Stretching the Imagination

Throughout my career, I’ve worked on a wide range of commercial and residential projects. Commercial work tends to start with function—building codes, compliance, logistics—then we layer in aesthetics. Residential projects flip that. They begin with vision and emotion: a dream kitchen, a dramatic view, a storybook façade. Then it’s our job to make sure it all works within code—and that challenge is what makes residential so rewarding.

Since joining CMSA, I’ve had the privilege of working on some truly remarkable homes in breathtaking locations. Whether it’s a compact coastal cottage or a sprawling estate, every project brings something new—a different product, a new material, or a client with a wildly creative idea. That mix of challenge and possibility is what keeps me inspired.

One project in particular stands out. What began as a simple remodel of an older home turned into a full reimagining of the entire property. The scope expanded again and again, eventually encompassing not just the house but the surrounding landscape. The family now has their own private “river” to canoe around, a whimsical stained-glass pavilion for outdoor dinners, a sports field for soccer and football, and an underwater viewing window into a stocked pond. There’s even a 35-foot lighthouse that offers stunning views of the property—a literal and figurative beacon of the family’s imagination.

That project, like so many we’ve done, proves that no idea is too outlandish if you have the right team behind you. At CMSA, we take those “what if” ideas seriously. We ask the right questions, study the site, explore materials, and push ourselves to figure out how to bring dreams into reality—while staying grounded in practical, code-compliant design.

So if you’ve ever had a vision for a space—big or small—that felt out of reach, I’d encourage you not to let it go. With the right mix of creativity, collaboration, and technical expertise, we just might be able to make it happen.