Residential designers have a unique privilege. We get to see into the lives of our clients. Not the carefully manicured photographs of holiday cards, but the chaos of daily dinners and homework. The intricate ballet of parenting and marriage. We are privy to the way families live; how they love.
Throughout our careers, we've shared in the joy of clients expanding their families, watched infants grow into charming children, ushered grandparents back into the homestead. Our honor has been altering a house to meet the needs of a family; allowing it to become a home. At times, this honor is amplified by the nature of the individuals residing in the home.
Recently, we had such individuals leave an indelible mark upon our hearts. The circumstances which brought the need of our services could've fostered bitterness or resentment. Instead, these individuals exude pure kindness and joy. They are the embodiment of gratitude.
As with any potential client, we don’t know much detail at first. For a homeowner, beginning the process of engaging a designer is a daunting one. They aren’t entirely sure what information to give - how much is too much? They stick with the basics; name, location, and a simple description of what they hope to accomplish.
In this particular situation, our initial contact was with their mother, a soft-spoken woman who carried kindness on her voice, interviewing design firms on their behalf. Her tenderness for her daughter wrapped every word she uttered. She gave us the big picture view. The couple was looking to expand their primary suite and some other minor modifications to their home to better accommodate a wheelchair. The finer details would be illuminated as we embarked on the journey with them.
Throughout the process, we learned more about this delightful duo; witnessing their immense care for one another, and we learned of their plans to expand their family. But we were devastated by the details of the rare, degenerative neuromuscular disorder that made these modifications necessary.
It's difficult to convey the challenges this couple faces. Nothing is easy. Yet, these people may be the most kind, joyful, and appreciative people we've ever encountered. No anger. No bitterness. Just a need to share their love by growing their family and passing this incredible capacity for love and humanity forward to another generation. We were inspired by the couple building a life together.
The intricacies of their lives are engraved in our collective memories.The design is completed and soon will move forward into construction, allowing a new crew to delight in experiences with this couplet of kindness. The builder, who was awarded the job, commented during the bid process that he was prepared to build the project without profit merely to be part of their lives. This is the unknown impact we can have on one another.
As we move into the holidays, particularly this feast centered around gratitude and thanks, this is the perspective we want etched upon us. The families that have allowed us access into their inner sanctuary and shown us the shift in priorities. The focus and care they put on the wellbeing of their spouses and children over the quantity of things they can procure. Their thoughtfulness when working with us to ensure that their homes meet their family’s needs without approaching excess. It can be easy to become overwhelmed with the things out of our control. The ugliness of decisions made by others. This holiday, take the space to breathe and focus on what matters most to us can allow us to recenter.
Unfortunately, the disparity between our economy being strong and everything being too expensive won’t be solved overnight. Drivers will still make mistakes in traffic. Bullies will still exist on our children’s playgrounds. As designers, we will still have limitations that irk us. However, those things will never eclipse how grateful we are for our community. The individuals that operate the business in our city. The clients that bless us with their patronage. Our own homes, which protect us from the elements and have fostered the growth and enrichment of our families.
The last few years have been unpredictable, at best. And to say that we have carried ourselves each day with composure and joy would be disingenuous. However, we hope to continue the focus on the gratitude, granted to us by the generosity of the people that trust us. We would not be here without the clients over the years who have granted us access into their lives and relied on us to bring their hopes to reality.
We enter this holiday season with grace and joy in our hearts, and we wish you all the same comforts. From our family to yours, we hope your holidays are filled with family, laughter, and cheer.
Habitations, LLC is an award-winning residential design studio in Chamblee. They bring 37 years of success in home design that's born from a talent to re-purpose any home with a new design mission. At the heart of the practice is a gifted father-daughter duo anchored by the firm understanding that the designer is the homeowner’s guide and advocate.
Habitations, LLC provides a full-spectrum of residential design services with a specialty in renovations and retrofit design for existing homes and new home design.
As a family-owned business, the staff has a down to earth business style working with their clients as they embark on a journey together to create your dream home.
Robert Platt - Residential Design and Construction are my passions. Over the last century, this field has become an incredibly complex, costly, and highly regulated process.
Aaron Michelle Baker - Ms. Baker joined the Habitations team in 2015 and uses her diverse knowledge to develop design solutions, assist clients with material selections, and communicate those solutions in graphic format.
Habitations is located at 1954 Airport Road, Atlanta 30341. For more information, visit habitationsllc.com.
From our family to yours, we hope your holidays are filled with family, laughter, and cheer. Robert Platt and Aaron Michelle Baker, Habitations, LLC