We're working on a project. The facade looks the client is drawn to include half-timbered, Tudor and Provençal styles.

We try out different variations on the house.

The client went with a striking look featuring contrasting half-timbered decor.

What makes the facade so expressive? First, the horizontal layout of the decorative cornices; second, the relief treatment of the walls with natural materials; third, the plinth built up at different levels.

The most contrasting part of the trim — is the upper, stucco floor with its dark wood (half-timber) decoration. On the lower floor, we used light decor around the window frames to make them stand out against the colorful Bavarian masonry tiles. The light stone of the plinth, with its interesting pattern, makes the house easier on the eye, both floor by floor and as a whole.

Working with an architecture that's already been defined sharply narrows the architect-designer's options. But we try to find the upside, treating it as a test of skill. By paying attention to the details and the little things, we reach our goal with small changes.

Here, for example, are a few ways to approach a project at the sketch stage. You'd think you're only changing the shape of the second-floor window, yet it changes the whole look and feel of the house.

The client wants the second option. Which one do you prefer?

Every phase of a project matters. But the sketching stage is the most important one, in our view. It's through trying out different ideas as sketches that we build a good rapport with the client, land on a unique concept, and work out the details.