Allied8

Verge Architecture is a joy to work with, Leah is thoughtful, creative and realistic in her approach to designing spaces that you want to be in and look at. I have worked with Leah since 2009 on multiple projects and hope to continue a rewarding professional relationship.

Leah is a true professional, very creative and knows her craft. She helped me design a studio apartment within my house (an official ADU). She understands the permitting process and the inspectors. And she is very effective! I would recommend her work and would work with her again!

I hired Verge AD to design and oversee construction of a new house and ADU. I wanted an architect with a more modern design aesthetic, and I hired Verge based on speaking to prior clients who mentioned Leah's willingness to collaborate and listen and design to your needs. My needs were to build a well designed, energy and cost efficient home on a certain budget. My project construction is just starting so I cannot comment on budget yet, but I have found Leah and the team at Verge very good at listening to what I want and am willing to pay for and incorporating it into my house design. They are willing to listen to ideas from other experts/contractors and not focussed on being in control. They have listened to my practical approach and incorporated those ideas which in my experience is rare in an architect. They have suggested numerous ways to decrease cost. I have built a house before and done 2 major remodels so have experience with this process; If you are on a budget - which I am - you need the architect's help to design appropriately. I am glad I chose Verge as I think the quality of the design is great, and combined with the expertise of the lighting and design team as well as a well chosen contractor will result in a great home for my family.

I love working with Leah Martin at Verge Architecture. Her collaborative spirit and drive to design attainable modern homes is exemplary. - and anyone can put a cool looking box past the curb. But Verge will offer so much more - True Architecture at every level of the process. Concise, intelligent, and just plain cool. Leah is an excellent choice.

When we purchased our mid-century home with the intent of remodeling it, we had the perfect architect in mind. We had seen Leah’s work several years before at another home that was on the market. In the spirit of due diligence, we interviewed several other architects who were highly recommended by friends. Leah stood out for not only her mastery of the mid-century modern aesthetic, but also her exceptional listening skills and clear communication style. We were new to mid-century modern architecture and Leah guided us through the process of honoring the period while respecting our goal of not creating a period piece. When we experienced a number of set backs during the project (completely unrelated to the design), Leah’s people skills came to the rescue. Through her positive style and objective approach - combined with just the right amount of empathy – she kept us calm while jumping in to solve some thorny challenges. Leah also re-defines the meaning of “responsive”. She was literally always there for us during our 9-month process. Leah also helped us prioritize our project. She guided us through the right “phase 1” decisions that would have a huge impact while laying the foundation for future phases. Some of her big recommendations included opening up the stairwell and reconfiguring it to connect the upper and lower levels and opening up our West wall with very special doors to maximize our view. The end result is spectacular – she transformed our mid-century home into the modern home it always wanted to be. It’s far more than what we expected; it perfectly honors the period while being light, warm, modern and elegant. We will definitely work with Leah again!

Smart, creative and adaptable. Leah was truly all of that and more when she worked on our remodel. Mind you, this wasn't just any standard house - it was an oddly-angled mid-century modern with varying ceiling heights and challenging quirks which really made us appreciate her creativity and ability to come up with out-of-the-box solutions. Leah also thoroughly understood our style and vision, and was able to translate that into practical ideas on how we could modernize and better use our space. We ended up with a bigger kitchen, an extra bathroom and tons more storage space. Best part - she was fully aware of our financial constraints and would always endeavor to make our budget work. We'll definitely go back to her again.

We hired Verge Architecture to help us design a major remodel on a view property. We are very happy with the results. Leah the owner has great vision and has come up with ideas I never would have thought of. If you are thinking of hiring an architectural firm in the near future I would recommend giving Verge a call.

Leah is an architect you will really enjoy working with. She is a great designer, innovative, and extremely knowledgeable about space, materials, and the in's and out's of building a home for modern living. She is also socially conscious and interested in sustainable solutions for both home and community.I highly recommend you choose her for your project. We are working together on a historical landmark home and she is ensuring that all requirements are met and the design suits the original architects intent- even though there are barely any right angles in the home! She can handle any challenge thrown at her.. update 1/2/2015: Verge AD is now merged with Root Studio to form Allied8- I couldn't be more excited for them. This is now a powerhouse team with experts for every need . This merger means they will become something more powerful than individuals working together. I can't wait to see the impact they make.

Leah successfully shepherded my permit application for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) through the City of Seattle's permit process. Within a couple of months, we passed the City's inspections and the permit was granted. To save costs, she advised me on the actions that I could take myself. This is the second time I have used Verge Architecture, and I would defintiely use them again.

We asked Leah to help us do a feasibility study on a hard to build lot with a steep slope and wetland issues. She is extremely knowledgeable, very professional, highly responsive, and a pleasure to work with. She was able to find information that we didn't even know to look for, and even though we ended up passing on that particular lot, we are sold 100% on Leah and eagerly hope to hire her again in the future once we figure out where we want to build our home.

Leah designed our store remodel. She listened carefully to our goals for the project and came up with great solutions. During the build she addressed our questions and concerns quickly and respectfully. It was a pleasure to work with her.

Leah Martin of Verge Architecture & Design, LLC, was the best part of our remodel experience. She was pleasant, easy to work with, reliable, on time, and came up with a fantastic design for our main floor and basement. We get many compliments from visitors who can't believe how beautifully the transformation turned out. We have a Victorian house that was very dark with too many rooms on the main floor and had only an unfinished basement. For Leah's design, we gutted the main floor and finished the basement. The design created an open floor plan for the main floor that is both practical with plenty of storage and a nice flow and that maximizes the light and spaciousness. For the basement, Leah transformed a typical concrete storage area into a full height spacious living area with 2 rooms, lots of light, a full bathroom and laundry/utility room. Leah was also very fair with her pricing. We would highly recommend Leah for any architectural project and are very happy that we got to work with her.