I find that many challenges people experience with a space are simply because they are fighting the architecture. The architecture is the foundation of all decisions for a space. This foundation includes the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the windows, the doors, the openings, and any other structural elements, such as a fireplace. When planning the design of a space, one universal truth reigns above all other interests:

The architecture always wins.

Not a single exception exists to this rule. Fighting the architecture is like going outside in the pouring rain with no umbrella and thinking you will not get wet. 

In a first meeting, clients often express either frustration (“I just don’t like this room”) or bewilderment (“I have no idea what to do”). They are feeling in conflict, and they have reached out to me because they are just not sure how to proceed. More furniture? Less furniture? A renovation? A move? They often have a list of ideas based on emotion rather than objective analysis, making the value of the list negligible.

One of the first comments that I make is nearly always about outlining goals for the space and then advising that the architecture will objectively guide the decisions that help us to reach those goals. When selecting materials, many paths and color palettes can lead to success. When considering architecture, we often have a path that is "right" in comparison to the other paths that are objectively "less good" at best, and usually simply "wrong".

A key part of the design process is helping clients to understand how to bring their personal style to the space while also honoring the architecture. We ALWAYS want to create that balance. Early in our relationship, years ago, new clients shared with me their love for modern design, open spaces, and clean lines. I gently shared with them that they had just purchased a Center Hall Colonial near Washington DC, not a modern home on the west coast. Their initial vision was simply not possible.

Instead of ignoring the architecture and trying to pretend the house had 12' ceilings and walls of windows, we embraced the delineated spaces and brought a modern take to the materials selections – a formal dining room drenched in a bold color, creating a bright and confident space; a library painted a cozy color layered with textiles inspired by nature, leading to a feeling of respite; a family room installed with both a modern sectional and traditional cabinetry, marrying design concepts through feature materials with a cohesive palette. The result is an engaging family home with a driving concept of Center Hall meets Modern, not Center Hall fights Modern.

Perhaps the most defining embrace of the architecture in this particular home is the kitchen. When we first met, I shared the most logical idea for the kitchen based on the architecture, and they were not impressed, to put it mildly. She may have even said, "absolutely not." We designed most of the rest of the home, and then it was time to renovate the kitchen after several years together. My recommendation remained the same because my design was rooted in fusing the architecture with their design style. Quite literally, the square footage dictated the most ideal use of the space, and their taste dictated the materials selected.

I will never take their faith in me for granted because I knew that even after a full review of all of my sketches, they could not quite see what the kitchen could be. But they knew that I could see it and that my recommendations are always based on data, so they jumped into the renovation and executed the design. One of the great joys of my career is the kind notes that my clients send to me, and they shared such joy: "Hosting Thanksgiving was a big success in the new kitchen. Everybody fit and was able to work simultaneously. It truly was a dream! . . . The girls are baking all of the time and being much more independent in the new space." We did not add any square footage to this kitchen. We simply used the space available in a way that was most logical for both their goals and their architecture.

By embracing the architecture, design decisions become intentional rather than forced. Great design should exist simply to be experienced. It does not require admiration to be understood. Rather than fighting the architecture, embrace how you want to feel in the space, and let the architecture help to create those moments.