My husband and I heartily recommend Nicole of MAKE Design.
Our project involved extending and reconfiguring our interior entry, the exterior approach to the house, and several decks in conjunction with regrading and landscaping our front yard and garden.
Nicole was asked to design and obtain the required permits for the entryway extension, new decks and a new walkway to our house. We appreciated being able to see proposed designs, and changes to them, in 3D in Nicole's computer program. The 3D aspect was unique in our experience; one could feel if a corner was too tight, or if an area was too dark by seeing a cross section, or a view from inside or from a specific angle. And by using this program, Nicole was able to render both designs and changes quickly and efficiently, which reduced her time and travel charges.
Nicole closely listened to our list of goals for the renovation, asked excellent questions and observed our budgetary constraints before and while she prepared the drawings. She provided all of the services specified in our contract with her, and her charges were within the framework of the contract as well.
The city of Seattle, unbeknownst to us, had designated our area as both steep slope and slide-prone, which had great potential to disrupt our planned remodel. Nicole proved to be very familiar with city regulations and processes and was able to obtain our permit amazingly quickly despite these complications.
Our landscaper, our deck builder and our contractor, all accustomed to working with architects and not always positive about the experience, frequently commented that Nicole was extremely competent, had great ideas and was easy to deal with, and each of them has recommended and/or chosen her for the design and permit phases of subsequent projects which required architectural input.
After the exterior phase of the remodel was complete, Nicole proved to be of great help in providing sources and ideas for interior features and is still willing to serve as a sounding board and wise counselor with respect to some of our decorating "ideas".
In addition to providing excellent professional services, Nicole is a joy to work with--down to earth, with a wry sense of humor and a congenial personality, and our association, which quickly grew beyond architectural considerations, has proven to be a lasting one. She's just easy to like. read more