Services + Process
ADA provides custom home, interior and renovation design services built around your unique needs and lifestyle. Whether you’re starting from the ground up, retrofitting an existing structure or revamping what you already have, our design process begins with getting to know the clients’ deeper needs—to truly understand how you want to use, experience and maximize the spaces you call home.
The ADA approach to custom home design
When it comes to custom home design, ADA’s philosophy combines the latest in modern energy-efficient building technologies with the timeless traditions of Japanese design. This includes the concept of wabi-sabi (侘寂) —wabi may be translated as subdued, austere beauty, while sabi conveys the ideas of rustic natural patinas and weathering over time. In practical terms, wabi-sabi in home design is characterized by an authentic combination of natural materials, organic forms, an abundance of wood, light-filled open spaces, a strong connection to nature and an overall sense of understated luxury and comfort. A wabi-sabi ADA home stands the test of time, its beauty enduring over the ages.
“ADA custom home design embraces the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi (侘寂). Wabi is about recognizing beauty in elemental forms and natural simplicity; while sabi appreciates the pleasing aesthetics that come with the passage of time. Together, these two concepts create an overarching philosophy that good design is enduring and timeless.”
What can you expect when working with ADA?
- Initial Pre-Design Consultation + Feasibility Analysis: We’ll get to know your needs, wants and vision for the project, along with budget and site constraints.
- Schematic Design: Once we have a good understanding of the big picture, we will explore a range of alternative design concepts, eventually arriving at a single overall approach with the guidance of 3D design models and physical samples.
- Design Development + Permit Documentation: We’ll take care of any permitting requirements, coordination of engineers and consultants and pre-application consultation related to your local jurisdiction. We’ll also prepare detailed drawings to be used in gathering bids and selecting a contractor.
- Interior Finishes + Design: Interior design services will include a walk-through of all interior spaces. We’ll use sample palettes, sketches and 3D design models to help you visualize interior detailing including millwork, materials, colours, textures and finishings.
- Tendering + Construction Administration: Once a contractor and suppliers are selected, construction begins. Throughout this process, ADA can provide a range of services, depending on the client’s needs. We can be available to troubleshoot design challenges and come up with cost-effective solutions in collaboration with your contractor.
- Pre-Occupancy Checks + Completion: As your project nears completion we will do a final walk thru, check for deficiencies and work with your contractor to ensure you’re happy and fully satisfied with the final product.
Full-service custom home design
When designing a custom single-family home or a multi-family project, ADA begins with the big picture in mind: What is the design problem we are trying to solve? Where is the home and what are the site-specific constraints? How can the exterior materials, interior spaces and surrounding landscape all work together to make a house a home?
Good home design is as much about restraint as it is comfort, carefully selecting the right volume, textures and scale of materials to provide a harmonious, balanced living space.
From concept and design to construction and completion, ADA will work closely with you to answer these questions and make your vision a reality. In-person consultations, site visits, 3D modelling and hands-on textured samples will help you envision the final product. In close collaboration with contractors and specialized trades, ADA can help translate your design dream into reality. When challenges arise, ADA is there to troubleshoot and resolve them quickly, while staying true to your project’s overall design vision.
Interior design and Renovations
Whether it is a new build, full/partial renovation, or re-styling a former space, ADA brings the same integral design philosophy to interior and home renovation projects, both big and small. Brand-new interior spaces can offer an exciting array of options, but the countless choices can be overwhelming. ADA can help you make thoughtful design choices and narrow in on a clear well-defined concept.
On the other hand, renovations and adaptive re-uses can call for a careful extension of a design aesthetic or concept. Equally so, ADA can help you rethink the space—offering new innovative options while respecting prevailing architectural concepts and details.
