Project Update: Scottsville Home Renovation

Project Update: Scottsville Home Renovation

by | 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

Industrial Architecture Requires An Integrated Team

Industrial Architecture Requires An Integrated Team

by | 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.

Logistics Warehouse

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.

industrial renovation

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?

Logistics warehouse

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.

loading dock

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.

milking facility

The Sanado, a luxury cabin in Shenandoah

The Sanado, a luxury cabin in Shenandoah

by | Sep 14, 2026 | architecture, Commercial Architect, Custom Home, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design

Our client came to us with a clear goal, create a luxury 2 bedroom cabin that framed the amazing views and created a perfect weekend retreat in Shenandoah. This project was a lot of fun to design and Beck Builders did a great job executing the plan.

The Sanado in Shenandoah

The Sanado in Shenandoah is a 2 bedroom 2 bath luxury cabin that our client is using as an air b&b investment property. The results of his vision is a welcoming cabin design that allows for relaxation and comfort. The vaulted wall of glass opens the compact plan up so the house feels huge. The added amenities give you a place to unwind and reconnect.

The Sanado in Shenandoah luxury cabin

The design of this cabin was very intentional. We visited the site after schematic design phase was done, evaluated the views and angle to fit it perfectly into the landscape. We needed to capture the right view. Then we designed huge windows and a deck so you could enjoy this place with privacy.

The inside of the cabin is designed for absolute relaxation and comfort. The final furnishings pull the vision together, our client has amazing taste.

 

Project Update: 865 East Interior Renovation

Project Update: 865 East Interior Renovation

by | Sep 3, 2026 | architecture, Commercial Architect, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Multifamily Design, project update

Blog by: Jarod Sankar
Interior Design: The Gaines Group Architects
Lobby Contractor: Legacy Building Co.
Game Room Contractor: Sustainable Solutions

If you’re from Harrisonburg, or have any association with JMU, you’ve probably encountered 865 East, the luxury student housing complex located right off I-81 on Port Republic Road. While the complex isn’t new to the area, it is under new ownership and has recently undergone a complete transformation.

The project began with a vision from the property managers. They knew that the building was in an incredible location, offered great amenities, and was well-loved by the community, and they wanted to capitalize on those things with a full facelift on both the apartments and the common areas. Adrienne and Jarod met with the property management team, asked lots of questions, took lots of photos, and looked at lots of inspiration images. Once the main programming and scope were determined, the interior design team got straight to work.

The first step of the project was capturing the right vibe for the proposed facelift. We wanted the space to feel fun and striking, yet inviting, clean, and home-like. For luxury student housing, it’s important to design with longevity and maintainability in mind, without creating a space that feels sterile. Giving the students a sense of home helps make the space feel unique but comfortably familiar. To start the process, we analyzed the information from our first initial meeting with Star and the Asset Living team and generated mood board images that would set the tone for the full renovation. After getting approval from the team to move forward, Jarod 3D-modeled the space and started working through the design for the renovated lobby, game room, and rooftop.

The lobby was the top priority. The space called for a statement, and with its tall ceilings, balcony, and expansive entrance with glass windows, the “bones” were there. We wanted to capitalize on the existing conditions but bring it up to date by incorporating warm wood tones, moody colors that create depth, statement lighting, and a 2-story tall green wall. We also relocated the lobby desk to a more central location, so the staff would have better sightlines, and would be able to access other utility spaces more easily without leaving the desk unattended. The new design proposal was fully 3D-modeled and rendered, giving the project management team marketing material for promoting the upcoming renovation.

Left: Before; Right: Our Rendering

Left: Before; Right and slider images: Renderings and after

Next, we tackled the game room. The current space had all the right conditions – natural light, easy access, and a large space. The game room was a great amenity for the apartment complex, but it was underutilized due to a poor layout and outdated finishes. The property management team’s goal was to make this space inviting and fun, and the wheels in our head began turning the moment we got back to our desks. Our vision was to create a space that would serve all needs – and addressing the layout and how the space would be used was our first step. We reconfigured the space to house a pool table, a foosball table, and a shared snack bar with couches and ottomans for game day fun or large gatherings. Alongside the new large group seating, we also added banquet seating with partitions to create pockets of more private spaces, so multiple people could use the room at once without feeling like they are impeding on another group. The finishes complement the lobby renovation, bringing in those warm wood tones, subtle JMU color influences, and capitalized on the existing space’s industrial flair.

CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS:
Just like the lobby, we created photorealistic renderings that the project management team used to build excitement for the renovations and drive leasing.

Lastly, we refreshed the rooftop terrace space. With incredible views, a wet bar, and a covered pavilion, the space already had strong potential. With just some minor tweaks to furniture, colors, and listening to how the space is primarily used, the space took on a whole new look. We added some fun pops of color to brighten the space, some furniture that allowed for suntanning which is what the space is commonly used for and updated the soft furniture under the pavilion.

We’re excited to celebrate 865 East’s new look and enjoyed having a hand in their complete renovation!

To see more photos and learn more about the complex, check them out here:

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Project Update: The Elkton Castle

Project Update: The Elkton Castle

by | Aug 5, 2026 | aging in place, architecture, artwork, Building Science, community, Custom Home, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Not used, project update

Elkton Castle Project Update:

As architects we have the best jobs in the world. We get to listen to our clients dream about how they want to live, then we get to design a place to facilitate that dream.
 
Designing this home for our incredible clients is a great example. In the first meeting it was clear they had a strong idea of what they both wanted. They had a vision for their home, but were not sure how to put it together. So we listened, took notes, documented goals, sketched, tried again,  refined, and developed a concept for them.

While the home being built is designed around function, it is also what they described as their dream home. It allows for mobility, welcoming guests, and captures the incredible views. The dining room is designed for bringing family and friends together. The kitchen allows for gathering as well. There is a detached space to facilitate a hobby interest. There are outdoor gathering spaces including a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen, and a screen porch. The movie room is designed specifically for enjoying favorite movies at full volume. There are whimsical elements that highlight their personality. It is their dream home they described.

This home- or castle as we are calling it, is a prime example of designing a home to facilitate the dream life our clients want to live. Stay tuned for more updates including a magical wooden wardrobe.

May Series: Anatomy of a Custom Home

May Series: Anatomy of a Custom Home

by | May 21, 2026 | architecture, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, resources, Roanoke Architect

Anatomy of a Custom Home: How design Emerges from Land, Process, and Detail

Every custom home begins long before a line is drawn. It begins with its slope, light, edges, and constraints and evolves through a sequence of decisions that gradually transform raw site conditions into a fully realized place of living.

This May series, Anatomy of a Custom Home, breaks that journey into its essential stages. Rather than treating design as a single act, it reveals it as a layered process where each step informs the next, and every detail carries forward the logic of what came before.

The Site: Where Everything Begins

The land is never neutral. It dictates orientation, frames views, suggests circulation, and sets the emotional tone of the home. Before form or style, we study how the site behaves, how it receives light, how it drains, how it opens or resists. The design begins by listening.

Concept Sketching: Where Ideas Begin to Take Shape

Early sketches are less about precision and more about interpretation. They translate site conditions into spatial ideas: massings, thresholds, voids, and relationships. This is where intuition meets analysis, and where the first version of “home” begins to emerge.

Flow & Function: Floor Plan Logic

A strong home is organized around how life actually moves. Floor plan logic establishes hierarchy, adjacency, and rhythm. Public and private zones are clarified, circulation becomes intentional, and spaces begin to support daily rituals rather than interrupt them.

Windows & Orientation: A Natural Light Strategy

Light is one of the most powerful design materials. Window placement and orientation determine not only how a home looks, but how it feels throughout the day. We design with sun paths in mind, capturing warmth, controlling glare, and shaping the atmosphere.

Framing the Vision: Structure Planning

Structure is often invisible in the final experience of a home, but it defines what is possible. This phase aligns architectural ambition with engineering clarity, ensuring that open spans, cantilevers, and volumes are both expressive and buildable.

Texture & Tones: Material Conversations

Materials give the home its voice. Whether natural stone, timber, plaster, or metal, each surface contributes to a broader sensory language. Here, durability, aging, and tactile quality are considered alongside aesthetics and cohesion.

Room Configurations: Interior Flow

Beyond the floor plan, we consider how rooms feel in sequence. Transitions matter as much as destinations. A well-configured interior creates moments of compression and release, openness and intimacy, guiding experience without forcing it.

Patios, Porches, Landscapes: Outdoor Integration

A home does not end at its walls. Outdoor spaces extend living areas and connect architecture to the environment. These thresholds: porches, courtyards, terraces, mediate between built form and landscape, anchoring the home in place.

Millwork, Finishes, Fixtures: Final Details

Details are where intention becomes tangible. Built-ins, hardware, lighting, and finish selections refine the character of the home. These elements may be small in scale, but they carry the weight of daily interaction.

The End Result: The Finished Home

A completed home is not just a composition of parts, it is a synthesis of decisions made across time. When successful, it feels inevitable, as though it could not have been arranged any other way. It reflects not only design intent, but the life it was designed to hold.