Byggnadsskisser i Waitsfield, VT.

“Steve Frey of Arocordis Design worked with me through a year and a half of hard decisions and amazing outcomes. We began by discussing plans to build a home out of shipping containers. He researched and incorporated green building techniques to keep within my low budget of 150K-200K. When the designs were in their first stages, he shopped them out to a couple known shipping container builders. He gently broke the news to me that getting the containers to Vermont was cost prohibitive used too much energy, defeating the purpose. We moved onto a simpler wood construction and through a few sit-down meetings we collaborated on the design, wants and don't really need kind of stuff , to establish a full blueprint. During this time he found my Realtor and set up interviews with 3 builders (newer guy into green building, established middle of the road kind of guy, and a top green builder). The only hitch was not being able to find a reasonable bit of land for the right price in the right spot. Steve was great at letting me know when it was time to take a break, give it time, and move on the next opportunity. I eventually decided to buy an existing home, an 1840's farmhouse, that need work, but had great bones. Steve went back to the drawing board and did 4 elevations, an addition design, and reworked the interior for more open concept. Since I had decided to partner with Jacob Rogen at Rogen Design Build initially, Steve graciously handed the reigns over to Jacob, who has done a masterful job during the 1st phase of renovations. I thankful for Steve's support and professionalism throughout this process. He knows his industry and is constantly looking to learn more and keep on top of new discoveries. Our time during the design phase was so productive and he listened to what I needed. He took what I had to say and interpreted it in the designs with perfection.”

“Cushman designed and oversaw construction of my small inn, sterling Ridge Inn. The design was economical and sited perfectly with the natural beauty of the meadows, woods, and spectacular mountains. Inside, on the porches, or in the grounds, one felt comfortably connected to the nearby natural beauty. Everything, from the convenience of the kitchen to the light and comfort of the cathedral ceiling living room gave great comfort to the inkeeper (me), as well as my guests.”

“5 or 6 years we made a decision to relocate to Vermont and build. We interviewed several designers/architects and almost instantly had connection with Ray, he seemed to be what we needed. Our process was a long one, but Ray stuck with us. We stopped the project after for a while after we started with Ray and wasn't sure we'd come back. After a year or so we knew we wanted to jump back in. Ray picked us back up immediately. His attention to detail you'll find unmatched. He is great at suggestions and also adapting to his clients ideas. Soon after we started back we lost our builder. He helped us set up interviews and select a new builder. We started back up at the beginning of the covid pandemic , but Ray worked with us and we managed to visit door/window, flooring, countertops and cabinet vendors with his assistance. he was with us every step of the way. We were lucky to get one of the better builders in upper Vermont and he was very complimentary of Ray's attention to detail and guidance. Ray saw the project to its completion. We've been in over a year now and could not be happier with our finished product.”

“Nancy Leary did a beautiful redesign on my 1850's VT farmhouse. She seamlessly incorporated all my needs, in a fashion that was respectful of the original character of the house, but which also managed to incorporate all the conveniences of the 21st century. The project included: restoration of original front porch, design and installation of a new, modern kitchen, total LR redesign including: creation of stove fireplace and appropriate flanking built-in bookcases, design and installation of new windows and exterior door in LR, relocation of front door, and realignment of beams under original pine plank flooring to eliminate serious buckling and slant. Besides doing a basic basement rehab, a including a new concrete floor, new windows and insulation, upstairs Nancy also did a new insulation of many exterior walls, and in the master bedroom, the installation of new gas fireplace and incorporation of old mantel . Her attentiveness, humor and care throughout the project made her a pleasure to work with. I recommend her highly.”

“Smith & Vansant is a phenomenal architectural firm. In fact, working with them renovated not only my house, but my life! After 15 years or so of living with the property more or less as I found it, my tiny 1850 Cape needed long-overdue renovations -- including improvements to all major systems, solutions to a big water problem in the basement, a new kitchen, a new roof, adding working and living space, and a home office, along with extensive site work and landscaping. From a design perspective, they are simply brilliant. They have a fantastic aesthetic sense; know how to integrate old and new in a way that is pure genius; and are skilled problem-solvers. I wanted the house to be more liveable and comfortable, while still honoring the antique details that had drawn me to the property in the first place. Pi Smith and Stephen Branchflower in particular not only listened to me all along the way, but heard me. They gave me exactly what I had hoped for. From a practical perspective, I needed to live in the house while this was going on, and they were sensitive to my need to carry on amidst the upheaval. They worked closely with the contractor, Lud Leskovar, to assure that I was comfortable and inconvenienced a little as humanly possible while the work was being done all around me. Smith & Vansant, Lud Leskovar and I worked closely as a team. The kept me informed as to costs all along the way and helped me make decisions that took into account my both budget and my dreams. They were endlessly patient and always kind. Everyone in this close-knit firm is a pleasure to work with, operates with the highest integrity, and knows what they are doing. I can't recommend Smith & Vansant highly enough. For photos of this project, see "Houzz Tour: Beautiful, Hardworking Cape Renovation" on this site.”

“Melissa designed a kitchen and vertical addition to my 1820 brick one-room schoolhouse in Vermont. She was super thoughtful to find ways to preserve the original timber framing of the roof while maximizing the interior space for storage, second bedroom and office. The kitchen is almost finished and is a dream to work in. I haven't done the tower/dormer construction yet, but I dream about it daily!”

“We worked with Chris on the design of our new home build in Stowe, Vermont and it was a very pleasant experience. He listened to our design ideas and worked closely with us to mold our dream into a workable reality. He provided useful suggestions to improve cost efficiency without sacrificing aesthetics. I highly recommend.”

“In 2012, after talking with several different architects, I selected Karyn Scherer to design my new home. I ended up not only with a lovely, comfortable and well-functioning house, but also a wonderful new friendship. I knew exactly what I wanted…sunlight, air, flow of spaces, cozy but spacious, low maintenance… Karyn listened and understood my ideas and goals. Together, we began the process of designing and building my house. Working with Karyn was easy and pleasant. While discussing all the many decisions and choices to be made, Karyn could explain to me in ways I really understood, what was involved; why we could NOT do A, if I absolutely wanted B and C. Or, she could come up with a different way, perhaps less complicated or less expensive to achieve whatever the particular goal was. Designing and building a new home is most certainly a complicated PROCESS, and I think it’s extremely important that the architect and the home owner maintain a good working relationship throughout. There are always some unexpected surprises and I found that Karyn was able to problem solve creatively any time that happened. Respect, trust, and good communication were the important pieces in our working relationship. It certainly paid off…I really love my house and I consider Karyn a good friend !”

“My wife and I were interested in a functional, artistic and fun solution to our needs for a screened in porch. What we ended up with was far beyond what we ever could have imagined. You have to see the pictures! We now call Sandy the "Cement Artist"”

“I renovated my 1905 home in downtown Hanover, NH in 2009. The renovations included new bathrooms, but the challenging changes--and the ones most important to me--were the ones that transformed my kitchen and the adjoining dining area. I hired Haynes and Garthwaite to plan the project, do the drawings, and supervise the work. I worked closely with Andrew Garthwaite. I was, and remain, so pleased with what was done and how it was done that I am hoping to persuade Andrew to do the designs for my condominium in Cambridge, MA. The Hanover renovations achieved what I wanted them to achieve, stayed within the limits of the budget Andrew and I had established, and were more exciting than stressful to live through. Before the work, the first floor of the house was relatively dark. The spaces were cramped and impractical for whatever activity they were supposedly destined (cooking, entertaining...). The kitchen was an awkward L-shaped thing with dreadful cabinets, appliances in illogical places, and basement stairs in an unfortunate spot. The dining room was too small to accommodate even eight people comfortably. I showed Andrew the open-floor layout of a recently-built condo and basically said: reproduce this effect in my house--without destroying the character of the house. Amazingly, that was exactly what he did. A useless outdoor porch became part of my new dining room/kitchen. The basement stairs were moved to an outside wall, where they were out of the way (and also easily accessible, through a new outside door, to plumbers and electricians and other people with muddy boots). Lovely, well-designed cherry cabinets and drawers complemented grey-black granite counters. An island separates the kitchen from the dining area, where I recently fed ten people comfortably. New windows mean that the entire kitchen-dining space catches first the morning and then the afternoon sun; recessed lighting and attractive hanging lamps take over after sunset. I have two armchairs, a coffee table, and a large Bijar rug between the dinner table and the kitchen island. Even though the house has two studies, I now tend to work sitting in one of the chairs in the dining area, simply because the aesthetics of the space are so pleasing. Three old bathrooms--each with its own set of problems--are now thoroughly updated. Everything works, and the bathrooms look attractive. In the bedrooms, closets and built-ins have enhanced storage space without making the house look like a victim of identity theft. Thanks to Andrew's skills and dedication, we started with excellent and precise plans. But Andrew was constantly available during the project, watching for unanticipated possibilities as well as problems. The results were really terrific. I recommend Andrew and his firm without reservation to anyone embarking on a renovation project.”