I founded In-House Architecture in 1998. After a number of years in the profession, I had finally found a niche that completely suited me: working to improve and transform existing houses.

I enjoy the history and baggage of houses that have been around awhile—not just the grand old rooms and thoughtful details, but also their problem areas, the spaces that just aren’t working. It’s a challenge to bridge the gap between what made sense to a builder a hundred or forty years ago and what will enhance the lives of people living in the house today. This may mean reworking a kitchen, providing a new master suite, or finessing a bathroom dormer. It often means opening things up, to improve the flow between rooms and reconnect interior spaces with the outdoors. And, sometimes, it means crafting a silk purse out of a sow’s ear—completely rethinking a troubled layout, or transforming a bare-bones cabin into a more generous home befitting its site.

In all these projects, my aim is to work with the house rather than against it. Houses of different styles and eras demand appropriate solutions; additions in particular need to be handled with sensitivity and ingenuity. A truly successful remodel will not only meet a family’s immediate goals, but provide flexible and appealing spaces for future generations.