Elbow Park
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Sifton
ike Picasso or Da Vinci, there is a certain quality, a certain life to Dean Bottomley’s work that sets it apart and makes it recognizable, even when each project looks very different from the others. It’s a feeling. It’s tangible. And it’s why his clients call his work “home”.
The ability to take what you love and turn it into a sustainable, successful career is elusive to many if not most people. Not so for Dean Bottomley, principal and chief designer of Dean Thomas Architectural Design. Forever sketching and drawing in his younger years, it later on made perfect sense to him that his love for houses, design, art and lifestyle would be his career. Luxury houses have called to him and have become his passion. Right out of school, Dean met and began working with Larry Thomson from Greenboro Estate Homes. Loving his time in the industry the more he worked, the more he understood that he’d found it. His niche. Fast forward to 2010, after working on the side on his own company while working full time with Larry, Dean got serious. And busy.
Enter Chuong Thai or “Thai” as Dean calls him. An architect in his native country of Vietnam, Thai was learning English with Dean’s mother who thought that since Dean was so busy, perhaps the two should meet. While they could hardly communicate with one another verbally, their mutual passion for design spoke for them. After looking through Thai’s portfolio, Dean knew he wanted to work with this talented man. And so, he did. And five years later, Dean says he couldn’t have made a better decision. “He’s basically been with me almost since day one.” Strictly referral-based thus far, the business has been set apart as up and coming and is now competing with top architectural firms in the city; a truly satisfying accomplishment for Dean. “It has to feel right,” he explains about design.
Britannia
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“A floor plan is a floor plan, but what people see without going into the house is the exterior. I feel the exterior is just so important and make sure we emphasize that.” fa l l 2 01 5 • D O M U S •
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