Project Update: Scottsville Home Renovation

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 20, 2026 | architecture, Charlottesville, Interior Design

Our clients asked us to find ways to make their home more functional, utilizing existing spaces with intentional planning. We worked to find places to add architectural interest, pragmatic storage, and beauty throughout this home renovation in Scottsville, Virginia. We listened to the pain points of their existing spaces and developed a comprehensive plan to make this a home one that supports the life they want to live in this place.

Using custom built-in storage solutions we were able to design solutions for our client’s unique lifestyle. In the mudroom entry we designed coat hooks, floor-to-ceiling cubbies, and integrated a bench to keep the space functional and clutter-free.

Below the staircase we utilized space that is often forgotten for added storage. The built-in drawers and open shelves transforms this space into display space, book nook, and a place to hide some items from view. The bonus pet bed spot adds a place to get that dog bed out of the floor to avoid the tripping hazard we have all faced.

Before

After

The playroom was transformed into a multi-use play, hang-out, workspace for the kids. They have plenty of space to create, dream, do homework, and it will all be easy to keep neat. We also have a large space for book and media storage or even better, a place to display all the cool creations the kids are going to make at their new built in desks.

The main living space has an added window seat with built-in storage so you can relax and watch the kids play in the front yard. There is a high level of craftsmanship at every corner in this renovation executed by ACE Contracting.

In the primary suite the custom wood bath vanities with bold stone countertops offer a warm and relaxing space to unwind. The expansive screened porch area allows for a peaceful three-season outdoor living space in the heart of the Albemarle County’s tree canopy and the screen protects from the Albemarle County bug population.

The attention to craftsmanship in every detail shows how a good plan and the execution of the plan can come together to create a dream home. Working with a contractor, like ACE Contracting, that cares deeply about the work they produce made this project successful. We look forward to final completion of all the details so our clients can ease into this renovation designed specific for them.

Before

Rendering

After

Bathroom Finishes Before

And After

Deck Addition Before

Deck Addition After

Rear House Before

Rear House After

AIA-CV Community building site visit – Kindlewood Phase II

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 19, 2026 | architecture, Building Science, Charlottesville, Green Building

Our team reviewing site plans on the street before heading into the active construction zone

In our #Charlottesville office we spend a lot of time making sure to get all the details just right on our drawings. We work hard to make sure our wall sections, plans, elevations, and details are clear, concise, and correct. We research, learn, and investigate to deliver the right solution for each project. However, no matter how much time we spend reading and investigating, there is no substitute for stepping onto an active job site to see architecture come to life.

As active AIA Central Virginia members we often get to collaborate and learn from our peers in the industry. This week we were able to join the AIA Central Virginia Emerging Professionals (AIA EP) group for an architect-led tour of the Kindlewood Phase II project under construction in Charlottesville.

We encourage and support continuous learning and hands-on field experience in our firm in order to drive our design process. You need to see what you have drawn (and what others have drawn) to learn and grow as a designer. Visiting an active construction site gives our team knowledge of complex conditions from structural, mechanical, and even the building envelope in actual execution.

Even beyond all the building science lessons that can be learned on a job site, joining in on AIA Central Virginia events fosters peer connections within the architectural and construction industry. Walking a job site with fellow members brings up questions and conversations that don’t happen in a single office. Different firms approach design from various angles and learning best practices is critical for the advancement of our profession. We can discuss challenges and successes while seeing the results of design in action.

Architects viewing interior drywall and window installation at Kindlewood Phase 2

Rooftop solar array installed for high-performance sustainable energy at Kindlewood Phase 2

We encourage and support continuous learning and hands-on field experience in our firm in order to drive our design process. You need to see what you have drawn (and what others have drawn) to learn and grow as a designer. Visiting an active construction site gives our team knowledge of complex conditions from structural, mechanical, and even the building envelope in actual execution.

Even beyond all the building science lessons that can be learned on a job site, joining in on AIA Central Virginia events fosters peer connections within the architectural and construction industry. Walking a job site with fellow members brings up questions and conversations that don’t happen in a single office. Different firms approach design from various angles and learning best practices is critical for the advancement of our profession. We can discuss challenges and successes while seeing the results of design in action.

One of our regular contractors for multi-family projects is also the contractor for this project. KBS, out of Richmond, VA, has a focus on high quality construction and is a strong collaborative partner. We are proud of their work on this project in the Charlottesville community and look forward to our next sustainable multi-family community we get to work with them on.

Getting out of the office to see sustainable architecture in action energizes our team. We love the community building approach this project took and the standards of design used. Congratulations to Grimm+Parker Architects on a very successful design and KBS on the execution of the vision. We know that your work will have a lasting impact on our Charlottesville community.

Our Charlottesville team, Lizzy, Adrienne, Izzy, and Emily in safety gear on the rooftop at Kindlewood

Industrial Architecture Requires An Integrated Team

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 17, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg Architect, industrial architecture, Interior Design, Office Culture, Roanoke Architect

In the industrial and manufacturing industry downtime is the ultimate enemy. Efficiency and productivity are key elements to success. When an industrial facility needs renovation, expansion, or completely new space the plant manager’s concern is downtime, disruption, and safety risks that all impact productivity, wellness or employees, and the bottom line. In this type of work downtime is not a luxury that can happen and a slow disjointed design process will not work.

We approach industrial design like our other projects, without ego, listening for challenges and opportunities, and thinking about which partners will deliver the best success for our clients. We want to approach every project as an integrated team: owner, architect, contractor, engineer, and other stakeholders depending on the need. We don’t work in a silo that will slow the project. We know that minimal disruption ensures the best outcome.

Our designs all start by sketching out the idea after listening to our clients’ goals and analyzing the opportunities. We learn how products flow through a space, where potential bottle necks occur, and how departments communicate. Working with our client we hear from leadership, managers, operators, and their clients when needed to understand fully how their business moves. The granular questions are often the most telling: Where are the existing safety pitfalls? Does product bottleneck now? How does the assembly line sequence work and could it be better?

Learning how the facility operates helps us provide guidance on the changes needed. Even in new construction, we need to understand the flow of materials and people. The site access, circulation both interior and exterior, and vertical and horizontal shifts all feed the best solutions. We are not just designing a shell; we want to provide design for highly functional machines that complement the optimized workflow.

Our designs also ask the question, how will the team using the space feel about the space. Is it safe? Comfortable? Even Fun? Providing a space with healthy indoor environmental quality promotes employee retention and productivity. Bringing in daylight strategies where possible along with proper ventilation and zoning can help employee morale. This can also reduce fatigue and potential for safety challenges.

When time is the critical element which it is in most of our industrial projects, using an integrated approach to design saves time, money, and smooths out the unknown. It allows our design team to work hand in hand with the contractor, engineers, and clients to deliver the highest and best solution.

Collaboration to deliver better service to our clients

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 12, 2026 | architecture, Charles Hendricks, Charlottesville, citizen architect, Commercial Architect, community, Custom Home, Empathy, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders

This amazing event, Charlottesville Architect + Builder Exchange, is building a better industry.

Charlottesville Architect Builder Exchange

This past week Charles and Sam were invited to share how they collaborate outside of projects to deliver better projects to shared clients. Sam with Herr and Company and Charles have worked together on many projects over the years. They have a trusting relationship. It is not just based on the projects though, it is based on each of them showing up for the other consistently.

The story they shared is not a new way of doing business. It is simply treating each other with respect and working towards a common goal: excellent service to our community, integrity in the process, and a desire to do better for our clients. Once the video of the event is posted we will share it. We welcome your ideas of how we can improve more. We don’t have it all figured out and want to continue to grow and improve. Let us know how you deliver better service to your clients through collaboration, trust, and integrity.

Thanks to Jim at Candid and his team for allowing this conversation to happen.

If you have a community group or event that needs a speaker: Charles loves sharing his passion for community, building science, architecture, aging in place, the history of the Chesapeake Wester Depot, using empathy as a design tool, or if you just want him to tell stories – reach out and let’s get it scheduled.

Great Construction Documents Save Our Clients’ Money And Increase Contractors’ Profits

by Lindsey Kohler-Austin | Jul 29, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Building Science, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect

True value is created when a beautiful design is translated into highly detailed, clear, concise, and correct drawings. The process of dimensioning and noting a drawing the right way saves on time to build, makes the goals clear, and reduces questions during construction. We know our client want a beautiful design, and when we add beautiful drawings showing that design, everyone wins. For both the homeowner and the contractor, our work during the construction documents phase is where some of the real magic happens. With our team, we work through the design’s buildability aspects, ensure we have the right materials, trace the thermal envelope, and save our clients money through our integrated design approach.

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When we take time to invest in well-detailed drawings, we are protecting the builder from having to “figure out” things during construction. We work to make sure the drawings illustrate the final design with the right details and notes included.

We hear from our contractors all the time that they love our drawings and the work we do to solidify the selections, structural design, and work through the unique framing conditions. By coordinating everything on paper before the contractor gives our client a budget time and money is saved.

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Whether you are a homeowner dreaming of a comfortable, healthy space or a builder looking to streamline your workflow and elevate your build quality, our drawings are the key. We believe that smart design and clear, correct, concise, and complete drawings deliver the highest value to our clients and contractors.

Your Home Might Have A Dew Point Problem.

by Lindsey Kohler-Austin | Jul 27, 2026 | architecture, Building Science, Charles Hendricks, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Indoor Air Quality, resources

Anyone who has been in the construction industry for a while has heard the phrase – “you don’t want to build it too tight.” This is a reference to how buildings used to dry out, BEFORE air conditioning and insulation. Some still refer to allowing your home to breathe, but we completely changed how we build from balloon framing to platform framing, from using windows to catch a breeze to cool your home to mechanical systems that filter, clean the air, and cool your home. Your house no longer needs to breathe through random gaps in the exterior thermal envelope. It needs to be as tight as you can make it, with a proper ventilation system to complement the heating and cooling system.

Architects and builders who understand building science work to protect your home and the indoor air quality problems that might occur if you “let your home breathe.” In our mixed humid climate, one of the biggest problems could be dew point. This is the exact temperature at which airborne moisture transitions from gas to liquid. If that conversion happens inside a wood-frame wall, you have a recipe for mold, rot, and potentially structural failure.

Achieving an efficient, healthy, and resilient home requires understanding how to avoid some common construction mistakes.

Air Leakage

Air leakage is the highway for moisture transport through your thermal envelope. In our mixed humid climate, on a hot, humid day, that moist air wants to push inside your air-conditioned home. In the winter, warm air escapes to the dry cold air. Your home is always trying to reach equilibrium with the outside air. Air pressure forces movement through any cracks around plumbing, electrical outlets, framing, doors, and windows. It carries gallons of water vapor along with it. When this air hits a cold surface inside the wall cavity, it instantly hits the dew point and becomes liquid.

Insulation

Not all insulation works the same, and not all insulation can be used for all wall
assemblies. We often use open-cell spray foam because it is airtight and vapor
permeable. Closed-cell spray foam looks very similar, but it is a vapor barrier. Using this product in a wall above grade can work, but you must make sure it is done exactly right. If it pulls away from framing, allowing even the smallest leak, you could end up with a dew point issue. Also, if you use a vapor barrier and there is a liquid leak in the wall, you might not find it until you have a much larger problem. Using fiberglass batts and cellulose can also work, but the air sealing process is labor intensive and often does not last as long.

Vapor Barriers

We don’t want a vapor barrier in our climate due to the vapor drive that happens in different directions in the different seasons. Adding a vapor barrier can stop airflow on the cool surface you are trying to protect. Using the right vapor permeable solutions allows vapor to pass through the material while your HVAC system works to dry out the air to further protect your walls. Did you know that OSB, some paints and wallpaper, and many house wraps are vapor barriers?

A healthy, durable, comfortable home with good indoor air quality controls the dew point. You have to have the right HVAC system and fresh air as part of the holistic solution. Focusing on proper air sealing, insulation location and values, and HVAC can solve the challenges that many modern homes face of high humidity, mold, and rot.