--- title: "MGF Designs — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/mgf-designs-pfvwus-pf~916047136 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~916047136.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "MGF Designs" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/ad03f90305e9d9e4_7833-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "272 Pierson Dr, Shelburne, Vermont 05482, United States" latitude: 44.39 longitude: -73.2171 phone: "(802) 992-8273" website: https://mgfdesignsarch.com rating: 5 review_count: 10 years_in_business: 30 license_verified: true best_of_houzz_awards: 4 followers: 16 last_updated: 2026-08-13 --- # MGF Designs > Shelburne's Trusted & Innovative Full Service Architect Original Houzz profile: [MGF Designs](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/mgf-designs-pfvwus-pf~916047136) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Shelburne, VT - **Serves:** Burlington, Essex, South Burlington, Colchester, Essex Junction, Williston, Winooski, Shelburne, Hinesburg, Charlotte, Westford, Chittenden County, Jonesville, North Ferrisburg, Port Kent, Willsboro - **Verified License:** Yes - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (10 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 4 awards (2020–2024), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Pro Software User - Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 25 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Eco-friendly - 30 years in business - Hired on Houzz ### Business highlights - Best of Houzz winner - 30 years in business - Eco-friendly - 16 Hires on Houzz MGF Designs is a full service architectural firm specializing in renovations and new energy efficient construction. Melissa has experience with energy efficient Net Zero design and Passive House. Having worked for thirty years on projects in New England, California, Belgium, France and Japan, Melissa brings to the table a great deal of expertise and offers a unique perspective to each project. Melissa is a member of Vermont Green Building Network. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Architectural Drawings - Custom Homes - House Plans - New Home Construction - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Kitchen Design - Sustainable Design - Floor Plans - Energy-Efficient Homes - 3D Rendering - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Bathroom Design - Green Building - Space Planning - Universal Design - Multigenerational Homes - Project Management - Handicap-Accessible Design - Outdoor Kitchen Design - Basement Remodeling - Mudroom Design - Attic Conversion - Basement Design - Staircase Design - Deck Design - Garage Design - Laundry Room Design - Modular Home Additions - Passive Solar Heating & Cooling - Prefab Houses ### Areas Served - Burlington - Essex - South Burlington - Colchester - Essex Junction - Williston - Winooski - Shelburne - Hinesburg - Charlotte - Westford - Chittenden County - Jonesville - North Ferrisburg - Port Kent - Willsboro ### Typical Job Cost MGF Designs takes on the full range from small renovation projects to new construction with both tight and lavish budgets. ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | MGF Designs | | Address | 272 Pierson Dr, Shelburne, Vermont 05482, United States | | Phone | (802) 992-8273 | | Website | https://mgfdesignsarch.com | | License Number | VT 003-0003030 and CA C-23287 | | Years in business | 30 | | Followers on Houzz | 16 | ## Offers Let us design your dream home! ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [MGF Designs](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/mgf-designs-pfvwus-pf~916047136) - **Website:** https://mgfdesignsarch.com - **Phone:** (802) 992-8273 ## Credentials **Verified License** - Number: 003.0003030 - Type: Architect - Issued by: Vermont Office of Professional Regulation **Certifications & Awards** - LEED GA - **Best of Houzz:** 4 awards (2020–2024), for Service. **Affiliations** - [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471) - [AIA Vermont](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/aia-vermont-pfvwus-pf~1511418982) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 10 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Featured Review **★★★★★ — Jim Bradley, April 2019** > This is my first time working with MGF Designs, but I have been quite impressed with the skillset and attention to detail that Melissa and her firm brings to project while promoting the Integrated Construction Process. Our client and contractors have benefited from her well thought out and detailed designs. When questions arise, she is only a quick phone call away and is more than willing to meet us on the jobsite to work through the details even to the extent of trekking atop a 3-story roof in the middle of a Vermont Winter to put her eyes on a situation and offer her experienced ideas. I love the fact that she is a certified Passive House Designer that is concerned not only with designing energy efficient structures, but also ensuring that they are built to an occupant healthy and durable standard. If asked whether or not we would recommend Melissa and her firm to other clients I have and will do so in full confidence in her professionalism and qualifications. ### All 10 reviews **★★★★★ — Susan Ficklin, Sept. 2023** > Melissa designed a major remodel of my home - moving a staircase, opening up spaces, putting outside doors in, and reworking the HVAC completely. She was so patient with me and had great suggestions. I appreciated both her attentiveness to my needs and wants, as well as her attention to both the engineering and design details. I’m in love with the result! **★★★★★ — allysonrudy, May 2022** > I LOVE Melissa! > > She is a perfectionist. And an excellent at listening to her client. I have worked with Melissa on my personal home, as well as commercial projects. Highly recommend. **★★★★★ — Katherine Van Woert, Nov. 2021** > We have worked with Melissa on two projects including plans for a major renovation and expansion of our home. She is very quick and efficient, really listens, picks up on nuances, and is attentive to detail. She has a great eye but also has terrific function and engineering sense. Highly recommended! **★★★★★ — Hayward Design Build, April 2019** > We have worked with Melissa on 2 high performance house builds. Melissa is very conscientious and professional. She is accessible and detail oriented. I hope to continue to work with Melissa in the future! **★★★★★ — Kathryn Welch, April 2019** > My husband and I own a reproduction saltbox home. Because of the sloping back roof, our bedroom closets and our upstairs baths are very small. We asked Melissa to evaluate the structure of the house to determine if we could “bump out” the back of the house in order to gain more space. In effect to convert the home from a saltbox to a colonial. She spent a good deal of time crawling around in the attic and found that the way the back structure of the house was designed, which included a beam that we were not aware of that tied the two sides of the house together, our idea of a simple “bump out” was impractical and would necessitate significant structural alternations. Her findings saved us valuable time and effort with contractors and town permits. She proposed a much more practical and economical alternative which also would not change the look of the saltbox aspect to our home that we have grown to love. Sometimes it is as important to be informed that an idea is impracticable than it is to plough ahead at all costs. Melissa’s insights were invaluable and we found her knowledgable and creative with her design ideas. **★★★★★ — Alison Clapp, April 2019** > I initially retained Melissa Fletcher of MGF Designs for assistance in evaluating a retirement property that I was contemplating purchasing. While Melissa's pre-purchase assistance was insightful and helpful, her remodeling and renovation plans, produced shortly after the purchase was completed, were particularly valuable to me. To say that the plans were produced promptly is an understatement. The plans were innovative, solved several problems, and were aesthetically pleasing to me. > I came away from my professional relationship with Ms. Fletcher with two primary impressions. First, she is a superb listener. Second, her knowledge is broad, her professional skills are finely honed, and she has the ability to adapt to her clients aesthetic needs while maintaining her professional standards. > I recommend Ms. Fletcher's design services without reservation. **★★★★★ — Cara Soper, April 2019** > Melissa did a great job getting us started with a schematic on our recent new house build. She was attentive and responsive and thorough. We absolutely love our house and would highly recommend her. **★★★★★ — Responsive Designs, Architects, April 2019** > I have collaborated with Melissa on several projects. The Gethsemane Church Parish Hall rebuild after the Hurricane highlighted Melissa's flexibility, dedication to budget and desire to satisfy the client's needs. Melissa is a very talented Architect. **★★★★★ — Hannah Regier, March 2019** > Melissa designed a kitchen and vertical addition to my 1820 brick one-room schoolhouse in Vermont. She was super thoughtful to find ways to preserve the original timber framing of the roof while maximizing the interior space for storage, second bedroom and office. The kitchen is almost finished and is a dream to work in. I haven't done the tower/dormer construction yet, but I dream about it daily! ## Selected projects - [Contemporary Energy Efficient Vermont Farmhouse](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/contemporary-energy-efficient-vermont-farmhouse-pj-vj~7781210) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 13 - [Barn Conversion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/barn-conversion-pj-vj~7711928) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - Description: 1700s stone barn and attached house with no interior plumbing and limited electricity was converted into a four bedroom house with attached ADU. - [House Remodel with in-law unit](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/house-remodel-with-in-law-unit-pj-vj~7704008) - Location: South Burlington, VT - Photos: 11 - [Lake House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lake-house-pj-vj~5627836) - Location: South Hero, VT - Photos: 15 - Description: New energy efficient construction. Passive House equivalent. House was sited on existing double wide trailer and garage footprint. - [Basement Conversion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/basement-conversion-pj-vj~7711966) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - Description: The original garage,, under the main living level in San Francisco, was unfinished. It collected clutter. We left plenty of room for the car and took the back half and for a family room and office. We added a bathroom and incorporated the laundry. The ceiling was left open, cleaned and painted to add texture, interest and keep the spatial height. The floor was leveled with sleepers and then laid with sustainable bamboo. - [Bathroom Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bathroom-remodel-pj-vj~7710619) - Location: Shelburne, VT - Photos: 4 - [Suburban Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/suburban-remodel-pj-vj~5627853) - Location: Shelburne, VT - Photos: 11 - Description: Many parts of this house were under utilized. Dormer additions and color were added to create dynamic spaces from plain white square rooms. Existing spaces under the existing roof lines were utilized. Where budget dictated walls remain for plumbing stacks we added a curve to avoid a corner jutting into the room. - [Mountainside House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountainside-house-pj-vj~6133349) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - Description: Mountainside House Chittenden County Vermont MGF Designs 2020 Set deep in the woods, this home is sited to capture sweeping mountain views from the main rooms and balconies. The double stud wall construction and triple pane windows makes this house extremely energy efficient. It achieved a 16 on the HERS Index. The open kitchen has soapstone countertops and live edge wood shelves. The windows are splayed with stained wood sills to give it the old farmhouse charm. The main attraction is the great… - [Porch Addition](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/porch-addition-pj-vj~7711973) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 1 - [Front Door](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/front-door-pj-vj~6387751) - Location: Charlotte, VT - Photos: 2 - [Attic Conversion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/attic-conversion-pj-vj~5627846) - Location: Sint-Genesius-Rode, Flanders - Photos: 3 [See all 11 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/mgf-designs-pfvwus-pf~916047136) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do you handle permitting, zoning, and regulatory approvals?** As a full-service architectural firm, we absolutely handle permitting, zoning, and regulatory approvals. We manage these crucial steps to ensure your project complies with all local requirements, making the process smooth and stress-free for you. **What types of projects do you specialize in (custom homes, remodels, additions)?** We specialize in a wide range of residential projects, including new energy-efficient construction, custom homes, and comprehensive renovations. Our portfolio includes house remodels, additions, attic and basement conversions, and high-performance house builds. We bring expertise to every unique vision. **Do you provide full-service architectural services through construction?** Yes, we provide full-service architectural services from initial concept through construction. Our project management expertise ensures attention to both design and engineering details, guiding your project every step of the way to a successful completion. **Do you design fully custom homes?** Absolutely! We specialize in designing fully custom homes, focusing on new energy-efficient construction. Whether you envision a modern lake house or a high-performance mountainside residence, we tailor every detail to your unique needs and site. **Do you specialize in specific architectural styles?** Our primary specialization is in energy-efficient and sustainable design, including Passive House and Net Zero concepts. While we don't limit ourselves to one aesthetic style, our focus ensures your home is high-performing, comfortable, and environmentally conscious. *FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.* ## Community Q&A **Q: Love the ladder!** *(in Photo Questions)* Building a loft for our remodel and love the ladder. Did you build or buy? A: Thank you. I designed it and the contractor built it on site. If you look closely, you can see handle slots in the sides sized for little fingers to grip to make it safer. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-13.*