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Pro Spotlight: 3 Ways to Turn Your House Into Your Dream Home
A Seattle-area builder shares ideas to make your home work well for you
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Who: Charlie Carter of Armada Design & Build
Where: Bellevue, Washington
In his own words: “We want to know what your house does not do well for you or do well at all and find a solution.”
You may love your home, but there’s usually something that could be improved. “People take the first step to making a change when something becomes a ‘pain point’ for them,” Charlie Carter says. The general manager at Armada Design & Build says that whatever the issue, his company’s role is to understand your unique issues and then help you fix them.
Where: Bellevue, Washington
In his own words: “We want to know what your house does not do well for you or do well at all and find a solution.”
You may love your home, but there’s usually something that could be improved. “People take the first step to making a change when something becomes a ‘pain point’ for them,” Charlie Carter says. The general manager at Armada Design & Build says that whatever the issue, his company’s role is to understand your unique issues and then help you fix them.
Born builder. Carter’s interest in the ins and outs of building things started at an early age. “I took a doorknob apart and put it back together when I was about 5 or 6 because I wanted to see how it worked,“ he says. His initial interest was encouraged by his grandfather, a builder who had him cutting stairs when he was just 7. Carter also spent his summers in high school working on construction crews. Even in college, where Carter earned a degree in business, he put his skills to good use by building customized loft kits to sell to fellow dorm residents.
After working in construction in Chicago and the Seattle area, Carter joined Armada Design & Build as general manager. “I like helping companies grow,” he says.
After working in construction in Chicago and the Seattle area, Carter joined Armada Design & Build as general manager. “I like helping companies grow,” he says.
Providing a comfort zone. Carter says one of the most important aspects of his job is listening to homeowners. “I need to get inside your head, find out what’s important to you and design to fit what you want,” he says. Carter notes that listening also includes understanding concerns and fears based on stories about remodeling experiences. “I explain our practices and procedures we’ve put in place to help alleviate their fears,” he says.
Looking for tips on how you can make the most of your home? Carter shares some ideas below.
Looking for tips on how you can make the most of your home? Carter shares some ideas below.
1. Optimize Your Layout
Design a layout that takes full advantage of your home’s location. “We transformed this Sammamish home to take advantage of its great setting,” Carter says.
The nearby lake was an inviting feature but it wasn’t readily visible from most of the home. “The garage had the best view,” Carter says. After Armada flipped the locations of the living area and garage, the beautiful view is now visible from the new glass-lined two-story entry and adjacent dining and kitchen spaces. A rooftop deck just above the dining area provides an even better vista.
See more of this project
Design a layout that takes full advantage of your home’s location. “We transformed this Sammamish home to take advantage of its great setting,” Carter says.
The nearby lake was an inviting feature but it wasn’t readily visible from most of the home. “The garage had the best view,” Carter says. After Armada flipped the locations of the living area and garage, the beautiful view is now visible from the new glass-lined two-story entry and adjacent dining and kitchen spaces. A rooftop deck just above the dining area provides an even better vista.
See more of this project
2. Explore the Possibilities
Look for ways to make the most of unused or underused spaces. “The owners of this Seattle home thought there was an opportunity to remodel their attic but weren’t sure how to use it,” Carter says.
He transformed part of the rough space into a primary suite with vaulted ceilings and windows overlooking the nearby treetops. Metal collar ties provide support without overwhelming the space. Carter also vaulted the ceiling in the remodeled kitchen, giving it a much more open and airy vibe. “They say it is different than they thought it would be and better than they imagined,” he says.
See more of this project
Look for ways to make the most of unused or underused spaces. “The owners of this Seattle home thought there was an opportunity to remodel their attic but weren’t sure how to use it,” Carter says.
He transformed part of the rough space into a primary suite with vaulted ceilings and windows overlooking the nearby treetops. Metal collar ties provide support without overwhelming the space. Carter also vaulted the ceiling in the remodeled kitchen, giving it a much more open and airy vibe. “They say it is different than they thought it would be and better than they imagined,” he says.
See more of this project
3. Create a Connection
Open up partially closed spaces while still retaining visual separation. “A half wall originally separated the upper-level kitchen and lower-level living room of this North Bend home,” Carter says. The owners, who like to entertain, wanted to open up the space but not change the two-level configuration.
Carter replaced the upper half wall with a railing to open up the space and give it a more modern feel. He also slightly reworked the kitchen layout and expanded the island, providing comfortable seating for eight. “There’s room for people to be in the kitchen during meal prep without being in the way of the cook,” Carter says. In the living area, the remaining support wall now has cubbies for display space.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Charlie Carter and examples of his work, visit Armada Design & Build’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Open up partially closed spaces while still retaining visual separation. “A half wall originally separated the upper-level kitchen and lower-level living room of this North Bend home,” Carter says. The owners, who like to entertain, wanted to open up the space but not change the two-level configuration.
Carter replaced the upper half wall with a railing to open up the space and give it a more modern feel. He also slightly reworked the kitchen layout and expanded the island, providing comfortable seating for eight. “There’s room for people to be in the kitchen during meal prep without being in the way of the cook,” Carter says. In the living area, the remaining support wall now has cubbies for display space.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Charlie Carter and examples of his work, visit Armada Design & Build’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
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Review by Sanjay Ravi:
Excellent high quality work. Very professional team right from the start and throughout the process. Has great expertise also with waterproofing.