Brick, stacked, mosaic and more — get to know the most popular tile layouts and see which one is best for your room. By Yanic Simard

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When San Francisco architect John Lum decided to remodel the living space over his office, he made a discovery: it was difficult to be both architect and client. “Usually we try to listen to what [clients] want,” Lum says. “Most people want more lush homes.” But he wanted to focus on the basics of the 1917 building. “I tend to follow symmetry – I like things very rationalized,” he says. The warehouse’s 32-inch rafters gave Lum a module that allowed him to design the 1,300-square-foot space with gridlike precision. “I wanted to keep the rustic quality, the found sensibility of the space,” he says. “I was on an extremely tight budget. Instead of highly refined finishes, it would be in my best interest to do things simply.”

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How common is it to for homeowners to hire an architect for a remodeling project? What are the benefits of this compared with some of the other options?
It is quite common, especially given how complex the planning process can be for most Bay Area communities. Also, one cannot rely on a contractor to make design decisions as they are not educated in this field. Knowing the permitting process, coordinating the structural engineer and other consultants, and also representing the client during construction are important roles of the architect.

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