Christie Architecture LLC

Lisa is professional, easy to work with and was able to gently keep our vision within our budget. Her plans are comprehensive, detailed and well thought out, allowing the building process to run more smoothly. She is a pleasure to work with and we can highly recommend her!

Our newly purchased home needed significant redesign. It was very dated and had horrible flow. We didn't want to just hire a contractor to make crude but necessary changes. Specifically, we did not want to end up with renovations that were obviously done piece meal. We needed an architect to show us how the house could best be used, while also enhancing the house's appearance. We needed a big picture design. So we turned to Christie Architecture. Their Angies List reviews were positive and their website's portfolio was impressive. Lisa agreed to meet us promptly. We came away from the first meeting very comfortable with her design vision and professional communication skills. Our initial request to Lisa was to design an extensive remodel which would create our dream home. She did so, exceptionally. We loved the design and were looking forward to proceeding. However, after getting the contractor's bid to complete the job, we realized we just couldn't afford it. So Lisa went back to the drawing table to provide all the function, flow, and aesthetics we needed while remaining in our newly established budget. Once again, she provided a beautiful, "outside-of-the-box" design which absolutely met our needs. Then we had another change of heart--and budget. We requested a master plan for a long-term remodel which we could realize in stages. Lisa was fantastic and came through. She has just completed the new plans to transform our ugly, poorly functioning home into an attractive space in which we will love to live. Through the entire process, her exceptional professional communication style has allowed us to feel our needs and vision are being carried out within the boundaries of her technical and creative expertise. Through all of our changes of mind and budget shrinking, Lisa supported and encouraged us. She was just as enthusiastic about a project with minimal flair and expense as she was during the design of our dream home. Our whole experience makes me glad she is the architect for our home remodel and makes me very confident to refer her to anyone looking for fantastic professional ability in a rare coupling with outstanding interpersonal skills.

Competent, cheerful and efficient. Lisa has a great eye for design tempered by practicalities. Strong technical skills that were of immense value interpreting code requirements and securing permits. Works well with contractors, and vendors. Detail oriented. Good communication skills. I’ve done half a dozen builds/remodels over the years and Lisa gets my #1 vote.

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She had a beautiful vision. People come in to look at the job and they are stunned because it is so beautiful. She is quick, efficient, and designs beautiful things. On the other hand, she is visually-oriented rather than practically-oriented so she needs to be counter balanced by someone who can make sure there is storage space and the price isn?t too high. When you tell her something won?t work, she?ll go back to the drawing board.

We were lucky enough to find Lisa Christie (formerly of Prototype Architecture, now doing business as Christie Architecture) on Angie's List when we were looking for a competent architect to take our dreams of increasing the living space in our craftsman bungalow. Always overcautious, we'd agreed beforehand that we would interview several architects before making any sort of decision, but after meeting Lisa, we knew that she was "the one" and engaged her almost immediately. From the first meeting, Lisa made it clear that the concerns that we'd had (ensuring that the addition would not look odd bolted on to the house but remain true to the style of our home, maximizing the available living space) were also her own. At each step of the way, she helped guide us, going many times far outside her role of architect (we had numerous issues to tackle initially, including a strange "party sewer" line and other oddities, that she advised us on as well as giving us advice on selecting a contractor). As she drew up the plans, it became clear that our tastes were outstripping our budget. With that in mind, Lisa worked hard to keep our addition "modest." In the end, she drew up plans that we loved. In place of our finished attic, we would now have a beautiful master bedroom suite with a gorgeous bathroom, a walk-in closet, a new family room and an efficient laundry area. She even incorporated our son's desire for a secret passageway into the plans, making clever use of otherwise wasted space. The professionals that we've spoken to all have spoken highly of Lisa's beautifully executed drawings. As part of her services, Lisa took the plans to the city. With her experience, she did what she could do to expedite the potentially aggravating process of obtaining permits. Even with permits approved, Lisa's help doesn't end. She has assisted us with the purchase of tile, fixtures and more (giving us tips on upcoming sales and generously allowing us use of her professional discount). She also promises to be around as the remodel proceeds, to answer questions and to ensure that her designs are executed faithfully. We could not be happier with our choice of architects.

We have been extremely happy with every aspect of her work. Her communication with us has been exemplary. She immediately responds to our emails & phone calls. Her designs & permits were submitted promptly, which kept the project on or ahead of schedule. She recognized our budgetary limits, yet her designs were very creative, visionary and practical as well. Her attention to detail, both large and small, is amazing. She is business-like, yet very personable. We do not feel rushed when talking with her. She makes us feel like we are her only clients. She has a positive relationship with the builder and engineer, whom she recommended to us, and we are very satisfied with their work as well. She has made several site visits during the construction to evaluate progress and consult with the builder. She emails us frequently regarding the progress and continues to offer help if we need it. We would definitely hire Lisa again and highly recommend her for any size project.

I couldn?t be happier having hired Lisa Christie and Prototype Architecture. I bought a house that needed a good deal of love and care to transform it into a beautiful home. The first time Lisa stopped by my house, I new that she saw what it could be. My house was built in 1928 using the American whimsical storybook style of architecture which is quirky and not mainstream. Lisa absorbed everything she could about the style and provided plans that totally fit the original design of the house. I wanted a rather hideous living room bump-out a previous owner had added in the ?50s, redone and integrated into the original design of the house. I also wanted the bathroom redone. The ongoing rough drafts and eventual architectural plans were wonderful and I can?t wait to see the end results (construction begins soon.) NO ONE pays attention to details and listens like Lisa. She consulted a structural engineer for the new roof design in the living room, made beautiful suggestions for new lighting fixtures, found the perfect stone mason and master plasterer for the fireplace, helped me make decisions with paint colors, and helped me select bathroom tile and hardware as well as an endless number of wonderful and appreciated suggestions all along the way. And, if that weren?t enough Lisa has several contractors that she regularly works with and since I didn?t have anyone lined up for this work, she selected one for me, Shel Chapman Construction (also on Angie?s List.) Without Lisa?s and Prototype Architecture?s help I can?t imagine reaching this place with my house. I would hire Lisa Christie and Prototype Architecture without hesitation for future work. In fact, I have already started saving my money for the next job.

We are extremely happy with the results. We just had very rough ideas of what we wanted, and we didn't know exactly what was doable and what was not. Based on our initial discussions, Lisa came up with several great proposals and worked with us to find the best design. From planning the space down to picking colors and materials, she came up with solutions that fit our personal style and that also worked well with the rest of the house. In the bedroom, she incorporated a floating dresser that makes the space look much more open and also provides a lot of storage. The dressing room and shower room look fantastic with design elements that are truly unique to our house and combine practicality and style. While entering the basement previously would be a challenge for anyone more than 4 ft. tall, we now have a nice, open stairway leading to a very inviting space. The utilization is amazing, hiding all the support columns and with plenty of storage space. We created a home office that we feared would feel a bit crammed, but thanks to Lisa's design, it's one of the most inviting and well-lit rooms in the house, especially thanks to how the design of a built-in desk and dresser was incorporated. Lisa was very easy to work with, always available, and always listened to our concerns. Her good network of contractors and suppliers was a great help. We would absolutely recommend Prototype Architecture, we won't hesitate a second hiring Lisa in the future.

We are 100% thrilled with the results and with our experience with Prototype. Lisa really listened to us, while at the same time clearly explaining why certain things we thought we wanted might not be the best option for the space/house we had. Our final plans were quite different than what we had originally imagined, and having lived in the space now for many months, thank goodness we made those changes. Lisa's design sense and feel for how we wanted to use the space were right on.

We are 100% thrilled with the results and with our experience with Prototype. Lisa really listened to us, while at the same time clearly explaining why certain things we thought we wanted might not be the best option for the space/house we had. Our final plans were quite different than what we had originally imagined, and having lived in the space now for many months, thank goodness we made those changes. Lisa's design sense and feel for how we wanted to use the space were right on.

The architectural design components went very well. Ms. Christie more than paid for her value with the two design components that had never even crossed my mind - one of which made it possible to effectively use some awkward space and turn it into a complete full size bedroom, and the other was the addition of the new front porch which makes a wonderful statement about the over all house design and street appeal. Lisa was very easy to work with, and met all time commitments and provided all drawings for the permitting process. She recommended two to three different builders and was able to work with the one I selected in order to manage the cost, design and build process. She took an active interest in the project as it moved along and even corrected the contractor when he didn't follow the design correctly. Lisa adapted her design to my personal preferences which run to traditional, rather than trying to impose her own view (whatever that may be). She did point out design suggestions, always graciously, and let me know if she thought my personal choices were headed in the wrong direction from a design standpoint. However, if I wanted to push ahead she would work with my ideas. Lisa was there as the project concluded to ensure the final outcome met with her specifications. I only wish the construction had gone as well as the design process!

What a success! I hired Prototype to redesign the only bathroom in my 1906 home and I am delighted with the results. I was looking for a combination of new and old, something that felt true to the character of my old house but with a fresh, modern twist. Lisa did a great job combining the two and maximized the tiny space with some lovely design solutions. I am most pleased with the results! Lisa was very easy to work with; she was always prompt, thoughtful and extremely professional. She listened to my concerns and came up with simple solutions to address them. I always felt that she had my best interests in mind and she never balked when I asked stupid questions or requested a tiny tweak to the design. She held my hand through the whole process, and her network of contractors and vendors was invaluable. I would highly recommend Prototype Architecture!

I hired Prototype Architecture this year to redesign my horribly outdated kitchen, add a half bathroom next to the kitchen, remodel my falling down rear porch, and add a sunroom to my 1920 s Craftsman bungalow. Prototype exceeded my expectations in every way! From our initial meeting through design through construction, Prototype was extremely professional and knowledgeable. They listened to my ideas and then incorporated those ideas into the design. They had extremely inventive solutions for solving our problems (lack of space and awkward configuration of the existing kitchen) and came up with ideas I'd never even thought about and I've lived in this house for over 10 years! The design blends seamlessly with the traditional design of our house, you'd never know that the sunroom is a modern addition. And the rear porch is three times as large as it was originally and it looks great with the design of the old house. Prototype has great connections with contractors and suppliers and even passed their "designers discount" directly on to me so I could save money on the tile, plumbing fixtures, and light fixtures. Prototype's fee came in lower than estimated and the project was designed to fit within our budget. (The total cost of the construction was $125,000). I would definitely hire Prototype again.