Craftsman-style ranch

 This home holds a very special place in my heart, as it's a deeply personal project: a custom design-build for my daughter, completed just last year in 2023. After decades designing for clients, building for family allowed me to truly explore a different side of 'Form and Function.'

This home is a modern interpretation of a Craftsman-style ranch adapted for the Florida environment, built for a new generation. While the market isn't about luxury for luxury's sake, it's about delivering ultimate functionality and comfort in a beautiful package. This was designed for a busy family, prioritizing open living and durability.

My services on this project were comprehensive, driven by love and a deep understanding of my daughter's needs. From the first hand-drawn sketch, ensuring the layout maximized family time and privacy, through every stage of construction, I personally oversaw everything. The 'Form' here is welcoming and clean, featuring a striking blue siding, warm wood garage doors, and charming dormer windows that define its character.

This is a very efficient and thoughtfully designed home, approximately 3,500 square feet, providing ample space without excess. The 'Function' is paramount—it's built to withstand Florida's climate with robust materials, and the layout emphasizes practical living, easy maintenance, and seamless indoor-outdoor connections. This home truly represents my personal commitment to building spaces where families thrive."

 As this home was for my daughter, the interior design was driven by one word: livability. The 'Function' here was to create a bright, durable, and welcoming space for a busy family, so we continued that modern Craftsman feel inside.

We designed a true open-concept main area, where the kitchen, dining, and living room are all one contiguous space. This is the heart of the home, designed to be flooded with Florida's natural light. The 'Form' is clean and uncluttered, with simple, elegant trim and a light, coastal-inspired color palette—think soft whites, greys, and sandy tones that make the blue exterior feel right at home.

Because this home is for a family, durability was non-negotiable. We used wide-plank luxury vinyl flooring that looks like natural wood but is tough enough to handle kids, pets, and anything else. The kitchen is designed for heavy use, with pure white quartz countertops, a large functional island for casual meals, and custom shaker-style cabinets that provide massive amounts of storage. Every material was chosen to be low-maintenance and long-lasting, so the family can live in the home, not just look at it."

 Project management for this Florida home was, as you can imagine, a very personal mission. When you are the architect and builder for your own daughter, the standard for 'client satisfaction' is absolute. This was a labor of love, and my management process reflected that.

My primary challenge was adapting my 'Form and Function' philosophy to the specific Florida climate, which is all about managing humidity, heat, and high winds. I was not just a remote architect; I was the hands-on design-build manager for this 3,500-square-foot home.

My management priorities were:

1. Climate-Proofing: I personally managed the subcontractors to ensure the building envelope was beyond robust. This included overseeing the installation of a moisture barrier system, specifying impact-rated windows, and ensuring the roof was fastened to meet hurricane-grade standards. The 'Function' here was simple: safety and durability.

1. Sourcing for Real Life: Unlike some of my ultra-luxury builds, the goal here was long-term, low-maintenance value. I personally sourced and approved all the materials—from the exterior siding that resists fading and moisture, to the interior LVP flooring and quartz countertops. I managed the budget by choosing materials that would save my daughter time and money for decades to come.

1. A Seamless Process: The greatest advantage was that my daughter had a direct line to the architect and the builder. If she wanted to move a wall or change a light fixture, she just called me. We could walk the site, I’d make the adjustment to the plans, and my crew would implement it immediately.

My project management on this build was about removing all the stress from her and putting all the accountability on me. The end result is a home that I know, from the foundation to the roof ridge, was built perfectly—not just for a client, but for my family."

 Designing a home for my daughter in Florida meant sustainability was a core principle, focused entirely on the 'Function' of resilience and efficiency. We didn't just build to code; we built for the long haul in a demanding climate.

My approach started with creating a highly efficient building envelope. This home features impact-rated windows, which are crucial for hurricane protection but also offer excellent thermal performance, reducing heat transfer. Paired with high-quality insulation and a tightly sealed structure, the home minimizes energy loss, keeping the interior cool and comfortable without putting a heavy load on the AC system.

Material choice was key. I selected durable fiber cement siding – known for its resistance to moisture, pests, and Florida's intense UV rays – ensuring a long lifespan with minimal maintenance. Inside, the LVP flooring and quartz countertops are not just practical for a family; they are extremely durable materials that won't need replacing for many years, reducing waste over the home's lifetime.

Finally, we addressed water conservation through sustainable landscaping. Instead of a water-intensive lawn, we used native Florida plants that are naturally drought-tolerant and adapted to the local environment. This dramatically reduces the need for irrigation, saving water and lowering utility bills. This home is designed to function efficiently and responsibly within its specific Florida setting."