As we welcome in the New Year, we’re reflecting on 2024 — a year that was filled with the completion of some incredible custom homes here at Camens Architectural Group. While every single Camens residence is entirely unique and personalized to its owners, there are some central themes — statement-making features in home design — that can make all the difference in how you enjoy your space.

If you’re considering a new custom home — or even a renovation — in 2025, keep these considerations from chief architect Marc Camens in mind.

Making an Entrance

With all the planning that goes into a custom home’s architectural design, the entrance can certainly not be an afterthought. For Camens, the entrance to a home is not just a front door — or a side door or back door, for that matter. Each entry sequence sets the tone for a home’s entire experience while defining the transition into its interior spaces.

 

 

Many of Camens’ long-standing architectural design principles for a structure as a whole can also be applied in the more specific context of entrances — including the space-defining qualities of the ceiling and the importance of personal interaction with the site.

Pillars of Strength — and Style

While columns are often responsible for playing a role in statement-making home entrances, imbuing both functional support and a stunning aesthetic, the impact of these literal pillars of classic architectural design extends far beyond the front door. 

“Openings that are embraced by columns create a wonderful human experience in design,” says Camens Architectural Group chief architect Marc Camens. From framing incredible views to beautifully supporting covered outdoor living rooms and beyond and connecting the interior and the exterior, columns can play an integral role in custom home design.

 

The Joy of Entertaining

No matter the season, entertaining at home is a beautiful way to host family and connect with friends — especially in remarkable locations like Kiawah Island, the Adirondacks, and more. Indeed, entertaining is so integral to the lifestyles of our clients that nearly all Camens Architectural Group projects prominently feature many zones distinctly suited to entertaining yet comfortably accommodating to homeowners’ daily lives, too.

When it comes to the design process behind spaces built for entertaining, Camens conceptualizes them the same way he approaches architecture as a whole. From wrapping the house around people’s lifestyles to creating flow and energy in the home, the public entertaining spaces are for real people living real lives — including the times they are hosting guests.

Pool Days

Camens considers pools to be an integral part of architectural design — as much as a home’s four walls! — and, as such, the pool takes on an entirely elevated meaning. Just as he wraps each home around the way the owner lives, so too are the pool and the outdoor living spaces completely customized to the people using them as well as to the surrounding environment. While nearly 100% of his 100-plus custom homes have pools — their ubiquity does not mean that each one isn’t entirely unique.

 

 

The stunning poolscapes swim far beyond the reaches of the typical square, recreational feature in a backyard. They’re a sensory experience that connect the home its surroundings — ocean, horizon line, sky.

Home Offices That Work

Just like the notion of “home” means something different to everyone, so does the experience of the home office. In today’s Zoom world, home offices are now integral in many architectural plans; people are running big companies from their homes, and they absolutely need a space that can accommodate all kinds of business — from virtual calls to in-person meetings to client entertaining.

 

An at-home work zone must be highly personalized and entirely wrapped around how the owner works and lives. Offices cannot be generic, copy-and-paste templates. The goal is to relate the architecture of the space to the person using it — personalizing it and then enhancing the experience with the surrounding views.

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If you’re ready to start your new home build — or renovate your current residence — contact us today. We can’t wait to get started!