Did you know we have a 'Getting Started' guide? Over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of clients navigate the design and construction process. Along the way, we’ve compiled a lot of helpful tips and time-tested advice. If you know someone who may be considering a project (or is in a position to advise people about one), check out our blog to sign up to receive Part 1 of our handbook titled ‘Getting Started: An Informal Insider’s Guide to the Design and Construction Process’. Link in bio. Topics include:
• Getting your project started
• Putting together a team
• Making the most of working with an architect
• An overview of the phases of design
• How to think about total project cost
• Designing a home at a distance
• Tools to help visualize design better
• How good design can make a difference every day
• A little bit about us!
@deforestarchitects #deforestarchitects #deforestarchitectsprocess #deforestarchitectsblog #dablog
For our newer followers - hello and welcome! At DeForest Architects, connecting with clients’ core values, experiences, and imagination helps us focus on what really matters to them. That’s why we built our practice around new ways to engage clients in the fun and creativity of the design process. Through collaboration, design becomes meaningful and the experience rewarding. If you're thinking about starting a project, visit our PROCESS and RESOURCES tabs or feel free to get in touch!
Featured in The Seattle Times: How To Create Neurosensory Calm At Home.
Some homes feel “busy” the moment you walk in: glare, echo, visual noise. For a neurodivergent or simply sensitive nervous system, that constant input isn’t a quirk, it’s exhausting.
In this piece, I share how we design for neuro‑sensory calm at home: layered, dimmable lighting, acoustic softening, predictable textures, and layouts that balance retreat with togetherness so every brain in the household has a place to land.
At its core, this is wellness‑inclusive design: homes that support focus, calm, and connection for everyone who lives there, not just those who fit a narrow idea of “typical.”
Photography: @_karamercer & @abphotovideo_ #NuanceInteriors#NeuroinclusiveDesign #WellnessCenteredDesign #BiophilicDesign #SensoryDesign
For over 20 years, DeForest Architects has helped guide clients to new adventures in design. Along the way, we’ve been fortunate to work in some of the most beautiful natural places in the Pacific Northwest, California, Hawaii, and throughout the US. In appreciation, we’ve made a donation to support the amazing work that the Washington Trails Association does to mobilize everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward, and champion trails and public lands.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING and THANK YOU to all of our clients, collaborators, family, and friends for helping us reach new heights.
@washingtontrails@deforestarchitects
At DeForest Architects, we work with some fantastic collaborators who bring industry-leading insights into their work. In our Collaborator Spotlight series, we highlight conversations with our colleagues to share their knowledge and experience. First up - @andrealackiedesign - Link in bio. Photo credit - @furman.interiors
Keystone Cottage, featured on Your Modern Cottage, a stone and wood cottage nestled in a tranquil wooded site near Port Townsend, outside Seattle, Washington, with breathtaking west-facing views over the Puget Sound.
/awards-1/charming-stone-and-wood-cottage-in-seattle-earns-honorable-mention
Architect: @deforestarchitects
Contractor: @LockhartSuver
Structural: @HarriottValentine
Interiors: @nbdesigngroup
Landscape: @allworthdesign
Photography: @andrew.giammarco
How did DeForest Architects use a series of hand and digital models to turn a leaf on the sand into a family vacation home overlooking Lake Michigan? Find out in our second video, focusing on Design As A Verb. Check it out!
forestarchitects.com/blog/lake-michigan-daav
Architect: @deforestarchitects
Contractor: VanderMale Builders
Structural: Engineered Structures, LLC
Environmental Consultant: Peterson Environmental
Photography: Justin Maconochie
Here’s another look at this year’s Honorable Mention in the Small Modern Cottage category by @deforestarchitects .
Read more about why Keystone Cottage caught our attention on our recent blog post.
Photography: @andrew.giammarco
#yourmoderncottage #designawards#homerenovation #residentialhomes #residentialarchitecture#moderndesign #modernhomes #modernhome #architect#architecture #contemporarydesign #contemporaryhomes#washingtonstate #designawards #architectureawards#designaward #smallmoderncottage #smallhomes #smallhome
Next up in our 'Design as a Verb' video series: Lake Michigan Modern. Let us know what you think! Link in bio.
forestarchitects.com/blog/lake-michigan-daav
Contractor: VanderMale Builders
Structural: Engineered Structures, LLC
Environmental Consultant: Peterson Environmental
Photography: Justin Maconochie
