James Madson of Madson Design has been integral
in creating and developing architectural plans for
a whole house remodel and new construction of a
pool house on my property. This is the first time
I have engaged in a construction project and is
my first experience working with an architectural
designer. I could not have had a better choice than
James to guide me through all the phases in such
a complicated and large project.
The challenge in this project is transforming a
standard 1970's builder ranch style house into a
sympathetically designed and constructed Craftsman
style home. James has entertained this challenge
enthusiastically and is actually bringing into existence
my life long 'vision' of living in my own "Bungalow".
He clearly did his homework on the Craftsman style,
creating faithfully traditional and absolutely beautiful
casework, millwork and trims for the interior as
well as stunning changes to the exterior that clearly
expresses the Craftsman style reminiscent of the
famed Greene & Greene brothers. James had infinite
patience as we worked through the re-design of my
house to reflect a typical Craftsman house layout
and he was able, without compromise, to incorporate
all the functionality and modern conveniences necessary
in today's world. Though James' designs are complicated
and complex to construct - his plans are drawn very
well with true lines and ample detail. His elevations
are a joy to see - they pop with depth and detail.
James is a delight to work with. His communication
is consistently very prompt and reflective of our
discussions. On any occasion when he is unsure of
my meaning or intent, he immediately clarifies,
which is vital to both our working relationship
and the shared end product. He is always professional
and honest in his communication. If he disagrees
with an idea, he shares this with clear explanations
and rationale - and always in a positive and pleasant
manner. James is generous in sharing his huge reference
of web sites and referrals for materials, products,
and expertise, which is enormously helpful, saving
time as well as building on ideas. James is very
organized and stays on his timelines, getting revisions
back very promptly as well as initiating the next
steps to keep the project moving forward. I very
much appreciated James' communications outlining
the next steps which help prepare me to be ready
as the next phase comes along.
And - with all of the professional expertise James
brings to his work, perhaps the most valuable intrinsic
aspect about James is the personal caring he has
demonstrated through out the process. Living through
a home construction project is extremely stressful
and at times downright frightening. There are huge
sums of money involved and so much of the construction
is foreign and a complete mystery to those of us
not in the 'Trades'. James has been right by my
side through the design and now into the construction
offering explanations, encouragement, reassurance
and support - and even a little whimsy now and then
to lighten the soul and lift the spirit...
I truly cannot more highly recommend James Madson.
Sincerely,
Kathleen O’Brien
Wilton, CA.
****
James Madson's service included the planning, designing
and oversight of the construction of my home. Architectural
design is primarily driven by creative ideas, but
in order to achieve this, certain practical elements
such as cost and construction must be considered.
After communicating my design ideas to James, he
would immediately address the issue of feasibility
and cost, as well as function and aesthetics. James’
familiarity with the “in’s and out’s”
of construction definitely streamlined the design
process, allowing me to realize my dream within
budget, while providing me the tangible results
I was looking for. As an owner-builder, and aspiring
general contractor, I really appreciated his outstanding
knowledge and service.
Daniel
Jones
Esparto, CA
****
When we first began to work with James, I was
impressed by his clear desire to understand us
and what we were looking for in our home. The
various early designs reflected a wide variety
of options, yet were consistent with our general
concept for a home. The final result is the home
that fits our family perfectly that we intend
to spend the rest of our life in.
Annette
Whiteford
Davis, CA
****
In Dec. 2004 I bought a historical landmark in
an area of Sacramento called Midtown. The home
was built in 1915 and has a unique heritage. When
I purchased it I fell in love with the historical
nuances of style such as the antique wood and
open staircase, yet I knew the home would need
a remodel to address the tiny kitchen and small
bathrooms. Initially I worked with an architect
for about 10 months that unfortunately had little
creativity and didn't seem to appreciate the historical
value of the home. After being discouraged by
this experience I was lucky enough to be introduced
to James Madson. What a difference his approach
was in terms of design and care. He genuinely
understands what the client is going through,
provides proactive and timely follow up, and continues
to be actively involved. James exhibited a respect
for blending the modern conveniences with the
historical nature of the home. He stays actively
involved, has a unique ability to visualize the
finished project and continually offers suggestions
to ensure the client is completely satisfied.
This might sound corny but I find myself saying
"how does he do that?". I have been
thoroughly impressed and would highly recommend
James to anyone looking for a high quality, 'attention-to-detail',
caring architectural designer.
Jolane
Davis
Sacramento, CA
*****
We are very happy with our home remodel project,
and much of that credit goes to James for his
ability to translate our ideas into a functional,
beautiful design. We approached our first ever
building project with a great deal of enthusiasm,
but also with a little trepidation. We had specific
ideas in mind, but were worried that they might
not be successfully communicated to the designer.
James not only was able to imagine exactly what
we wanted, but he suggested some ideas of his
own that further refined our addition. The end
result was a new sunroom that is every bit as
beautiful as we had ever dared to hope. James
was a pleasure to work with. He was enthusiastic
about hearing our ideas and always made us feel
that our ideas had merit. He made suggestions
when it was warranted, and graciously accepted
whatever feedback we gave him. James made the
give and take of the design process very enjoyable.
His work was timely, and he was always prompt
in responding to any questions we might have.
James would be our first choice if we undertake
any future building projects.
Sincerely,
Russell
and Peggy Manlapig
Elk Grove, CA
****
James, you did an outstanding job and the design
came out to be absolutely beautiful. From my personal
perspective, you have the following strengths:
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Your designs are beautiful and
you work with the client to make sure they
achieve an optimum balance between aesthetics
and cost. You were very good about pointing
out areas that we should not compromise on
that turned out not to be too expensive. For
example the view from the back yard is gorgeous
and at the time I was proposing a very boring
design just to save a few bucks. |
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You are very responsive, easy to work with
and you have a soothing demeanor. Remodels
are stressful to say the least and your “bedside
manner” is very comforting. |
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You are very open to taking suggestions
and working with a lot of differing opinions,
but you help keep the focus on key aesthetic
considerations. You are a good “Aesthetics
Cop”. |
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You are very reasonable in every respect,
from your pricing to your ideas, to your ability
to assess trade-offs
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We would recommend you to anyone--
Andy and Eva Dobrov
Palo Alto, CA
*****
People always tell me I should have had a remodeling
show film our room addition/remodel. James took
our dated 40-year old house and turned it into
a beautiful and inviting home. The small details
he added truly make it unique and noteworthy.
Plus, it flows so smoothly people can't remember
the old layout of the house.
Linda
Schwartz & Mark Starr
Rocklin, CA
*****
We are thrilled with our remodeled home. Not only
is our new second story with master suite perfect
for our life style, but our home went from being
one of the least interesting to one of the most
aesthetically appealing homes in our neighborhood.
James integrated our second story seamlessly,
so that the house doesn’t have that “added
on” look. His design, with its wonderful
rooflines, still gets compliments from people
passing by. Most importantly to us, James really
listened to us and worked with us to be sure that
our home was everything we wanted. He showed us
numerous design options and added small touches
that really make a difference. It isn’t
easy to find an architect who is both creative
and responsive, and we feel fortunate to have
found James.
Jim
Sequeira & Bobbi Larson
Sacramento, CA
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