Designing and building a new home, renovating an urban loft or historic home, or building a hip new restaurant or traditional pub...
First, there is the site to consider. What type of structure and style fits with the landscape of the building site and its surroundings? Will it tread lightly on the earth, hugging the hillsides, hidden in trees? Or should it stand out proudly from the land, rising up from the middle of a meadow, with views of the distant mountains?
Then, what is the nature of the space? Is it of a traditional sort, which will evoke memories of majestic colonials or craftsman porches? Or is it something new entirely? Cool sleek style floating on horizontal planes. An element of surprise, a delight around every corner? Or something as familiar as your favorite sweatshirt?
No less important are the next questions...
What kind of people will be living, working, and shopping in this space? Will they eat Cheerios for breakfast, standing over the kitchen sink? Or will they lounge until late morning in a keeping room, finishing a crossword puzzle? How will these people live and work, day to day, year to year? How can this home, this retail space, this fusion of spaces, best serve you for years to come?
Answering these questions can prove to be difficult. But we try to have a thoughtful approach to this dilemma, and imagine the people living in our houses, eating in our restaurants, and shopping in our stores .. and try to see through their eyes.
Possibly the most overwhelming step in home design has to do with selecting materials for the finished spaces. Hardwood flooring, tile, natural stone, carpet, laminate, vinyl, and wood and painted finishes. These finishes must be suited to each purpose, both in utilility and for a cohesive visual aesthetic.
In the end, there are tedious details of construction which must be addressed for each space. Should doors be wider to accomodate an aging parent or disabled shopper? Does each window work, and allow the home to be lit naturally and require less electricity? Is there adequate storage, convenient places for cleaning materials and garbage? Is there a way to make the home more suitable, more useful?
Many builders build one home and then copy it again and again, both in style and plan, regardless of the variables mentioned above. We don't. We site each home to its specific landscape, consider the nature of the style of architecture and the related interior design, debate about the future occupants and how best to meet their needs, and agonize over each embellishment and detail involved in the construction of the home.
We are also committed to building "green" spaces. We use materials which won't quickly need replacement, efficient windows and insulation to save electricity, and we design spaces so that they hopefully won't have to be remodeled as the use may change along with its owners.
LOCKWOOD DESIGN/BUILD INC.
COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
RESTAURANT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
