The single element that distinguishes outstanding residential architecture from ordinary homes is the quality of the design concept. This is the essence of the creative endeavor and the central idea that focuses and unifies the diverse elements of the plan. To fully appreciate the value of a strong design concept one must differentiate between the "design" and "execution" of the work.

     It has been said that "no home is any better than its roof." This is a technical point meant to emphasize the importance of watertight construction to insure that your home will endure the test of time. However, we have yet to design a new home where the first task of the planning

process was to layout the roof two spaces. While this illustration may seem bizarre, many people with a pension for technical details get swamped by the seemingly endless stream of product literature about materials, appliances, exterior finishes, doors, windows, flooring, mechanical systems, insulation, millwork and special