On The Boards: 4 Early Design Concepts That Inspire

This article initially appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Pro Builder

The annual On the Boards feature gives our design team an opportunity to present projects in an early stage of design or simply as new concepts they’re exploring.

While most architects and designers rely on various software programs to create floor plans, elevations, and other drawings, there are a few of us who stubbornly prefer paper taped to drawing boards, and pencils, pens, and colored markers to express our ideas (at least to start with), thus the term, “on the boards” as reflected in the projects featured here.

Some may progress to development (and computer-aided design tools), while others will remain passion projects or spark ideas that can be applied to other projects.

This waterfront estate was designed as the ultimate family compound for multiple generations to enjoy. Each of its four structures presents a fresh take on the Cape Dutch style, such as gable parapets that are judiciously placed to add punctuation, while the use of white brick, natural wood timber, and dark painted windows giveS the compound a crisp, clean, and modern look.

A pool house and bath house frame the view coming up either of the flanking driveways in a formal and balanced way, creating an axis along the pool, across the drives, through the main entrance, into the living room, and out the rear main gable.

The top of a circular grand staircase features a mezzanine between the two halves of the home, providing a perfect space to take in views of the lake to the rear and the pool area to the front.

Perhaps the home’s most unique feature is a hidden staircase in the main house that leads to an underground tunnel to the detached bath house, providing easy and private access to and from a spa, cigar lounge, and workout facilities in all weather conditions.

DESIGNER: Wayne Visbeen / Visbeen Architects / 833.847.2336

DIMENSIONS: Width: 104 feet / Depth: 77 feet / Total Living Area: 5,109 sf (main house); 7,990. sf (pool house & bath house)

A  The Grand Staircase

B  Axis defining the pool

C Tunnel from the main residence to the Bath House

Early concepts of this planned village utilize ink pen and colored pencils to provide an overview of the proposed project’s site and typical Cottage Court product.

A proposed rear-loaded, two-story cottage offers ample living spaces and options for various lifestyle needs.

The first floor features an open floor plan for the common areas but also a bedroom suite for guests or for the owners as they age in place; both spaces provide access to a side porch that leads to extra parking.

Upstairs, the base plan is a dedicated bedroom suite, but with the option of a two-bedroom, shared bath plan. The garage can be topped by a carriage house with a private entry, perfect for renters, long-term guests, or a caretaker.

The Village Center includes a pool and various outdoor activities, while the initial Neighborhood Amenity Building presents as small retail shops; in fact, the latter ultimately houses the community’s sales/leasing office, an exercise center, a meeting room, and a coffee shop.

Completing the Village Center is a proposed live/work building with small offices or shops on the first floor.

DESIGNER: Larry W. Garnett, FAIBD / Larry W. Garnett Design & Planning / 254.205.2597

DIMENSIONS: Width: 25 feet, 8 inches / Depth: 47 feet, 4 inches / Total Living Area: 2,230 sf

A Partial view of the site plan indicating the location of the Village Center

B Typical locations of Cottage Courts

C Standard first floor plan

D Standard second floor is a second Primary suite

E Optional second floor with two bedrooms and a shared bath

F Optional guest quarters above the two-car garage

Designed for a couple planning their forever home, the design needed to feel timeless and rooted, not newly built. It also had to function efficiently for two people year-round yet expand easily for family gatherings during holidays and summer visits.

Set on a deep lot that slopes down to Bogue Sound in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the design reinterprets a familiar American form for modern coastal living. The classic “Five, Four, and a Door” layout—traditionally compact—is stretched toward the water to create generous, light-filled rooms while maintaining the clarity and balance of the original type.

Several smaller one-story volumes attached to the two-story core read as additions built over time, giving the composition a sense of organic growth and continuity. Refined painted trim and paneling, juxtaposed with cedar shakes that weather naturally, lend the home a composed yet unpretentious character—elegant, enduring, and distinctly coastal.

DESIGNER: Yonatan Pressman / Studio Pressman 

DIMENSIONS: Width: 80 feet / Depth: 55 feet / Total Living Area: 3,850 sf (residence only)

A Small garden courtyard and side entry

B First-floor primary suite designed for aging in place and prime water views

C Private guest suite can also serve as a nursery or for a caretaker

D Living room features a wet bar and adjoining terrace to the water

E Kitchen and breakfast room feature wraparound windows for uninterrupted views

F Covered porch preserves interior sightlines and captures breezes

G Glass-lined passage with refrigeration and shelving for deliveries and wintered potted plants

H Secondary entertaining space or bunk room

I Generous guest suite for extended stays

This alley-loaded home is designed for a unique, 36' x 50' building envelope, breaking from the long and narrow mold typical of alley-loaded plans.

The first floor wraps the living spaces around the rear-loaded garage, creating a dynamic layout that balances function and connection. A large kitchen and living room live to the front of the home for an engaging streetscape presence, while the dining area extends to an inviting outdoor living space at the rear of the plan.

Upstairs, three bedrooms and a flexible loft that options as a fourth bedroom provide comfortable, adaptable living for modern families.

DESIGNER: Seth Hart / DTJ Design / 303.443.7533

DIMENSIONS: Width: 36 feet / Depth: 50 feet / Total Living Area: 2,660 sf

A Owner's entry set back and tucked under the stairs

B Large cased opening is visually engaging and helps privatize the powder room

C Primary suite lives much larger than typical at this square footage

D Oversized laundry/craft room with optional direct access from primary suite closet

E Loft and beverage center options as a 4th bedroom suite