Our ask a designer posts.

A floor plan showing the dimensions you need to fit a kitchen island.
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential, Interior Design

Do I Have Space for a Kitchen Island? (And Other Kitchen Island Questions)

Contrary to what you might read elsewhere, you can actually fit a kitchen island into a tighter space — you just have to design for it. Here are the details to keep in mind, as well as questions you’ll need to answer whether or not you have a small space to work with.

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Sketches of common bathroom floor plans.
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential

Common Bathroom Floor Plans: Rules of Thumb for Layout

There are a few typical floor plans to consider when designing the layout for a bathroom in your house. These eight lessons illustrate the common plan options and describes the advantages and disadvantages of each. Of course, there are always exceptions, and a good designer can find a solution that meets your needs.

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A tenant improvement allowance helps businesses like Oasis Tea Zone build out new commercial spaces.
Ask a Designer, Commercial

What Is a Tenant Improvement Allowance?

As a business owner, understanding what a tenant improvement (or TI) allowance is, is essential to inform the choices you’ll make when selecting a new commercial space and negotiating your commercial lease. The TI allowance will also define how much of the cost of your commercial build-out will come out of your pocket.

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Why Custom Construction Details Are Worth It – Board & Vellum
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential

Why Custom Construction Details are Worth It

When you find yourself in a space that really feels amazing, take a moment and study how the details come together. These custom details take time and skill to produce, typically done during the construction documents phase, and the details are what take a project to the next level.

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Modern Interpretation of a Classic Farmhouse – Foothills Retreat: Rendering from Driveway – Board & Vellum
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential

Should You Remodel, or Tear Down Your House and Build New?

So, your house isn’t meeting your needs. How do you decide what to do? Should you remodel or tear it down and build your dream house? Or, should you leave the house alone and move instead? Here are six areas you need to consider to help you make this complicated and delicate decision.

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Do I Need to Permit My Remodel? – Board & Vellum
Ask a Designer, Custom Residential, Interior Design

Do I Need to Permit My Remodel?

More than likely, if you’re remodeling a home in the Seattle area and wondering if you need a permit, the answer is, “Yes.” The real question is, “What type of permit do you need?” Of course, we can help you figure that out, but here’s a quick preview to get you started.

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Our Story

Board & Vellum is vibrant design firm built on the idea that an informed, engaged, and cared-for team collaborating on a variety of disciplines and sectors leads to elevated design and happy clients.

Our Process

Bringing your project from “idea” to fruition is a little different at Board & Vellum. We give personal care to each of our projects, and with in-house multidisciplinary design services, each project has access to a wealth of knowledge.

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