4400 Ridgecrest Court, Rockingham, VA
"Matt Robertson is a great asset to anyone interested in building a home. He breaks down the complex decisions and helps to make the matrix of design choices more manageable. Anyone who knows Matt can attest that he is extremely personable and service oriented. His forte is follow through and he is particularly skilled as a landscape architect. My wife and I really enjoyed our building experience with the Stratford Companies and highly recommend them."
Mr. Nick Langridge, Assistant to the President, JMU, 2009

Creating space to listen

Our architectural services range from tweaking a set of existing plans that you already own to full custom design from the ground up. In either case, we begin a new project by asking lots and lots of questions. Questions we know will help our design team pinpoint the priorities of your project and their order of importance. But we don't just ask questions, we actively listen.

In addition, we use other tools — such as Houzz — that allow you to show us just what you want through photo examples. Once we feel we've got a handle on your vision, we brainstorm. When you visit our office, you'll see we still use tracing paper, pens and drawing boards as we play with different configurations of your space. Of course, we also take advantage of the latest software to create proposed plans and eventually the final construction drawings, but part of our creative activity often involves using our hands.

Whatever tools we use, our team of professionals expertly guide you through the entire process to ensure all aspects of the job meet your parameters, both in style and budget. After all the meetings and emails and other conversations, we hone in on the dimensions, colors, selections and finishes that combine to create your ideal space. Don't be surprised if we're as excited about the design as you.

We've listed some of the things we'll cover during the design phase of your project:

  • Where's the best place to build? (Both the location of the lot as well as the site plan) 
  • What activities need to be accommodated?
  • How does the space need to function? 
  • Do you have accessibility issues to be considered?
  • Any special rooms you've always wanted? 
  • What one word do you want to descibe your space? (cozy, elegant, contemporary, etc.)
  • What type of floor plan do you prefer?
  • What's your budget?
  • When are you hoping to move in?


Contact Us today with any questions you might have for him.