Hamilton Modern: David Carrothers
- Dev Team
- 04 Nov 2016
Featuring: David Carrothers of Carrothers and Associates Inc., a Hamilton-based architectural design firm
Q: Your design style is unique, clean, and modern. Could you describe your philosophy of design?
A: Our practice over the last 10 years has evolved from a single project to over 80 projects a year. We are passionate about good design, this is the base we build on and the rationale of the company has always been simplicity and timeless in our design approach.
We’ve learned that outstanding work is built on relationships. We collaborate with our clients and we challenge them to think differently about their projects by asking the right questions.
When it comes to modernism : For us, it isn’t as much a style as it is a way of living. By breaking down the traditional barriers within the home, one can create open concept spaces and interactions between indoor and outdoor living areas. The home then becomes fluid and the homeowner’s way of life will benefit from it. The house is where we spend the most of our time – it needs to reflect the homeowner’s needs and personality. As designers, we need to lead the clients into areas where they may see themselves while respecting their requirements and budget.
Q:What sort of clientele do you typically work for?
A: All sorts. From growing families in Westdale looking for an home addition or homeowners looking to build new along the escarpment or lake. Our clientele appreciates great design. They understand that great design actually can add terrific value to a project instead of just getting the job done. Our clients also like to get involved in the finishing and fixtures part of the process which we encourage and collaborate with.
Q: Is demand for your type of design growing in Hamilton? Why or why not?
A: Great design appreciation in Hamilton has been undergoing a huge resurgence for the past few years. This is resonating in the style of design Hamilton clients have been asking for. We are finding the typical homeowner is becoming more design savvy and are looking for that unique stamp to put on their creation along with their personal list of wants and desires. As equity value grows the demand grows.
Q: Tell us about your recent participation on HGTV’s Brian Inc. How did that come about? Tell us about the experience and the project?
A: We have been working with the Baeumler Construction Group for about 2 years, designing large scale renovations and custom homes for their clients. We were approached to design their first modern spec build. But were never told it was going to be filmed. I had no idea. Which looking back, was probably a good thing. Filming was a lot of fun and an incredible experience. The footage that makes it to the show is only a small part of the interaction and involvement we had with Sarah and Bryan throughout the whole construction program. They are seasoned TV pros and were great to work with at every step of the project. Their hands-on process wasn’t that different from our ‘normal’ clients except that it was all being filmed!
Q: What are your favourite types of projects? Why?
A: Every project is different. It’s not so much about what our favourite project is as it is about our favourite clients.
These are people that understand great design, have a vision for what they want and a desire to work with a professional team to realize that vision. An unlimited budget always is great but not realistic and so clients need to be part of the process in creating their vision and expectations from the beginning. Passion, enthusiasm, and involvement equals the recipe for one of our favourite projects.
Q: What’s next for you and your firm?
A: We are moving offices to York Street and Dundurn in the HBREB Building. This allows us to maintain our roots and our role in Hamilton’s West End community while expanding our office needs. But we’re excited to offer our clients a space where we can work collaboratively and showcase our projects. We have some really cool residential and commercial projects that are coming up. So it’s going to be a busy 2017.
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