358 Design Studio LLC

I sold a home designed by Ben Carstoiu in Arlington, VA in the spring of 2019. As a real estate agent, I have held many open houses. Of all the homes I’ve ever shown the one designed by Ben Carstiou was by far the most appreciated by the guests. It has a Craftsman-style exterior and an interior that is a beautiful blend of open-concept and traditional floor plans. This house was designed with a thoughtful understanding of how families really live and entertain. The placement of the rooms easily facilitates harmony between normally active spaces and areas where quiet is often desired. Some of the outstanding features of this design are the impressive second story foyer and the many large windows which produce a bright and warm ambience throughout the house. The main floor has separate living and dining rooms for focused entertaining. The chef-style kitchen and adjacent great room area make everyday living comfortable and easy. There are two strategically placed study areas: a private one just off the generously-sized mudroom and one cleverly designed for dual-use as a casual butler's pantry. This home is outfitted for an elevator making access to all levels easy. Five of the six spacious bedrooms are upstairs. Two separate bathrooms support four bedrooms allowing more square footage per room. Hence, the bedrooms are large enough to be used as office, workout space, etc. One even has a balcony. The elegant master suite is sized just right for modern living, featuring a gorgeous vaulted ceiling, his & hers closets, and a luxurious master bath. The lower level includes a separate media room, a pub-like rec room with wine closet and a large utility room for storage and messy projects. This home has plenty of storage area, a feature rarely seen these days in new construction homes. In this delightful house, everyone can work or play without interfering with each other.

Working with Ben Carstoiu from 358 Design was absolutely a wonderful experience! We interviewed several architects when we decided to tear down our current home and rebuild on our lot. Ben was very impressive, down to earth and really engaged us through out the process. The process started with a combination of design ideas and philosophy. Ben came up with a design model that captured what we were only able to articulate with incomplete thoughts. Ben was extremely creative, thoughtful, and delightful to work with incorporating all our ideas in the design. The construction process was fascinating and gave us complete confidence in the quality of the home. The house was beautiful and to this day, our friends continue to ask about who our architect was! In fact we have referred Ben to family and friends and will continue to do so!

I wanted a sunroom to occupy part of the wrap-around porch of my 1910 Queen Anne home, thereby expanding my living room space. It had to be an year- round solution with contemporary materials that still honored the antique form of the house and kept the interesting details of the porch. Further, I wanted the cost to be kept around $50,000.00. 3.5.8designstudio came up with an amazing design that was both visually attractive and functional, allowing the porch to be either open to the fresh air or closed and warm for cold weather use. I am excited to have such a perfect expansion to my lovely living space.

I was working on a basement remodel, and needed some structural drawings for a planned egress. Ben was very accommodating in providing the required drawings in a timely manner, with the resulting permit approval being quick and easy. I've also used his expertise on another couple of projects, and will continue to use his services when I can.

As a builder in Naples, Florida, we recommend Ben and his team at 3.5.8 Design Studio to anyone living in the Northern Virginia-DC Area, as well as anyone who owns in Naples, Bonita Beach, or Marco Island, who wants to either design and build a custom home, or wants to remodel a luxury home or condo. Ben understands that you want your own special place, with your own style and taste. It is imperative that you trust the team you have chosen to design your dream. 3.5.8 Design Studio is a team you can trust and I highly recommend them.

Excellent people to work with. They have the client's interest in mind when they are designing. We are thrilled with the results. People come up to us who live in the neighborhood and tell us that they love what we did with the addition to our home. They were able to bring a modern touch to a house built in the 1930's.