About Us
Shaping the Future
The Design & Building Works has done a countless variety of home design projects — from small to large — all across Northern California for almost 30 years. My husband (a general contractor) and I (an architectural designer) formally opened our business together in 1992.
Our mission is to be good listeners, stress reducers and creative problem solvers for clients like you. We don’t keep you in the dark, we educate you and keep you up to date.
Who We Are
Serving our community
Like so many in Sonoma County, we were tested by the 2017 Tubbs Fire. We became very busy helping grieving clients who’d lost everything rebuild after the fire, This taught us how crucial it is to be a calm, steady and reliable resource for clients. We’d been doing this before, but now we began to do it on an even-deeper level. We are always here for you.
About Ellen
I was born and raised in France and received my diploma from Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Clients often ask how I became interested in architecture. My answer? It’s in my DNA. I have a grandfather, 2 uncles and 3 cousins who were/are architects plus a 10-year-old niece who dreams of being an architect one-day. Needless to say, all of us are passionate about what we do.
We do architectural drafting in Northern California, but we no longer do the construction of home projects. Some of our clients come to us with their own contractor. For those who don’t have a contractor in mind, we can provide referrals to the best contractors we’ve worked with and know. Depending on your project, you may want or need experts such as soil engineers, structural engineers, energy analysts, interior designers and others. We can refer the absolute best firms we’ve worked with to you.
Projects we are accepting right now:
- New residences less than 3 stories
- Additions
- Remodeling
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Decks
Projects we are not accepting:
- Commercial Building
- Buildings over 3 stories
Read Our Reviews
How to get started
Call Architectural Designer Ellen Picard to schedule a free one-hour consultation.
We ask you to come to our call with specifics about your proposed project. That helps us focus on what you want to achieve and leads to a better result vs. just “picking my brain.”
(707) 526-9566