When it comes to a custom, one-of-a-kind home from Camens Architectural Group, there are many personalized details that go into wrapping the home around its residents and how they want to live in every square foot of the space.  

Those details are precisely what senior architect Paul Schmitzer really loves to bring to life — and what always drew him to Marc’s work. “His attention to detail is extraordinary as is his desire to design a home that’s really incredible to live in and to be proud of,” says Paul.

Paul brings more than 28 years of experience — chock-full of design passion and technical know-how — to our firm. We recently spoke with him to learn more about his background and how he channels his experience into collaborating and designing beautiful homes for clients in the coastal Carolinas and beyond.

Tell us about your role at Camens Architectural Group.

As a senior architect at Camens, I really work from the initial stage of a project right up to its completion — leading the effort to make a home ‘real’ for our clients.

I love to talk to our clients and hear how they want to live in their spaces. I take all the information they share and translate it to floor plans, materials, the overall aesthetic of the design, and more. I also am involved in a lot of the technical details and how the house will be constructed, so I work on developing solutions with contractors, as well. 

I guess you could say I have a hand in everything, which makes the process so rewarding.

How did you get your start in this industry?

I’ve mostly worked on the commercial and corporate side of architecture, but I’ve always been passionate about the design and the planning of a project — whether it’s a commercial space with millions of square feet or a custom home.

My first job was at NBBJ – a well-known global design firm — in the late 90s. This was right around the time that the new CAD technology emerged and there was a shift from hand drawing to computer drawing.  It was such a good experience to get started in the industry because I had the opportunity to work with a senior healthcare design principal at NBBJ and be apprenticed by him. At the same time, I was knowledgeable about the new tech, so I was able to introduce him to these new tools while he and his team taught me so much about the process of architecture and construction — and even how to work with clients.

What I love about the residential side of architecture, though, is the highly personalized approach. Plus, the finer details — the ones that really make a structure sing — don’t get cut out as much as they do on the commercial side.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Actually, it truly is our clients who inspire. They are part of the design team just as much as we are! We get so inspired in the conversations and collaboration we have with each of them. We never know exactly what a house will look like until we talk to them; it’s so personal. We’re never forcing our designs onto them.

But, in addition to that, I always like to keep an eye on what’s out there in the marketplace — from new products to online portfolios, cool new spaces, and featured designs in publications. It all serves to provide inspiration.

How do you spend your time when you’re not designing beautiful homes?

I love being a girl dad and spending time with my family. I have two daughters who are 8 and 12, and they’re involved in volleyball and other sports. So, we stay busy! 

I’m also a bit of an entrepreneur at heart and enjoy coming up with non-architectural business ideas — especially with my girls. When we’re at the beach, we set up craft tables (our version of a lemonade stand!). I’m also always drawing or building or working on some kind of project with my hands.