News

B&V Retreat 2017: Recap and a Competition-Winning Recipe

For the 2017 B&V Company Strategic Planning Retreat, we packed up and hauled off to camp at Rasar State Park. Even through sickness and rain, we not only set out our 5 and 10-year goals, but we wrapped up the day with an Iron Chef competition. And bonus, we’re sharing one of the winning recipes with you!

Read more.
The Business of Design

Mentoring with Anecdotes vs. Creating a Culture of Trust

What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever received? Jeff Pelletier looks back to his first design job, and finds that great mentorship doesn’t always come in the form of sharing pre-packaged nuggets of wisdom. Sometimes, it’s about trusting and empowering young employees, and Jeff’s been paying it forward ever since.

Read more.
Architecture, Ask a Designer

Questions to Ask an Architect in an Interview: Advice for Clients

When you are interviewing architects, interior designers, or landscape architects for your project, how do you know what to ask? A good personality fit makes any project better, but don‘t leave it with that – come to the table prepared with these important questions to help you ensure you find the architect you're searching for!

Read more.
Arts & Culture

Imagining the Future of Architecture

What does the future of architecture look like? Will we toss out everything and be living and working in an entirely different system? Or, will the field evolve more gradually? Board & Vellum principal, Jeff Pelletier, looks 20 years ahead to explore how – and where – the profession may evolve in the years to come.

Read more.
Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, News

All Together Now: Integrated Design at Board & Vellum

The benefit of an integrated practice like Board & Vellum, which offers architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, is that all the projects we work on get better – even if they don’t involve all the disciplines. Here, B&V principal Jeff Pelletier explains why.

Read more.
Other Tangents

Designing a House into a Home

Emotion and personalization turn a house into a home, and when you're talking about designing your living space, this is incredibly important. Read about how our design process at Board & Vellum helps us make the leap from a great design (that is still just a house) to a home that our clients will love.

Read more.

Would you like to read more from the team?

If you enjoy reading our blog as much as we enjoy writing it, that just makes our day! You might also enjoy a few of the related posts below. And, if there is a topic that you wish we would cover, let us know!

Teaming Up: A Message From Terry Phelan

As a leader in sustainable and green design, Terry has dedicated her 30-plus-year career to finding ways to expand the deep green space. As her retirement approaches, Terry is looking forward to continuing to focus on educating the public and mentoring the next generation of designers to carry on the amazing work she and Living Shelter have started.

Teaming Up: A Message From Jeff Pelletier

When the opportunity to advance our plans to expand our green and sustainable practice arose, it was too good to pass up. We feel fortunate to welcome Living Shelter Architects to our team — a dedicated group of designers whose mission and values align so well with our own. Sometimes, things just fit!

Living Shelter Architects and Board & Vellum Join Forces

We’ve been keeping a secret, but it’s for a good reason, and we’re pleased to finally get to share! We’ve always been dedicated to bringing our clients the best we have to offer in our services, approach, and design philosophy. Now with Living Shelter Architects joining the team, we’re excited to be able to provide even more to our community.

A Year in Review: Looking Back at 2017

Jeff Pelletier looks back on 2017 in his annual Year in Review blog post. From fun family times, to fun times at work, 2017 was a year to remember. So many things happened, but here are 10 highlights that leave us excited for what’s coming up in the new year.

B&V Radio: Podcasting from Board & Vellum

Heads up, everyone, Board & Vellum now has a podcast: Design Goggles, on B&V Radio! Tune in on iTunes or SoundCloud, and listen as hosts Charles and Rachel discuss with guests what it’s like living in Seattle during the city’s exciting, rapid growth, all through the lens of design.

We’re One of Washington’s Top Places to Work! Join Us?

We are so excited to be honored by Seattle Business magazine as one of Washington's top ten small businesses to work for, for the second year in a row. We all work hard to create and nurture the B&V culture. If that sounds good to you, too, check out our careers page: we're hiring!

Considering a project, or curious about something?

Say hello, and send us your questions via the form below. We’re always pleased to make new connections, and eager to get to know you, your project, and your goals.

Get in touch.
Board & Vellum receives Just label from the International Living Future Institute, a voluntary reporting tool for social justice and equity indicators in the workplace.

Achieved a Just label from the International Living Future Institute in 2023.

Board & Vellum is honored to be a Gray Awards Finalist for landscape design, earning the recognition for the rooftop garden at the Lucille on Roosevelt.

Honored as a finalist for residential landscape design.

LEED Certified in White

Our team includes LEED-accredited professionals.

Certified Passive House Consultant in White

Our team includes certified Passive House consultants.

NGLCC Certified as LGBT Business Enterprise – Board & Vellum Recognition

A Certified LGBT Business Enterprise Since 2016.

PSBJ’s Top 25 LGBTQ-Owned Businesses 2016 in White

Honoring companies that lead in promoting equality.