Design as a Verb [DAAV]
Most magazines (and many architects) sell design-as-a-noun: a parade of glossy images, ready-made, neatly packaged, and seemingly effortless.
Image: SchoolHouse Rock - Grammar Rock (Pronouns)
As a result, design can seem exclusive and unattainable—more like a product than a process. Or it can appear too simple - just pick a style and a couple of trendy features, and voilà! Instant home makeover.
At DeForest Architects, a Seattle architecture firm, we believe in something else entirely: Design as a verb.
It isn’t a commodity—it's something we do together. We believe the real magic of design lives in the hands-on process: sketching, listening, iterating, building models, asking questions, and imagining new ways to connect people, places, and ideas.
It’s what we fell in love with in design school—and what keeps us inspired every day. It’s also what we’re committed to sharing with our clients, contractors, and each other.
Designing a home is personal. It’s not about imposing a look or the latest trend—it’s about discovering what feels right, what functions well, and what inspires joy. That takes collaboration, curiosity, and a willingness to explore.
Rather than a black box where the architect disappears and returns with a finished design, we think of our studio more like a sandbox—a place where people, ideas, and tools come together to shape something meaningful.
That sandbox might include pens and paper, block models, digital tools, or a sketch on a napkin. It might involve revisiting the home you grew up in, a moment of clarity, or a wild idea that turns out to be just right. Want to take a peek inside our sandbox? Read more about our custom home design process.
Toward that end, we are launching a series of short videos that take you inside the design process behind the finished photos. If they spark your interest, please consider liking and sharing the video.
First up: The Swiss Army Knife House.
Want to learn more about Seattle and Lake Tahoe based DeForest Architects?