BellaDomus

Questions and answers about our design practice:

BellaDomus is a residential design studio. What's the difference between that and an architectural practice?

Unlike architects who design many different kinds of buildings, our focus is exclusively on single-family homes. Within that specialty we cover every aspect of the design process, from site planning, schematic design and construction drawings right through to helping you pick the right bathroom tile and light fixtures.

I have problems visualizing ideas from a plan. How can you help with that?

All of our projects other than the very simplest are fully modeled using 3D CAD technology so we can fly all around and through our design proposals as they are being developed. We can zoom in on any aspect of exterior and interior design so that you can visually experience the space before committing to construction. Our software enables to do this cost-effectively by tightly integrating our 3D model with 2D output of construction documents: if we've modeled it, output as traditional plan, section and elevation drawings is then a snap. 

What about smaller projects? I'd love to build a new home some day but right now all I need is some remodeling advice.

We're happy to help. Decks, patios, garages, bathrooms, kitchens; we also do consults on furniture layout and general interior planning.

Your portfolio looks great but I have a pretty tight budget. Can I afford to hire a designer?

We work with limited construction budgets every day: our job is to make sure you get every penny of value from the money you spend on building, adding to or remodeling your home. Our rates are reasonable and we'll often be able to save you more than our design fee in construction cost.

Do we need to have all our design ideas sorted out before we talk to you?

You can come to us with the barest outline of your ideas or you can bring a concept that you've been thinking about for years. Either way we'll make sure that the design we ultimately develop together is deeply connected to your needs, your values, and your personal design esthetic.

Can you help us find a contractor? And do we have to work with the contractor you recommend?

It's part of our job to help you find, interview and hire the builder who's right for you. If you're in the Durham/Chapel Hill area you'll find some recommendations on our connections page; if there's a builder you already like to work with we're always ready to develop new partnerships.

How soon can we get started?

This question is our all-time favorite. Just give us a call or send us an email and we'll set up a preliminary office appointment or in-home consultation.