OUR METHODOLOGY

Our expertise in real estate investment makes our design and build methodology unique in the arena of residential renovations and custom home building. This investors mindset is so intrinsict that it weaves itself into our operations at every level of design and build management.

In the development of our designer spec home projects we are responsible for investing millions of dollars from our partners to acquire, design and manage construction with the primary focus of delivering healthy investment returns. Spec homes (short for speculative homes) involves our acquiring land, designing for a particular type of buyer, building the perfect home for that property, and then selling it.

We invest thousands-of-hours of our own time on these projects over a year or more before seeing any profit. We’re responsible for deploying millions of dollars in private investor funds and generating a return for those investors. It’s in this pressure-cooker environment over the past seven-years that our unique design + build management approach to property transformation has been forged.

As talented as they may be; the vast majority of Interior Designers, Architects and Contractors lack the investor’s mindset. This results in these professionals viewing each project simply as a paycheck with little other regard to the financial side other than a client’s budget.

In contrast, Studio 818 leverages our investor-based development experience to take what would otherwise be a disjointed group of individual professionals and bring them together into a single cohesive team focused on delivering a stellar finished product.

Design From The Inside Out

The most effective way to create a truly jaw-dropping design that is also functional and adds value to the property is to first develop the floor plan based on the clients’ goals, lifestyle and planned use of spaces. The floor plan impacts how you live your life every single day. EVERYTHING flows from the optimal floor plan.

Existing structures

The firm leverages Janie’s Interior Architecture background and John-Paul’s redevelopment experience to analyze existing spaces and redefine the flow to create a new contemporary floor plan designed for today’s daily living. Then we dive deep to create and document those design details that you interact with every day. When the right floor plan is combined with documentation and construction administration for those hundreds of details throughout the property — that is when a great design becomes reality.

New construction

When it comes to the design of your new custom home we turn the typical plan development process on its’ head. We design from the inside out using our exclusive lifestyle analysis and feasibility studies as the basis to design the ideal floor plan for you and your family first. Then the building envelope and structure are developed to compliment and and complete the design aesthetic you want. Since the practicality of the floor plan affects how you live each and every day it it’s a matter of good-old common sense to create your master plan with a focus on flow and function. 

During the design development phase of our custom home building process we take the lead working in parallel with the architect, engineers and landscape architect to create a cohesive integrated plan from the start. By working this way the conflicts and impracticalities that normally arise during construction are much more likely to come to light during design development.These issues can be handled ‘on paper’ rather than during actual construction. Our approach minimizes change orders, reduces construction timelines and boosts overall project efficiency. 

Design Aesthetic 

The design aesthetic of Studio 818 is driven by Principal and Creative Director, Janie Micek and her diverse exposure to unique architectural styles working in Boston, Los Angeles and South Florida. Our clients are drawn to Janie’s Mid-Century Modern influenced Contemporary design style. Open-concept floor plans, bright spaces, and the seamless flow of interior & exterior spaces are staples of Studio 818 designs.

Design Scope

We are experienced in the design of a property as an integrated whole. This is a result again of our Designer Spec Home development where we are responsible for bringing the property to its’ highest-and-best-use and maximizing value. Interior spaces, the exterior facade, outdoor living areas and Hardscapes all flow and function harmoniously. Designer-led construction administration throughout the building phase ensures your design as envisioned and planned becomes reality. And for the true turnkey experience our team will design, curate and install trade-sourced furnishings for a stress-free move-in. 

Check out our services page to learn more.