This year marks the 15th for James McDonald Architect Associates, a residential design firm that has added signature projects to communities throughout the mid-Atlantic area and beyond. The firm’s projects range from small renovations and additions, to jewel box cottages, all the way to grand estate homes. Their diversity in design style allows them to work on projects ranging from Miami contemporary to French provincial and anything in between.
James McDonald has been working on residential projects for the last 35 years in many capacities. “I have been the lead architect for a firm that did design-build remodeling, and I have worked on luxury production homes, town homes and up to full 600-unit apartment buildings,” McDonald says. “Working across the residential design field has allowed me to see and understand trends in the housing market.” This insight allows McDonald to advise clients when something goes against what the greater market may be looking for.
The design process starts in the initial meeting. “After some conversation about wants, wishes and needs, we start sketching floor plan and elevation ideas right in front of the client,” McDonald says. “This allows us to try multiple ideas and design directions very quickly and further define the project design parameters.” This brings everyone into the design process and creates a vision of the project from the initial meeting. All that hard work eventually pays off: “When we get toward completion and a client tells me that the project exceeds their dreams—that is why we do our job.”
Awards/Honors:
Southeast Builders Conference/Florida Home Builder Association (2023): “Best on the Boards Custom”, “Best Custom Home”
Northern Virginia Building Industry Awards (2023):Grand Award, Custom Home of the Year; Award: Best Design and Architecture (4 awards); Award of Merit: Best Design and Architecture (3 awards); Best Interior Merchandising