The Short List.

One firm that has made it to our short list of potential architects is husband/wife team Maier + Zelter.

Based on their website and what I've heard from other folks, they don't have the biggest portfolio in the world, but I'm attracted by what I've seen so far. Besides, my friend Kelly really digs them. And she has impeccable taste.

Here's a pic of their own renovation, where they used a nicely-scaled stand alone storage unit to divide a very small amount of square footage into a few living zones:

They certainly have an inventive approach to space challenges, and our budget will allow for about 1800 to 2000 square feet, so I appreciate that in a big ole way.