Blake H. Held, Architect, PLLC

Our experience with Blake Held was thoroughly satisfying. He designed and oversaw the extensive renovation of our historic Federal/Greek Revival house. Built in 1836, it had undergone many piecemeal modifications that had compromised and obscured its original design, and our project restored much house's origiinal design while updating its functional features. Thanks largely to Blake's expertise, it is now a certified historic landmark and comfortable, efficient place to live. Working with Blake was a pleasure. He is skilled and imaginative in matters of design, knowledgable on questions of style, and he was unfailingly courteous and reliable in his dealings with us. He was also patient in working through difficult problems, never rushing us toward hasty unsatisfying decisions. Our project was extensive, but he is happy to take on more limited ones as well, and for any project, large or small, we recommend him highly.

Our old farmhouse needed a major exterior makeover-porch, siding, roofing and windows. My husband and I spent years deliberating on just what to do with it to give it the curb appeal it was sorely lacking. Then we met and hired Blake and within days of meeting him, he created a gorgeous plan for our old house - incorporating details to bring it back to its Greek Revival roots -while still giving us all the functionality we were looking for. We were blown away by how he pulled it all together! Blake has extensive knowledge of materials and was so pleasant to work with we asked him to stay on the project and act as liaison between us and the contractor. He treated our project as if it were his own home. He pays attention to every detail, is on time, gets back to you right away and has a great sense of humor, which when you're going through a major renovation, is greatly appreciated! We couldn't be happier with the result.

Blake did a great job with our project, including blending new space and layout into the character of our 1880's home. He was a great listener and had great communication not only with us but with our contractors to help get the job done well in spite of a few surprises with hidden structural issues.

My husband & I own an historic Victorian house & wanted to add a family room addition that allowed us to respect the traditional architecture of the original house while providing a more family-friendly, comfortable gathering space.We challenged potential designers of the project with a desire to incorporate a spiral staircase, a wood-burning fireplace & a wall of window to capture the view. We reviewed several options, but Blake's design was a hands-down winner. His knowledge of historic design & experience created a room that is both beautiful & functional. The attention to the design detail & the ability to source & work with a great local builder while incorporating our input was key to the success of the project. The addition looks like is was always part of the 1870s house, yet provides a modern, open space for family gatherings. We couldn't be more happy with the resulting room & our decision to work with Blake.