The history, charm and natural beauty of Key West are constantly inspiring my design process.
After having vacationed in Key West for many years, in 2015 my husband and I purchased and renovated a home in historic Old Town.
In 2017, this renovation earned the Ceramic Star Award for Preservation and Restoration, the highest level award given by the Historic Florida Keys Foundation.
As I have spent more time in Key West, my architecture practice has grown to be primarily focused on residential remodels and additions.
Originally from Michigan, I bleed green and white as I have a Biosystems Engineering degree from Michigan State University. After completing my time in the Peace Corps and then working as an environmental consultant in Michigan, I chose to follow my dreams and go to the University of Colorado for a Masters in Architecture and Urban Design. I worked in both the private and public sector in architecture, urban design, and project management.
OUR VALUES
Equity
Reliability
Learning
I believe that our core values in life should translate to business too.
I love that my projects reflect my values - being equitable in terms of the environment, affordability (tough to do on this island but we can try), and culture. Resiliency in this climate and region is also important in terms of hurricane and disaster mitigation, sustainability, and the history of the Conch Republic. People will come and go, but everyone comes to Key West to escape something, start over, or just be part of the One Human Family. Maintaining the physical and cultural history can be reflected in the architecture too.
I am also the co-founder and COO of Our Front Porch, a Denver based nonprofit that provides long-term recovery support to people affected by home fires. In the Denver Metro Area, and most cities, there are on average 2-3 house or apartment fires a day. Even though these disasters don’t receive a federal declaration or national media attention, the survivors face the same trauma and challenges as people displaced by large scale disasters. Our Front Porch was created to serve this population – we provide disaster case management, housing navigation, trauma recovery services, and emergency housing.
I split my time between Key West, Florida and Denver, Colorado, fully enjoying the extreme differences in climate.