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When the Designer Becomes the Client — A Series

Part 1

Every day, at AHD&Co, I help clients realize their dream homes through architecture and interior design—in new builds, renovations, and remodels. I’ve done both for my own family, and this Studio Journal series looks back on the recent, extensive remodel of our current family home, the Stoneleigh. 

When we purchased this home in 2020, I didn’t know the stories it would tell. But now, after completing the project and making the house our own, it continues to give us new stories. This series is one of those. It’s a peek into the process — the ups and downs, the lessons learned, and the solidarity for my clients that this project instilled in me.

After all, we were in the beginning of the Covid timeline, and looking back it may have been a bit (or a lot) of madness. Still, it was also an opportunity to create something beautiful and functional for our family in this new normal.

As an architect and interior designer, I have always been drawn to creating dream homes. Designing a space from scratch or transforming an existing one into something entirely new is both challenging and rewarding. And when it comes to my home, the stakes are even higher because it’s where my family will live and make memories.

That’s why when we purchased our current home, the Stoneleigh, I knew it would be a project unlike any other. Little did I know then just how much this house would shape us and tell its own story.

We’ll start at the beginning…because in an instant — everything changed.

Several years ago, my husband and I took a walk through a neighborhood in our town that we have always loved. It’s called Stoneleigh Park. It has an inherent charm that comes from the small street that is an oval. Mature trees line the street and each old home is unique. Yes, really old homes!
And you know what? One of our favorite homes was for sale.  We went back the next day, made an offer, and POOF it was accepted!  Oh my, now the panic settled in!

We were completely enchanted with the Stoneleigh the minute we stepped foot in the house.

You see, just eight years ago we completed our “dream” house that I designed. My husband Robert and I built it together. The home is LEED Gold certified and the plan is based on a not-so-new old house feel.  

I’m sure you’re thinking, “What does she mean by that?” 

Old homes were compartmentalized for their use. Before we had the internet, television, and radio — never mind the endless carpools — people lived in their homes. You know what I mean after being stuck inside our home more than ever during the Covid19 lockdowns! 

I have never cared for the fully open floor plans that have been so widely popular over the last 15-20 years. I dislike the loss of a foyer! Entering a home is a series of small wonderful moments that culminate at the end of the visit. (But more on that later in this blog series.) That’s how we had designed and built that new home.

But the Stoneleigh had a fantastic flow. It is a classic center Dutch Colonial initially built in 1899!  You are welcomed with a generous wide porch and a front door adorned with a leaded glass surrounded by matching sidelites. The scale is grand yet not overwhelming. And from the minute you step onto the porch, you feel it’s something special. 

Robert and I were completely enchanted the minute we entered this house. Yep, just like in the movies, with smells of baked cookies and children laughing as they run around in the halls. 

OOPS let’s get back to the story.

We loved the layout and flow and old-home compartmentalization and charm the Stoneleigh offered.

Back to the panic…the closing, the keys, the new home that was now ours. 

I had no idea, at that moment, that my perspective of design would change forever. Or even more shockingly, just how much more I could sympathize with my clients when they are faced with so many decisions. 

I knew we had a lot to do here, but I was sure it would be spectacular. We just needed to move a few walls, modernize every bathroom, make a new kitchen, upgrade the HVAC, repair the 120-year-old heart pine floors, paint EVERYTHING. Oh, and did I say the hubby wants to add a pool with landscaping? And did I say all in ten weeks?

From the minute you step onto the porch at the Stoneleigh, you feel it’s something special.

Working on a project with my clients, I can “see the solution” like a cartoon flowing in my head as I am in their space. I try to tell them I have an idea…”Now don’t worry, I will talk you through it!” HA! That’s when their panic sets in I’m sure.  

This house, the Stoneleigh, was different. It was all about me and I could not get outside my own head in order to find objective opinions. I kept talking to myself on one side of my brain about the practical aspects of the design and the most cost-effective options. Then the other side would chime in and say, “But if you just…”  

And that’s most likely at least another $10K change! Ohhhhh…who’s going to tell the client about that change order???

At AHD&Co, we are architects, space planners, and interior designers helping clients realize their dream homes in new builds, renovations, and remodels.

Design is more to me than just the pretty things that can be moved with a truck. Design is about the experience of the space, and the moods that are brought to all the users of the space — this is good design. Do you feel confined, vulnerable, or not inspired by your space? Our design firm is different than most, as we are architects, space planners, and interior designers. We can help you love the spaces you live in! 
I love our new, old home, but getting the Stoneleigh to where it is now was quite a process. These next few Journal entries are a peek inside the journey that a designer faces when tackling a project as the client. So follow along to read about the ups and downs of the process and see what happened next.

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