( the one )

when we finally decided to pull the trigger on building a house,

the next question was, did we need an architect?

we definitely wanted something a bit different, but simple.

sort of a raw modern envelope to beautifully contain our life.

 and while we could probably have adapted a set of plans,

we realized there was a lot to be gained from the knowledge and experience of an architect.

it's a huge decision. it would affect our every day lives.

we wanted a local architect. both to sustain our ailing local economy

and because it's so much easier to truly invest yourself in something that's close to home.

we were down to two architects.

but one didn't feel right. his houses, while spectacular, felt like showcases.

meetings were held at his office, and costs were brushed under the rug.

the other wanted to meet at our home. (a fine way i think, to observe what we surround ourselves with. to learn a bit more about us, what we love, who we are.)

his houses, they felt like homes.

and he was very upfront about costs, pointing out that one of our requests was going to add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of the house. (armed with that knowledge, we quickly reevaluated.)

and from the beginning, he felt involved.

tossing out ideas, taking part, and getting that gleam of excitement.

in the end, our choice was easy.

hue projects.

we toured two of his homes.

the first three images, a home originally designed by robert frost.

our architect was hired to restore it, reimagine some of the spaces, and build an addition.

original cabinets were catalogued and recreated.

the home feels like a perfect little idlewild.

a modern structure tucked into a blooming wilderness.

the second three images are a home he designed to nestle unobtrusively in a mid-century neighborhood. a bit more formal, but executed with simple & clean materials,

thoughtful details and a welcoming feel.

while neither is quite representative of our future home,

we saw the details and craftsmanship that would carry us through our project.

and an eye for the overall feel of a space, that we couldn't have achieved on our own.

i promise to share more pictures soon. well, computer renderings anyway!

xo. r