Katie Hutchison Studio

Katie proved to be the perfect person to work with. The project was complicated, my vision for it was muddy, and house was in dire-straits. I knew it had potential, but had no idea what really could be done. I had a lot of desires, but assumed I'd have to make many compromises. What I needed was someone that could bring creativity and vision. But also someone that could walk me through the entire process. Katie worked to understand what I was looking for, then came back with ideas beyond what I was expecting. Then as the project progressed, she walked me through each step. Her poise, clarity, and eye for detail kept me confident all along the way. The result is something I can be proud of, and that she can be proud of. I would be thrilled to work with with Katie again. However it will probably never happen, as I now happen to live in the perfect house.

My experience with Katie Hutchison was entirely positive. I found her on Houzz and contacted her to design a new front porch for my century-old two-family home in New Bedford. The old porch had gone through several iterations and was sorely in need of replacement. Katie visited my home to assess the porch and we walked around the neighborhood together, looking at other porches and the general character of the area. I told her the ideas I had in mind and she developed some lovely drawings. I had some small revisions to the design and she accommodated every detail. Katie contacted several contractors with her specifications for the job and we got three quotes. We talked to two of the contractors and she helped me choose the best one for my project and negotiate the final price. When construction began, Katie was on site several times to verify that the contractor followed the design accurately. When there were some minor deviations, she took action to make sure they were corrected. In every instance, Katie listened to my perspective and made sure I was happy with the project. The end result was just what I wanted and a big improvement to the appearance and livability of my home. On the business side of working with Katie, she gave me a clear idea of what her charges would be for the design and follow-up during construction. She billed me periodically with detailed invoices explaining how much time was spent on each task. Her business practices gave me confidence in the fairness of her prices. I had a great experience with Katie and recommend her to anyone looking for an architect with excellent taste who is considerate, patient, experienced, and reliable.

We knew, when we saw the compact space to be renovated, that Katie would be the perfect architect with whom to work. From seeing her prior projects we knew that her clean, crisp and efficient use of space and light would be ideal for this project. Katie was easy to work with, insightful and understanding in a way that made the process a pleasure. If you should have the chance to work with her, do yourself a favor and choose to do so. We are sure you will be as pleased with the ideas, process and final result as we have been.

Katie is a dream to work with, she is on time, detail oriented and creative. I would definitely work with her again on another project. she designed a beautiful custom made vanity to suit our bathroom. We love it. Thank Katie!

This was a successful project thanks to Katie. She transformed a space badly lacking in storage into a comfortable, attractive, very usable space because of her excellent, imaginative design. Her guidance and assistance with the details (not just cabinets and counters, but things like lighting, backsplash tile, paint) helped keep things integrated. She put lots of resources before us; choosing could have been daunting, but Katie asks questions about preferences that helps focusing to a desired end. Kitchens are complex with lots of parts to consider. Katie is knowledgeable about these aspects, so it all comes together. Being an architect, not just a designer, she has thorough knowledge of the factors involved from the bare studs, plumbing and electrical to the finished project. Her experience helped with the management of the project. Katie was indispensable from start to finish. She's the consumate professional. We were completely satisfied with her work and would use her for any project without second thoughts.

We own an antique home that was last renovated in the 1940s. KHS was able to help us through all aspects of the renovation process. Starting from measured drawings, Katie expertly helped us iterate through possible floor plans, taking our lifestyle and personal preferences into consideration. Katie has a deep understanding of space and visual relationships between spaces. We worked though multiple layout schemes and she supplied her input of the benefits and downsides of each, refining it to a layout that worked well given all of the constraints. Our project had a deed restriction that required us to remain within the current footprint. Being in an Historic District also meant making no significant exterior changes. Our primary goal was to modernize the space which had terribly dated kitchen and baths, but also open up the tiny spaces to take better advantage of natural light and enjoy the beautiful view of the property. Our initial consultation described the process in detail. After discussions of materials and finish preferences, we were given a very rough cost estimate (per sq ft). Subsequent budget discussions helped us determine the scope of the renovation and priorities. We were provided with an estimate of the cost of architectural services broken out into several categories, including production of measured drawings (as-built), schematics, consultations with structural engineers (as needed), contractor selection, production of construction drawings, electrical/lighting plan, site visits, etc. The estimates proved very close to actual costs incurred. We added on additional design services for assistance with color palette, lighting selection, and interior fixtures. Katie cleverly designed a combination open dining/kitchen area that was complicated by doorway, window and exterior wall locations. Our preference to have dining table seating for 8 in a narrow space was wonderfully solved with the implementation of a wall banquette, an elegant solution which provides ample seating without encroaching on circulation. The banquette allows for a custom table that can be extended to seat more guests, when needed. The space feels ample, warm and comfortable with wonderful viewpoints and design elements. Another feature Katie recommended was a custom shelf enclosure which ties together cabinets on either side of a large casement window in the kitchen. This element, while simple in design, brings a cohesive feel to the room's minimal upper cabinetry, while also allowing for unobtrusive use of overhead task lighting along a lengthy countertop work area. Given so many limitations, we are extremely happy with the results. We especially loved having an architect that is also a design consultant, so we were able to get guidance on paint colors, lighting choices, and professional decorative help with our project, in addition to the floor plan/layout.

Approximately two years ago, I was fortunate enough to commence with work on a significant renovation / addition project for my home. From the very beginning of the project, Katie and I developed an effective and satisfying architect-client relationship built on a foundation of confidence, collaboration and a mutual respect. We started by establishing overall project outcomes, aligning on expectations, and establishing a communications plan. And from the get-go, I was pleasantly surprised that Katie and I shared similar design sensibilities. And it was this mutual understanding that resulted in the realization of my vision for a simple, non-ornate, classic New England design, one with clean, classic lines – a smallish, cozy home with interesting spaces and restrained elegance. We both understood the paramount importance of coming together on a design that blended in well with the established character of this sea-side community. In addition to collaborating on the plan and design, Katie expertly managed the budget, administered the construction contract, and guided me through the local town permitting and zoning approval process, all of which gave me the peace of mind I needed and resulted in a project that was on schedule and on budget. As I sit here writing this review from my newly renovated home, I can say I couldn’t be happier with the result. Thanks again, Katie!

Collaborating with Katie Hutchison Studio on two recent home renovation projects has been a total joy. When Katie approached Oliveira Textiles to create several custom colorways of our contemporary, sea-inspired patterns, I was immediately excited. We share a belief in sustainability and restraint with regard to 21st century design so I knew immediately this would be a dream working relationship. Katie's clean, modern style, creative design approach, and unwavering attention to detail leads to beautiful results and gleeful clients. I can attest to that after seeing the delight on the faces of these homeowners and their guests at a recent 'home warming' party. I can't recommend Katie Hutchison Studio highly enough. Have a look for yourself here: http://www.katiehutchison.com/ “ The 21st century business model for all industries needs to be one that is unflinchingly connected to the land, emphasizes social accountability and creates the lowest impact possible on our planet.” -- www.oliveiratextiles.com / Dawn Oliveira

Katie is an exceptional designer with vast knowledge of the New England vernacular as well as less traditional styles and trends in architecture. I am myself an architectural designer and constructor, but when my husband and I decided to build the perfect little garden "cabana" we hired Katie because I knew she would come up with the best possible design with ease and sensitivity. The result was a little building that turned heads, brought people down our driveway for a closer look, and ultimately landed in Cottage Living Magazine. I can highly recommend Katie for architectural design if you really want your building to standout from the crowd, or if you want it to look like it's been there for a couple of centuries!

Katie has been a wonderful professional to work with. She is creative, very diligent and timely in her work. Katie has helped us organize our project very well, educating us on the entire design and building process. She has been very conscious about keeping us on budget and has worked very collaboratively with our builder. Katie listens well to our ideas, and is flexible and adaptive with her ideas. Her drawings, plans and schedules are clear and complete. We have wanted to be ecologically careful and design a home that is respectful of environmental factors. She has been a great support in these areas. She has also been a big help in designing our soft interior designs, carpets, window treatments, furniture, pillows etc. She helped us repurpose furniture that compliments our vision and has sensitively advised us on moving on items that do not compliment our project design. She has an eye for light, color and simplicity that I appreciate. She is the whole package.