Maintaining a progressive, artistic vision, Rick Spitzmiller of Columbus, Ga consistently pairs savvy with passion to achieve luxury design results for every project. He designs spaces according to clients’ personalities, so their homes are an exact reflection of who they are and how they like to use their interiors.

By Marla Caligaris

Rick Spitzmiller of Spitzmiller and Norris, Inc. is the owner of a residential design firm specializing in the custom design of personal residences. The firm has maintained its office in Atlanta since 1985, and is experienced in designing plans for the construction of new houses, the remodeling of existing houses and the proper restoration of historic houses in a green and eco-friendly manner. In this exclusive interview with SVM, Rick shares how being from the South has influenced his work, his mentor, and what his challenges are when creating a new design.

How did you first fall in love with architecture and why? From my earliest memories, I've always been intrigued by beautiful, interesting, and unusual buildings. My growing up in Columbus, Georgia, in the 1950's, predated the "progress" that has removed so many of the City's amazing houses and public buildings, so I was privileged to be inspired, in person, by some truly exceptional architecture.

You were raised in Columbus and are currently living in Atlanta. How has being a Southerner influenced your architectural design style? Growing up in the Deep South meant that I seemed to be surrounded by like-minded people, people who loved their houses. This caused me to be curious about just how the houses performed: what actually worked as a result of good design, and what didn't work due to poor design. Also, even though "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," I had discerning adult friends who mentored me; who guided me in developing and shaping my sense of architectural and artistic "taste" by teaching me how to "see" a building and identify it's qualities, both good and bad.

If you had to choose one single architect who has provided a source of inspiration for you personally – who would it be and why? The one single architect who inspired me most was James Joseph Walton Biggers. Mr. Biggers was in his eighties when he hired me. He stressed the importance of seeing through drawing (which I loved) and never seemed to be without his pencil. Also, he was a fearless critic. He could dissect a building in a flash, outlining it's strengths and weaknesses; it's successes and failures, and it all made absolute sense! Improvement is the motivation for all remodels.

How does your design improve a client’s experience in their home? To be successful, a remodeled or enlarged building MUST appear as if it has always looked the way it looks after those renovations or additions have been completed. Proper scale is integral to all good design, so the little house with the huge "room" jammed onto the back is just not successful. Not only does it not look right, it doesn’t feel right either. Renovated houses being taken where they cannot and should not go is becoming all too common.

What are the greatest challenges creating a new design in an existing home? The greatest challenges in creating new designs within an existing house are making choices that respect the scale and character of the building. This doesn't have anything to do with "copying" the detailing of the existing house. Instead, successful renovations and additions are about respect for scale and creating comfortable paths of circulation within the house. Many houses that have been renovated clearly illustrate that what was done to them just didn't work!

Currently kitchens are often times the most important room in the house. How do you design a kitchen for the 21st century homeowner? Kitchens are part of the architecture of a house. A successful new kitchen in an older house can make life in an old house just about perfect—but the design has to be in harmony with the scale, materials, and detailing of the house.

What is your favorite living space to design? How do you make this space stand out? I don't have a "favorite" living space in a house, although I enjoy designing a handsome library or a beautiful master suite. The entire house must be cohesive; it must work as a harmonious entity and functionally "make sense." All spaces are at their best when the house is properly sited, the materials used authentically, and the paths of circulation and room sizes happen rationally and gracefully.

RICK SPITZMILLER