Acre Architects

Our home is situated on a beautiful street in Fredericton, but the 1967 layout had become dated and sad. Rather than a quick touch-up, we had visions of a bold new design. Inspired by a tour of "Miller House" in Columbus, Indiana, we explained various requirements and design thoughts to this cutting-edge firm, owned by partners Stephen Kopp and Monica Adair. What they came back with blew us away: a design that completely opened up the plan, moved the dining room into part of what had been an isolated, plain living room, and created a flow from there, down to the "Conversation Pit" with a custom sofa and wood accents, flowing around the corner from there, to a stunning new kitchen. The entire back of the house was fitted with large windows, providing stunning views for all seasons. The former dining room became the "library," a sort of quiet anteroom that sits outside one of our offices. In addition to the design brilliance, Acre act as project managers, supervising the general contractor and bringing in appropriate craftspeople to address shelving, wood accents, couch, etc. Design detail is also a strength. Acre has in-house design expertise to work with the architects. Along the way, they listen to our wants and needs and design touches, without letting that get in the way of the overall boldness and coherence of the design. Function and flow are huge as well. They study how you live and how you want to live, and create designs in keeping with those human factors -- right down to the built-in outlets in the counter, the awesome breakfast bar with stools, and the improved front foyer. You don't get this outcome by hiring an interior designer and/or a general contractor willy-nilly. This is a unified, beautiful result that our guests invariably gasp at and marvel at when seeing the result for the first time. Cost was high, but not every element had to be dripping with luxury. We opted for high quality, but not lavish tile; practical but not lavish kitchen cabinets. Some of the design touches, like special lighting and table & chairs, could be purchased down the road, in order to defer cost. The cost we have listed here is only approximate. Use your imagination.