Approach

We design homes that live with nature because we believe nature inspires the human spirit. Driven by curiosity, we guide our clients on a journey of discovery to create spaces that nurture meaningful relationships with people and nature—inspiring wonder, connection, and purpose at home and beyond.
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WE VALUE COLLABORATION

We invite you to be a creative partner with our diverse team of designers who each bring unique perspectives to your project. We listen to your ideas, share our expertise, and together we create something neither could have imagined alone.

Our collaborative spirit extends beyond our Portland studio walls. Over nearly 40 years, we've built deep relationships with talented landscape architects, interior designers, engineers, and skilled builders throughout New England. These partnerships mean you benefit from a trusted network of craftspeople who share our commitment to thoughtful design.

DESIGN IS DISCOVERY

Every project starts with curiosity about you and your land.

We bring both analytical expertise and intuitive sensitivity to uncover your site's unique opportunities. Rather than imposing a signature style, we're interested in discovering an architectural language that reflects who you are and celebrates where you live.

Our work is guided by fundamental values rooted in practical New England tradition. We believe in being good stewards of the land and that good design should do more with less—creating homes that are both beautiful and functional.
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HOME IS BELONGING

Your home should be a place of true belonging—a sanctuary where you can rest and recharge, and a welcoming space to gather with the people who matter most. It's where you make enduring memories, where you can be your most productive and creative self, and where daily life feels both comfortable and inspiring.

We design architecture that supports the routines and activities that bring you joy. Drawing from traditional, regionally appropriate patterns, we create new configurations uniquely tailored to how you actually live. Whether you're dreaming of a lakeside camp, a cozy cottage, or a neighborhood home, we understand that your house is part of a complete environment where walls open to sunlight and fresh air, and the rhythm of your daily life flows naturally into the surrounding landscape.

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LIVING WITH NATURE

Living with nature is an invitation to meaningfully engage with the beauty and rhythms of the natural world. Through intentional design, we can help you live with the sun, perhaps enjoying your morning coffee in eastern light, gathering in living areas that capture midday sunshine, or watching sunsets from a screened porch.

We design homes where indoor rooms and outdoor spaces flow into one another, forming vital living areas alive with birdsong, ocean breezes, and the rustle of leaves. Using proven building methods and today's building science, we create homes that are beautifully open to nature yet resilient, durable, and sustainable.

NATURE INSPIRES THE HUMAN SPIRIT

Nature is both powerful and peaceful—a dynamic environment that's bigger than us, yet something we're fundamentally part of. Its beauty has inspired countless artists, from those capturing sweeping vistas to those finding magic in subtle, tender moments.

Here on Maine's coast, rocky shores, deep forests, and enchanting light have long drawn painters, writers, and filmmakers seeking to express our region's enduring romance and character.

Our personal experience, supported by emerging research in environmental neuroscience, tells us that living with nature helps us flourish. It helps us be more present, create lasting memories, and brings out our most generous, creative, and positive selves. This is what we hope to nurture in every home we design: spaces that connect you more deeply to both the people you love and the natural world that sustains us all.

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Our Process

We provide services in four phases. They are sequential, each building upon the last, providing a specific level of information for particular use and purpose. Your participation and feedback is essential and welcomed at every stage; this is truly a collaborative journey.

PRE-DESIGN PHASE: EXPLORATION

Driven by curiosity, we seek to learn about you, your goals, and your land. A key first step in this process is a topographic land survey that meets our requirements.
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PHASE ONE: DESIGN CONCEPTS

We synthesize what we've learned together to develop and test design concepts that are a reflection of you and your land. In this phase we help you assemble other design team members according to your needs, such as a civil engineer, landscape architect, and interior designer. At the end of this phase we facilitate an interview process to select your builder and bring them onto your team.

PHASE TWO: PRICING, PERMITTING, & CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

With your team assembled, we continue to develop and refine the architectural design together. In this phase we provide thoughtfully crafted and detailed construction drawings and specifications for pricing, permitting, and construction.

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PHASE THREE: CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION & INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

‍Construction begins! We support the builder through the construction process to achieve the design we've created together. In this final phase we develop the interior architecture design in detail and collaborate with the interior design team to complete the finishing touches of your home.