Who knew that without increasing the square footage we could transform our small 1950s Cape Cod…read morehouse into contemporary, exciting home! We chose Michael Klement and his team at Architectural Resource to create a design for the remodel the first floor of our home that included the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, living room, hallway, plus converting the unfinished basement into a functional living space, multimedia room, storage, and laundry room. In our first meetings Michael and his Project Designer did a systematic job of finding out what we were trying to accomplish with the project. Before we began looking at the first design options Michael suggested that we include our builder in all of our meetings so he could offer thoughts from the builder's perspective. Michael and his associates at Architectural Resource measured every inch of the areas our house for the remodel and came up with detailed drawings. As the design evolved we were encouraged to make as many suggestions as we wanted. The design phase included extremely helpful computer generated three dimensional views of the various rooms after the walls were removed or moved so that we could have an idea of how the house would feel when it was finished. It was a pleasure for us to be able to contribute to the overall plan at each stage. With the help of the builder's team we were able to make Architectural Resource's wonderful vision and our builder's excellent construction into a terrific living space. The results have amazed us, going far beyond what we had originally imagined! We were hoping for an open and modern feel and Michael and Architectural Resource gave us that along with an artistic, exciting design that is a pleasure to wake up to every day!

From the owner: Specializing in: - Architectural Designers…read more- Home Improvements - Home Repair & Maintenance - Kitchen Planning & Remodeling Service - Residential Designers - Architects - Home Design & Planning - Architects & Builders Services

I would also be happy to provide a copy of the police report investigating Meadowlark for fraud,…read morethe State of Michigan LARA report which resulted in them paying a fine, and the DTE report finding that there are multiple hollow external walls in my house and that only one room in my entire house was properly insulated. Have fun trying to fire them for cause and getting sued by them when you do.

1) Start date May 14, scheduled end date July 27 (74 days). Date they asked for final payment was…read more10/25/18 (164 days). So 90 days late, 222% beyond time budgeted. Minus 1 star for taking all damn Summer and part of the Fall. 2) Initial demo of bathroom tile on second floor shook loose a connection in the copper piping in the floor, flooding first floor and basement. Took months to get everything cleaned-up to near-original condition, required constant hounding to get their attention. Minus 1/2 star for the poor attention to a problem they created. 3) They asked for a progress payment when only 1 milestone associated with the payment was finished, a walk-through with a subcontractor. Minus 1/2 star for requesting money for nothing. 4) Remodel included repair to water-damaged ceiling in laundry room. The work was not on the original schedule, kept asking when the work would be done, they responded with, "What work?". Had to break out the contract and quote them back their scope-of-work. The project manager's response? "Wow, I didn't realize that, sorry". Paraphrasing. Minus 1/2 star for Read Your Own Damn Contract. 5) Had a gas fireplace insert installed. Three times. Installed before the wall behind was insulated and finished so it was removed for that, then re-framed and re-installed in the wrong place, had to be re-re-framed and re-re-installed. Minus 1/2 star making something simple so complicated. 6) Had portable storage pod in driveway. Had some landscaping scheduled for after the original finish date which required the pod to be gone. Project manager "guaranteed" work would be done before landscapers started, which wasn't true. Had to schlub everything back into the house where it sat piled-up and in-the-way for a month, then had to get another pod and put it all back. Minus 1/2 star for that bogus guarantee. 7) When the project was almost 60 days overdue, it took a negative post on their Facebook page to get some additional resources and oversite from the owners. Minus 1/2 star for making me complain. 8) We kept having morning meetings, sometimes changes were discussed. I'd come home to find work was done without the changes. We kept having meeting, I kept bringing up the same issues, time and time again. Minus 1/2 star for not taking notes. 9) It's the 4th of July, were on vacation in Chicago, our neighbors call and say there are 2 unmarked cargo vans at our house - is everything OK?. I call the project manager, who says there are no workers at the house, so I call the police and start scrambling - what is the best way to ruin our vacation so I can get back home fast? But - Oops! It's some painters, they're in the house, false alarm. Minus 1/2 star. 10) Had a hardwood floor put into an office space room. On a Monday, the project manager e-mailed me to say the wood would be delivered that day and installed on Wednesday. I get it, it's called "acclimating". I get home that night and the floor is down. Then it sat there for maybe a month before it being top-coated. Minus 1/2 star for what was the rush to ruin the wood? 11) The bathroom remodel is at "plumbing final inspection has passed". My wife takes a bath in her long-awaited, life-long-dream of a soaking tub. I hear it raining in the house. Something came loose, water is poring through a light fixture into the room below. The next day, the project manager - who I haven't seen in a month - comes in, doesn't say a word to me. Not, "Hey sorry this happened, glad your wife didn't get electrocuted, we'll get this fixed...", none of that. Not a word. I ask for Meadowlark to come up with a plan in writing to put GFI's on the circuits that could get flooded if this happens again. Their response displays a genuine lack of concern for my family's safety. Minus 1 star for making me so angry that I post a video of the water pouring through my ceiling to their Facebook page. 12) Lots of other issues I didn't even cover (e.g., the "4-star" painters). In their defense everything looks pretty good, finally. So plus 2 stars for that. So, unless my math is poor, that means 5 stars minus 6 stars plus 2 star = 1 star.

I originally posted a negative review based on my 2025 experience with one of their design teams…read moreand problems with a bathroom addition in 2018, which had been affected by a sinking slab in the garage of my 1970 ranch house. To his credit, the owner, Jef Forward, intervened to submit a revised proposal. He also had the entire garage slab replaced with new footings for the bathroom addition, along with the drywall and framing that the sinking slab had caused. Plus, the firm has not invoiced me for the work. Kudos.

We loved working with Forward on the exterior renovation of our home and we love the results!…read more In the almost 2 years since the completion of the project, I cannot tell you the number of people who have stopped to compliment how the home was transformed by their planning, design, and construction team. Forward Design has put so much thought into their comprehensive approach from the initial meeting, throughout construction, and down to the final details. We not only love the results, but we were regularly impressed with how they handled every step and detail of the process. Organizationally, it is clear that there has been a high degree of intentionality and investment in the cultivation of their work place culture. This translates to clarity, open communication, and collaboration with the client. Each member of their team we worked with were talented, artistic, responsive, and skilled. Rob, our project manager, needs a special shout out for his patience and willingness to indulge all of my questions. The whole team made our experience positive and enjoyable. We look forward to the next project we can tackle with Forward Design.

Amy was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. She is…read moreprofessional, friendly and above all helpful. We looked at many homes before we found "the one". Because she is also an architect, we were given valuable advice that allowed us to see the potential in our new dream home.

From the owner: Summer is home selling season in Ann Arbor. Get a free personalized market analysis and pre-sale…read morestrategy consultation from Thrive.Properties. Thrive.Properties was founded by an experienced realtor, investor and architectural designer as a way to combine realty and architectural resources for home buyers and sellers under one roof. With a Master's degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan, extensive experience designing high end luxury homes and commercial projects, and ten years of experience as a Realtor®, founder Amy McNamara brings a wealth of valuable knowledge to each real estate transaction. With an eye for detail and design, Amy offers unique insight and added value to each of her real esate clients. Amy can help sellers envision their renovation projects before a sale and connect them with the best local resources. She also works with home buyers, developers, investors and rehabbers and can offer valuable insight.

I needed an architect to help with with a zoning issue in Saline. David was recommended by Ann…read moreArbor SPARK and was the only architect (out of a half dozen) who was able to find out what we needed and he was the most reasonably priced. He was prompt, polite, professional, and couldn't have been more helpful. I'm SO glad we found him!

Unfriendly. Husband and wife cant always work well together. Cant recommend. The wife was the…read moreunfriendly one. Not very accommodating and often short, rude.

Rufino worked with us to design a whole house renovation and additions on a midcentury modern gem…read morethat essentially hadn't been updated since being built in 1952, besides a kitchen refresh in the 1980s. From the start, he was easy to communicate with and work with. He walked through our current house so we could talk through design/function that we liked or didn't like about our current living situation, asked us for our design inspiration with likes/dislikes, and then designed a home that is even better than we had imagined. Importantly, he thought about function, not just appearance, and how we would really use spaces based on how we live our life as a family. The 3D renderings were very helpful in visualizing the spaces, and they also gave us things to be excited about during the process. He always responded quickly and professionally, and he really took our ideas into account. Living in our house now is like a dream. We feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful (and functional) space. Rufino is a true artist. We don't plan on leaving this house anytime soon, but if we had the opportunity to design another home, we would 100% reach out to Rufino again.