If you are a dedicated follower of design or architecture magazines and blogs, you would assume that everyone on the West Coast lives in a super-contemporary concrete and steel house that floats horizontally over the neighborhood.

The reality is that most people still feel at home in a traditional or classical house, even in 21^st-century Los Angeles. And that is especially true with our large-scale projects. A few of our wealthier clients may occasionally commission something avant-garde and daring, but the majority prefer an updated version of a French chateau, Palladian villa, Colonial farmhouse, or English country house.

Our clients are typically building their dream home, which will be much more than just a house. It embodies their aspirations. It will be a home for their family. It will be used to meet with clients and business associates. It will host numerous parties and benefits for family, friends, schools, charities, and philanthropies. Their home is as much on display as they are, and it has to function smoothly and absorb large crowds as well as work just for the family. So it needs to be large and small—public rooms on a grand scale, but intimate where it matters.

That is why we always turn to classical architecture, where proportion is key. It doesn’t matter if you are building a 3,000 square foot home or a 30,000 square foot mansion, the walls, ceilings, and floor plan have to be balanced. There has to be harmony. There can also be a wonderful range of regional styles to distinguish each home. Some of our recent projects have included an English country house inspired by Lutyens, a California Italian villa inspired by Wallace Neff and George Washington Smith, a classical New York condo with Moderne interiors, and grand, classical European architecture for a new Shanghai suburb.

We pride ourselves on being “green,” even when building big. Traditional architecture is inherently green, with sensible, time-proven designs that incorporate overhangs, thick walls for insulation, abundant use of natural and renewable materials, and local sources for craftsmen and products.

When we take on a large project, we oversee every single detail and every decision. Our clients travel frequently. They rely on us to get the job done on time and on budget. We provide watercolor renderings, site plans, models, and detailed drawings that leave no room or surface unfinished. We work with the best builders, interior designers, landscape designers, and artisans in the world—working out all details in advance and being able to communicate clearly on-site is crucial.

Talk of pilasters, cornices, rafter tails, and pediments isn’t too common these days, but on the West Coast it means that someone is building another classical masterpiece.

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