Candace M P Smith Architect

As first time renovators, we were not entirely sure what we were in for when we bought a 1970s style home that needed total updating on the main floor. Working with Candace Smith was like collaborating with a creative and detail-oriented designer, who is also a gifted teacher about all things architectural and mechanical, and a determined advocate in negotiations with our contractor and subcontractors. She listens extremely well and has an almost photographic memory for detail. While we did worry about the expense of the project, in the results were stunning and totally worth it. Everyday we wake up and are grateful to live in such a beautiful home. Thanks to you, Candy!

Candy Smith is great! Smart. Creative. Thinks big picture while ensuring details are right. Easy to work with. Coordinates well with contractors. Would highly recommend without reservation. We have had two opportunities to work with Candy: (1) early 2015, to tear down a 30-year old deck and to completely redesign a newer better one, keeping with the look and feel of a post and beam construction home on Lake Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia; (2) spring 2016, to design and spec interior stair railings that matched the exterior deck railings. We are totally happy with how all of this turned out.

Candy has a timeless aesthetic. From our first meeting, we knew we were with a professional who listened well to our goals: new construction with an old soul, and she understood how our budget might impact those ideas. Our 2015 project (construction finished in March 2016) began with a review of her portfolio, where we saw elements - such as some central interior exposed beams - that we later borrowed. Next was a site visit during which her insights about location and orientation became essential to the overall design, and particularly, the porch layout. Among her many skills, Candy speaks the language of an artist and of artisans. She communicated the benefits of particular joists, windows and various set-backs with both her technical drawings and in joint meetings with our contractor. While many of the terms were familiar to our builder, they were new to us, and we know we benefitted from hearing from both disciplines as we made choices along the way. As you can tell from our 5 star rating, Candy has beautifully framed the spaces that surround us. We have mountain-facing bay windows and porches that look toward the sunset, our design also included welcome nods to notable Charlottesville architectural signature elements. We could not be happier with the final product.

Candace designed an elevated deck floating across the driveway with a triple French door opening from the dining room onto the deck. She was creative, thoughtful and detail oriented all of which we appreciated. With her guidance we were introduced to several potential contractors and ended up with an excellent builder as well. Very happy with the design, the way the space flows and how the iron railings disappear visually from inside the house yet provide a beautiful sight line looking at the deck from the outside. We would definitely work with her again.

We purchased a house in 2012 that we felt had everything except a good outdoor space. In 2014, we hired Candance M P Smith Architect to design a screen porch and patio that "did not look like an add-on". It was a delight to work with Candy from the beginning to the end. Very importantly, she spent time learning what we wanted and then provided several preliminary designs that incorporated our desires in different ways. Once we decided on the final design, she expertly and thoroughly worked with us to decide on the materials to use. Her research, knowledge, and advise in this area were invaluable. The plans and specs provided allowed us to obtain accurate construction bids and the ability to work with the contractor on places to reduce costs. Our home is now complete with a wonderful outdoor space, and we can happily say that we would not change a thing. We highly recommend Candy Smith to anyone who wants to work with an outstanding, knowledgeable, and caring architect. Jane and Tom Tirrell

Having met with 3 architects regarding our project, Candace Smith was our overwhelming choice with whom to proceed. During the course of our preliminary interviews, it was apparent she was truly interested in our needs and desires to create a truly livable space as an addition to the old wreck of a house we had bought. She presented several alternatives to achieve our goals and patiently worked with us as we chose the one which we felt worked best for us. She assisted us as we made our choice for contractor and was available throughout construction as we made changes of varying degrees to achieve the optimal result. Her eye as a designer and attention to detail are superb. We cannot express enough our pleasure with the results and that our addition truly does not look like an addition.

Candace worked with us on a remodel of master bed and bath, as well as a garage addition, for our 150 year old farmhouse. She and her team brought creative ideas for a very challenging space. Candace listened closely, and was very detailed and accurate in her response. She was a huge help in controlling the project as it evolved, with an understanding of our hope for the space as well as reasonable budget restraints. We are thrilled with the results!

Candace Smith and her team designed a renovation of the kitchen, dining room, and downstairs bath in my modestly-sized 1929 home. I retained Ms. Smith because, of the several architects I interviewed, she asked the best and most specific questions about my goals for the space -- especially how I wanted to use the space on a day-to-day basis. She was very attentive to those goals in her several designs, and of course she made many suggestions based on her experience and aesthetic sensibilities that neither I or my contractor would have considered. The space works even better than I had hoped: only one person could work in our kitchen before; now three people can work and a fourth can walk through the space.

After interviewing several architects to design a home for us in Rockbridge Baths, VA, we chose Candace Smith. She totally fulfilled our expectations. She was an active listener as well as a creative collaborator. She was able to blend our ideas for a home with the skill and knowledge needed to develop building plans. The end result is a stunning as well as functional home overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. We met frequently with Candace Smith on the building site and in her office to ensure that the house would meet our expectations which included placing the house in just the right location to maximize the views. Additionally, she joined us in interviewing prospective builders and worked with him throughout the construction process. In sum, Candace is a superb architect and it was wonderful to work with her and her staff.