The gift of special memories: Recent custom home watercolor portraits

The power of giving and of memory

Over the last year or so a number of people around the country commissioned us to paint custom home watercolor portraits as special and unique gifts for their loved ones. I enjoy this creative work as a complement to practicing architecture. I do it because it brings smiles into other people’s lives through the enduring power of art and the positivity of gift-giving to others.

When someone hires me through our Arocordis Design Etsy shop or contacts me directly here through our website I give them the gift of my love of architecture and storytelling in the customized watercolors I paint for them. I also give them the gift of my decades of experience in creating memorable renderings and illustrations for commercial and residential architectural design clients telling the visual stories of the building projects I have had the good fortune to be part of.

A little about me

I have been drawing and painting ever since I was a kid growing up in Essex Junction Vermont in the 1970s and ’80s. My grandmother on my Mom’s side was an oil painter. When I was young, I remember visiting her house in Troy, New York. I was inspired by her busy art studio in a converted study in the family single level apartment in the duplex they owned. It was always piled up with paintings, her easel, and wooden paint box, and countless brushes like flowers in large clear glass jars. The sweet fumes of oil paint wafted from the room. It was a magical place, full of mystery to my young eyes, and surely a creative escape for her from a busy family life raising five girls in the 1950s and 1960s. And for me an ongoing inspiration.

Over time, she filled the walls around her house with large paintings inspired by the beauty of the surrounding Hudson Valley region. Her walls captured an ever-changing feast of meadow and brook, mountains, farms set into rolling hills from around the Albany-Troy area, as well as beautiful still lives she painted sometimes with flowers arranged and cut from her own garden.

In parallel to my practice of architecture for almost thirty years, I continued on her tradition of making art along my way, whether in acrylic or watercolor painting, drawing, or mixed media. Fast forward to today and my own professional art, the below highlight some of my recent watercolor commissions which typically focus on the house, home, and memory.

A porch that inspires

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2179 14th Street - 2019, 11”x14” pencil and watercolor on 140lb cold-press paper

Coming full circle ironically, a family member hired me to paint this porch from her mom’s childhood home, my grandmother’s house. Developed from an old picture recently discovered in a drawer from another aunt, I created a full-color vignette imbuing the porch with the joy of a mid-summer reverie I myself experienced when I was a kid visiting there years ago. I spent many a summer there hanging out on this front porch looking out onto the busy side-street in Troy, New York walking distance from Rensaleer Polytechnic Institute, or RPI as its abbreviated.

The door on the right led to the first-floor apartment mentioned earlier. On the left, the upstairs apartment usually rented to students from RPI. An apartment especially memorable to my aunt because one of those renters she dated and then married in the early 1960s.

I strove to frame the image with the trunks of the tall evergreen and maple trees growing from the skinny area between the slate sidewalks and the street, and around the house. Surrounded by these trees, even though the home was in the middle of the city it sometimes felt like it lay in the middle of a sometimes dark and mysterious forest. This certainly added charm to the home.

Family home on Lake Michigan

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Michmonamac Lakeshort Cottages - 2019, 11”x14” on 140 lb cold-press watercolor paper

I was commissioned to paint this a year ago by a family member for his wife as a surprise holiday gift. Part This home and its cottages on the shores of Lake Michigan have hosted generations of returning customer families and our extended family. Along with the main house view from the street, he asked me to develop and design a collage of special moments dear to her around the home. I chose vignettes from her garden, a typical sunset and beach view, and a favorite board game. To tell that special story, I settled on the composition you see here done with four matte windows below the large one for the main image as part of the completed framed work.

House and garden united, Washington State

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Watercolor and pencil, A birdseye view of a country house and gardens - 2020. 11”x14” on 140lb watercolor cold-press paper.

Here I worked with a customer through my Etsy shop to customize this view of him and his wife’s newly bought home in Washington state. Upon his request, I changed the season of the source photo he provided from late winter to late spring or early summer on a colder day. I added vegetation and leaves to the many trees and bushes to convey a thriving blend of house and garden. Doing so helped unify the image and create an overall sense of place and space.

Helping further frame that story, the background wall of tall trees behind the home embraces the domestic and farm landscape and causing those portions to pop. Adding in dramatic overhead shade and shadow from a diffuse sky overhead helps soften the overall image while further unifying the composition. The softness allows the details of the watercolor to be more apparent, encourages the eye to meander.

To learn more about our watercolor art and custom commission process

We continue to take on custom art commissions throughout the year. Each one is special and unique with its own story to tell. If you have questions about the process please contact me below. Just click on the button and it will take you to an easy to fill out form. Tell us there how we can help you.

Visit the gallery

Wand to see more of our art just visit our gallery section of this website here. What you see there may or may not be for sale but it shows the breadth and depth of our art. I continue to add to it as I create more pieces. I have many small and large acrylic paintings to include in the coming months. In the gallery you will see the many themes I explore ranging from the custom home or business watercolor portraits to ones of nature, or natural elements, architectural details, ordinary things with a creative twist, and more.

How to achieve success with your new Vermont custom residential architecture design project: The Power of Planning

The power of planning

Welcome to our ongoing blog, Arocordis. Here, we share insights and case studies, articles and more about our residential architecture practice in Vermont and beyond. We regularly edit the following article and update it throughout the years with insights from the field and recent project experiences. This is current as of fall of 2025.

We know that building or renovating a home is one of life's biggest investments – both financially and emotionally. Whether you're starting with just a dream or already have detailed plans in hand, we're here to help guide you through this exciting journey. With construction typically taking 1 to 2 years from planning to completion, careful preparation is essential for success.

Why Planning Matters in Home Design

Good planning is the foundation of every successful home project large or small, a custom new home, major addition or extensive renovation! Our experience shows that thorough upfront planning, especially with an architect, can save months of delays and thousands in unexpected costs. It helps:

• Create, maintain, and help deliver the North Star vision for your project

• Avoid costly surprises and delays by anticipating challenges before construction begins

• Keep your project on budget and on schedule through careful material and labor planning

• Turn your vision into reality by addressing every detail in the planning and design phases

• Reduce stress and anxiety during construction by having clear plans and contingencies in place

Planning and design set the stage for the future

Understanding Today's Construction Costs

In Vermont in late 2025, new custom homes typically cost between $400-500+ per square foot, with costs varying significantly by region and current market conditions. For general perspective, a 2,000-square-foot home (3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths) usually ranges from $720,000 to $1,150,000. However, this base cost may not include:

• Site work and land clearing (which can vary dramatically based on terrain, trees, ledge etc.)

• Driveways and utilities (including power, water, and internet connections)

• Wells and septic systems (required for most rural properties)

• Garages or outbuildings (typically $200-300 per square foot)

• Basement finishing, or walkout sides (if desired)

• Architectural and engineering fees (essential for proper planning)

• Permits and approvals (varying by municipality)

• Furniture and appliances (which can add significantly to final costs)

For major addition and renovation projects, the cost per square foot planning family factor to use is similar to new. However project specifics relating to the existing home, site location, and complexity may reduce or increase the planning costs per square feet we recommend to use early on.

Key Factors That Shape Your Project

1. Timeline: How soon do you need to move in? Do you have flexibility for material delays or weather issues?

2. Long-term Plans: Is this your forever home or a shorter-term investment? This affects decisions about durability and features.

3. Energy Efficiency: What level of sustainability and performance do you want? Higher upfront costs often mean lower long-term expenses.

4. Location: Urban, suburban, or rural? Consider access to utilities, environmental factors, and local building codes. New site or lots of existing building or site factors to consider

5. Budget: What's your comfortable spending range, noting the importance to carry a minimum 10-15% cost contingency for unexpected issues? Do you have the available funds already? Or will you need financing, or have the capacity and willingness to take on if the budget and costs exceed your funds on hand?

6. Details and Size of house or addition: How much square feet, how large of a home, number of bedrooms, baths, number of levels, garage, porches or other structures?

7. Financing: Will you self-fund or need construction loans? Or do a combo? Phase the project over a period of time to match available resources? Different financing options affect project timing and flexibility.

8. Finishes: What quality level matches your goals and budget? From basic to luxury, the choices significantly impact final costs. Will you do some of it your self?

9. Appliances & Systems: What features matter most to you? Consider both immediate needs and future adaptability.

10. Construction Management and Project Delivery: Do you want to be hands-on or prefer full service? Each approach has different time and cost implications. Standard stick-built, prefab modular, panelized or a hybrid of delivery approaches?

11. Experience Level: Have you been through a home design and construction project before? We adjust our guidance based on your familiarity with the process.

How We Can Help Make Your Dream Home or Addition Project a Reality

At Arocordis Design, we bring decades of experience to:

• Guide you through the entire process, from initial planning and design concept to final walk-through

• Create residential designs that match your vision and budget while maximizing value

• Help you avoid common pitfalls through proactive planning and design

• Manage expectations and timelines with regular updates and clear communication

• Work with contractors and other professionals to ensure seamless coordination

• Ensure quality and attention to detail in every aspect of your project

Getting Started: Your Path to a New Home

Ready to begin? Here's how we'll work together:

1. Fill out our residential planning questionnaire to help us understand your vision

2. Schedule a meeting (virtual or on-site) to discuss possibilities and constraints

3. Discuss your vision, budget, and timeline in detail to create a realistic plan

4. Review our services and fees to find the right level of support for your needs

5. Develop a customized plan for your project that aligns with your goals

We're here to help turn your dream home into reality while making the journey as smooth as possible. With proper planning and professional guidance, your new home project can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Contact us today to start the conversation.

To learn more or contact us

Not ready to fill out the questionnaire but have questions or want to get in touch?  Click on the button below to go to our contact us and subscribe page.  If you want to receive semi-regular updates, notifications of new projects or informative blog posts, click through to the second button to opt-in.

Arocordis Design, a custom home architect and planner, has served Vermont families since 2010. We provide licensed architectural services throughout Central Vermont, including Waterbury, Stowe, Montpelier, Calais and beyond. We also serve the Burke, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction, Tunbridge, and the Woodstock regions. We specialize in modern-inspired home design that connects to Vermont’s past while providing a creative climate positive vision for the future.