For two decades, local residential designer Jamie Taylor has used her passion for clean architectural styles to develop standout custom homes, restore charm to home renovations and provide cohesive collaboration with clients, builders and interior designers.
"My personal design style is eclectic. I could feel just as at home in a contemporary glass box in California as I would in a traditional Southern home in Charleston,” she reflects. “I’ve always been drawn to the clean lines of mid-century design and the timeless work of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright."
After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in interior design, she worked for a design firm doing architectural work in 2002. But when the recession hit in 2008, she says she took a job working at a local lumber company, Husky Truss and Building Supply. “That’s where I quickly started to understand the structural nature of a home; how it’s built. I gained hands-on experience analyzing house plans for structural engineering, material take-offs and truss design."
At the lumber company was where Jamie honed her ability to create both an aesthetically pleasing home and a structurally sound home.
Then, in 2009, she started J Taylor Designs, based on forging trusting relationships with homeowners and builders. "Designing a home is a personal experience for me; I want to make sure the homeowners’ wants and wishes are satisfied, their budget is respected, and the building process is smooth, accurate and up to code," she adds.
Making brand new homes look historical is one of her specialties. “Honoring the homeowner’s vision is always the priority, but I pride myself on staying true to the architectural style,” she says. “Whether it’s a farmhouse or a mid-century home, it should reflect the spirit of that style. The details matter.”
She says before each project she meets with each client to guide them through finding their design style as well as to determine how to carefully craft the floor plan to suit their needs. "We discuss what their home goals are. Initial consultations are typically casual conversations in which we take the time to get to know every need and desire you would like to see in your new home. We also discuss desired construction budgets, possible builders and any site restrictions. A beautiful home design can only become a reality if all aspects of the process are considered."
After those first conversations, Jamie and her team move into the design phase for both interior and exterior façade floor plans, both of which are based on individual personalities, styles and needs of homeowners.
Floor plan design has been an interest of hers since she was 12 years old. "I like rearranging spaces to see not only how a layout looks but how it feels. I spent hours laying out rooms and designing spaces on graph paper as a child, so it was no surprise that interior design and architecture would be my career path of choice," Jamie states.
She says clients' final plans include exterior façade drawings with material specs, foundation with footer details, roof layout, floor plans, framing details and any other specs for specific to each home.
Now Jamie says the majority of her projects come from referrals, and are headquartered from her office at 310 Uptown Square.
615.617.6466
JTaylorDesigns.net
"Your home's the setting for memories, where you live and love."
"I like rearranging spaces to see not only how layouts look, but how they feel."