Mercer Island Lakefront Home: Design & Permitting Process.

May 30, 2018

Ever wondered if it is better to substantially remodel and/or add-on to your existing home, rather than sell & buy another? Real estate values have gone up considerably, and in our current seller's market it's the buying-back-in that could be costly, if not timed just right. Considering the resources involved in the design, permitting & construction process, is it worth it to leverage the appreciation gained in your current house and transform it into your dream home? The simple answer is, it depends. Each property is unique, and each family is different. Best thing to do is explore all options and make informed decisions with the help of your professional real-estate, design & build community.

We recently ventured down this decision-making process with our Mercer Island clients, Nicole & Chris Niederman. They purchased a lovely 1,800 SF lakefront home a few years ago, but it didn't meet their family's personality & lifestyle. They selected Suzanne Zahr as their Architect to help lead them down the path of discovery that would ultimately result in an informed 'go / no-go' decision.

With each phase of the design process, new insights were creatively explored & considered. Here's a brief summary of our collaborative journey with the Niedermans in creating their 4,500 SF dream home.

L'Angolo Estate Winery & AIA Portland Home Tour with the SZ Team.

May 16, 2018

On our recent trip to Portland, Oregon, we saw beautiful buildings during the AIA Portland Homes Tour, but more specifically we were excited to visit the L'Angolo Estate Winery. Smitten by the floating roof plane, the SZ Team headed down to Newberg, Oregon to get a firsthand look at the L'Angolo Estate Winery's tasting room, designed by Lever Architecture.

We also went on the AIA Portland Homes Tour. This “open house” gave us the opportunity to walk through several different places around Portland in our own time.

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First Friday Art & Wine: Erin Milan [VANITAS]

May 14, 2018

For the months of June and July, we will be featuring Erin Milan's art exhibit, "VANITAS." Her pieces will be available for purchase at the gallery until July 31st. Celebrate the opening reception for Erin's exhibit on Friday, June 1st, from 5 - 8 pm at SZ Gallery. We'll have complimentary refreshments and seasonal bites to share! (Please note: the pieces contain female nudity.)

We had the opportunity to do a Q&A with Erin, and she shared an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at her personal process with this show. Read below to learn all about "VANITAS."

Meet SZ's Job Captain and Designer, Lara Tedrow.

May 9, 2018

In our Pink Hard Hat Chats series, we sit down and talk with women in the architecture, design, and build industries to learn their perspectives and insight on industry topics. Previously, we talked with Susan Jones, Founder and Principal Architect of atelierjones. For this chat, we're featuring SZ's Lara Tedrow!

Lara first started working with Suzanne as an intern, and over the past several years, her position has grown with the firm's growth, too. I had the chance to sit down and chat with her about her role at SZ, her path to become Job Captain and a Designer, and what she's currently up to. Check out our video here to learn more about our very own Lara!

If you're interested in joining our team, visit our Job Openings page to learn more about the following open positions: Summer Intern, Architectural Project Manager, and Construction Planner.