Novell Design Build & Novella Outdoors

In 2010 we were lucky to meet and hire Novell for the renovation of our 1927 stacked character home in East Vancouver. Laurel and Angelito together with our architect created a beautiful home for our family. The renovation has stood the test of time and remains a very special, inspirational space. Team communication throughout the 10 month project was frequent, transparent and honest. Obstacles were solved collaboratively. The trades we worked with were skilled, reliable and professional. We happily recommend Novell and without hesitation.

Working in the shed was an amazing experience. The space was compact yet its high ceiling and large windows made it feel very spacious. The large windows also made the space very bright and would probably continue to make it bright all year round even in the rainy seasons. The wooden interior is modern and stylish, functional yet relaxed. The work table faces the wall with a medium sized square window. The window isn’t too big where you can see everything going on outside distracting you from your work but it isn’t too small where you feel claustrophobic like you’re in a cubicle. This is the perfect work space. It allows you to literally separate yourself from distraction. Keeping your work and resting space separate is important. It lets you be productive when you’re supposed to grind out work and relaxed when supposed to take it easy. I was able to spend hours sending emails, doing graphic work, illustrating and even meditate for bit. It was awesome!

Went to see the Signature Shed myself this weekend as the brochure looked very interesting. Wow what a "shed" even this smallest model looked huge inside helped by the high roof line. It would be a great office or exercise room, you could even sleep in it! Loved the great finishes. Certainly considering for our own backyard

I booked a visit to the chickadee backyard office the other day out of curiosity and was surprised by how well designed it is. I love the atmosphere and the lighting. The space is bigger than what I imagined when I saw it on Novella's Instagram.

For years we have heard the laughter and joy coming from over the fence of your backyard. The redesign of your garden, with superb outdoor living areas as well as your stunning garden fosters connectivity for family, friends and neighbours. Such a joy to be in your outdoor space! Hence, we were thrilled to hear of your involvement with Novella Designs. Your vision and creativity to provide an outdoor Nirvana for others to savour is a winning combination!

Its an absolute pleasure for me to leave this review. I have worked with Novell Design Build on many projects over the years. They have been nothing short of fantastic. Clear communication, attention to detail and high standards. Their jobsites always have a positive vibe and I am always impressed with the final product. Keep up the great work!!

I have worked with Novell as a subcontractor for years now. They are a great, knowledgeable team. Always willing to listen to the needs of their trades and clients. I have always been impressed with the way they are able to come up with sound solutions, no matter how complicated the problem is. The final product is amazing!

It's been seven years since Novell designed and constructed our laneway home and we love it more than ever! Who would have thought that two people could be together 24/7 for months on end in a home of less than 1000 square feet and yet never feel cramped or claustrophobic? Obviously Laurel did, as she designed the home with enough private corners that we can each enjoy our own personal space. Dressed for the holidays it's such a cozy haven. The home construction has held up well with minimal maintenance, and still looks terrific.

Laurel and her team were the design inspiration for our kitchen renovation. She really took the time to understand our lifestyle and how we wanted make the best use of an existing space. She visited the house several times and offered several design options. We took her design concept to our general contractor and cabinet manufacturer and they brought the design to life. We really love our new space and would offer the highest recommendation.

We live in a Geodesic dome, and have recently started an addition (you guessed it) another geodesic dome. Our biggest challenge was to design a home that felt warm and "nest-like", but could also double as our music studio. Laurel James of Novell Design Build helped us achieve a space that is warm, bright, healthy, inviting. The design also follows form as the domes allow for creativity, healthy flow ... and indeed, a great working environment. Laurel is such a "thoughtful" designer ... and asked us many questions about the space and how we wanted it to feel. We now tell everyone ... "We love our home, we love our home, we love our home". Thank you for your most brilliant design work. Mark and Beth

We hired Laurel and Angelito to renovate our 3 level home and garage. It was basically a new build from top to bottom. Although we hired another company to design the house, Laurel and Angelito interpreted the designs flawlessly. They are a hands on boutique design /build company who offer professional services with a personal touch. We found them a joy to deal with regarding all aspects of the building phases. They were reliable, fair and most importantly very "honest" people. They were always willing to meet and discuss any issues that arose. We never encountered any issues that were not amicably resolved in an expedited fashion. Our house was completed slightly over the estimated time frame but there were no overrun costs that we did not approve. We are very happy and have been living in this amazing house for over 1.5 years.. The first year deficiency were very few because it's a solid build. Laurel's design background was essential in offering a professional opinion with the interior finishes. She has impeccable taste and can assist in narrowing the 100o decisions that need to be made. This was truly a gift to any homeowner building a new home. Angelito is a master craftsman and is uncommonly calm and pleasant. This home was build with thought, care and integrity. We cannot express how happy is was to work with Novell and especially the dynamic team of, Laurel and Angelito. Novell is truly a GEM in this chaotic design/ build / contractor business.

Laurel and Angelito helped us remodel our older (1960) split level home in 2008/2009, including adding a 12'x12' dining room (with crawl space to match the rest of that floor), and an 8'x20' screened-in front porch with glass canopies. They also installed glass canopies at the back patio, re-did the wiring, remodelled the kitchen and the bathroom, installed a new instantaneous water heater, furnace, and rain barrels, and did some of the landscaping. They were very professional yet very friendly. The design part with Laurel was great fun, as she had some excellent ideas and we did lots of bouncing back and forth. (The porch was her idea--we couldn't think of a way to have a reasonable entrance at the front door, and this is perfect.) She also, in effect, designed a "piano room" by re-imagining the space between the living room and the new dining room. Genius. Angelito was a delight to work with--in fact, he was here at our request a couple of weeks ago to do some maintenance work for us. You know a reno has gone well when you're happy to see your contractor! He was prompt and always willing to explain what he was doing or to seek input if a decision needed to be made. The crew was pleasant and reliable, as were the sub-contractors. Novell is very professional with their estimates and billing. The work took longer than had been anticipated, but much of this was completely beyond their control (heavy snow, an unexpected problem with the drain tiles, etc.) We feel very fortunate to have found them, and would do it all over again. (I'd say "happily", but, hey, it was a reno! We lived in "the bunker" (basement) for some of it :-) I highly, highly recommend them. They will listen to you, and they will provide a detailed estimate that they will stick to. I'd upload some photos, but I can't see how to do that.