design
Is Custom Furniture or Wallpaper Worth It?
Is custom furniture or other custom interiors items, like wallpaper or art, worth it? We think so! And, the price of these items is really not as scary as you think, sometimes, it’s even less than the pieces from large manufacturers, and with better quality. Here are some basics on custom furniture and more.
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Ask an Architect
Are Architects “Experts”?
Are architects experts? No. But we are fantastic creative problem solvers and we eagerly learn from our mistakes. You might say, we are experts and recognizing the mistakes we’ve made in the past, and making a point of doing better. Here are five lessons we’ve learned to be an expert at avoiding.
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Advice for Young Architects, The Business of Design
How To Design For Others
Unless you are an architect guided only by your own ego, you need to learn how to design for others. Your clients will be unique individuals who may have needs and preferences that are completely foreign to you. Here are some tips to hone your skills at understanding the needs of people unlike you.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now, In August: Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas may be well-known, but did you there are a variety of different types? From the aptly-named ‘Incrediball’ to even a climbing version (really!) — here the details on a few of our favorites, recommendations on where to plant them, and how to make sure they get what they need to be a champ bloomer.
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Advice for Young Architects
Career Path of an Architect (And, Beyond)
What are you going to be when you grow up? Does it come as a surprise that a lot of architects wonder this constantly? The education and on-the-job training that the architectural profession requires trains you for all sorts of other professions that require creative problem-solving. So, what are you going to be?
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Arts & Culture, Events
Work by Claudia Hollander-Lucas in the “By Others” Gallery at Board & Vellum
The Capitol Hill Art Walk is coming up again, and here at Board & Vellum’s By Others gallery, we are hosting a show by artist Claudia Hollender-Lucas. Read our Q&A with her to learn a little about her work and her process ahead of the August 9th opening reception.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: Moon Gardens in July
How much do you love a moon garden? When designing your landscape, don’t forget you can plan not only for the experience of the garden in the day time, but also the late night hours! These blooming plants are great candidates for a beautiful (and great smelling) night garden.
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Other Tangents
Use Your Words (Even When You Can’t)
Even in a profession where we quite literally draw pictures to communicate, words are incredibly important, too. Use them carefully, and precisely to get the job done right, and don’t forget that words can communicate very differently if they are said out loud versus written down, and there’s a time and place for both.
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Firm Culture, News, The Business of Design
Five Ways You Can Create Great Work Culture
At the end of June, we attended the 2018 Seattle Magazine's Best 100 Companies to Work for Event, in the top 10 for small business for the third year! We are excited, of course, but it takes a lot of work to create work culture like this. Here are 5 ways we help cultivate our work culture.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: June in Seattle
June in Seattle is also known as “Juneuary,” thanks to our famously rainy early summers. But there are still plenty of flowers to enjoy at this time of year, and you could argue they look even better glistening with raindrops. Read on to learn about the Japanese Snowbell, the Pacific Mock Orange, and Creeping Honeysuckle.
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Other Tangents
Channeling Experience: Storytelling in the Spaces We Design
Although we humans have invented new ways of sharing knowledge beyond the sharing of stories to one other over the firepit, storytelling is a key part of our culture. (Who doesn’t love a good story?) But beyond the stories we tell out loud, there is storytelling in spaces we design, too.
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Ask an Architect, Custom Residential
What’s Harder: Designing a New House or Remodeling an Existing Home?
Remodeling vs building new: is one harder than the other? It’s very difficult to compare the two, as it’s not apples to apples. While they do share some of the same approaches, they are different challenges that require careful thought. Here are a few of the things to keep in mind when remodeling your home.
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Landscape Architecture
What’s Blooming Now: In Seattle, Dogwood Trees!
Are you wondering: “What are those trees blooming in late spring, with large flowers in shades of pink or white?” They might be dogwoods, a powerhouse of landscape design that has a number of great cultivars and varieties. Here are a few of our favorite dogwood varieties, along with some details about their care and preferences.
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Interior Design
Simple Tips For Creating a Statement Bathroom
Why design a statement bathroom? For one, it’s one of the most frequented spaces in the home. Have one you’re proud of showing off, and you won't mind when friends and family visit it. What does it take to make a bathroom worth showing off? Here are some simple tips for creating a statement bathroom.
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Ask an Architect, Commercial, Custom Residential, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Multifamily & Mixed-Use
Hourly vs. Fixed-Fee Billing: What is the Difference?
How do you decide between hourly vs. fixed-fee billing? People really don’t like to talk about money, but you need to talk about it enough to make the right choice about how you would like your project billed. Here is how these two billing methods work, and why you might prefer one over the other.
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Arts & Culture, Events
Work by Marysol A. Damo in the “By Others” Gallery at Board & Vellum
The Capitol Hill Art Walk is coming up again, and here in Board & Vellum’s By Others gallery, we are hosting a show by artist Marysol A. Damo. Read our Q&A with her to learn a little about her work ahead of the May 10th opening reception.
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Other Tangents
Unlikely Inspiration: The Strange Journeys of the Creative Process
A lot of times, unlikely inspiration solves your problems. To non-designers, it may seem a little crazy, but just as any odd thing can remind you of something else entirely, for designers, that experience often triggers their brains about a project they are working on, taking them on a mental journey towards a design solution.
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Landscape Architecture
What Are the Tools of The Trade for Landscape Architecture?
While there is definitely some overlap with other design and technical professions, there are certain tools of the trade for landscape architecture that are really key to getting the job done well. This post explores those digital and analog tools landscape architects and designers keep close at hand in their professional toolkit.
Read more.Or, if chronology isn’t your thing…
Here are a couple of posts to get you started. Of course, it’s hard to choose, so feel free to poke around; we hope to have a little something for everyone. And, if you have a burning question you’d like us to cover in a future post, please let us know!
Considering a project? Or, just curious about something?
Send us your questions about design, architecture, interiors, landscape, LEGO rooms… Anything, really. We’re always eager to meet new people, and we’d love to get to know you, your project, and your goals.
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.