By Carrie

In 2002, I was living in Oakland and working for a prominent architecture firm in San Francisco when my father reached out with a request—would I design his retirement home in Maine? A reverse snowbird, he was leaving the Florida warmth where I was raised in Sarasota for the rugged beauty of Mid-Coast Maine.

Designing a home for a parent is often a turning point for architects, though I wasn’t thinking about starting my own firm at the time. I was young, navigating the high cost of living in the Bay Area, and saw this as a meaningful project rather than a career shift. I agreed to take it on.

After three design iterations, we landed on a plan that fit the lot, his vision, and his budget. The next challenge was finding a builder. Mid-Coast Maine is a tight-knit community, and as newcomers, we weren’t yet connected. After several dead ends, my boat-building brother suggested that he and I build it ourselves.

That decision changed everything. We relocated to Rockland, bought a charming but fixer-upper farmhouse, and spent our days juggling its renovation while overseeing the construction of Dad’s home. There was only one sleepless night after framing the first wall, but the experience was invaluable. The house turned out beautifully, and I walked away with a much deeper understanding of how buildings come together—knowledge that has made me a far better architect.

Looking back 22 years later, I can still see the design themes that have carried into my work today. The L-shaped layout, now a signature of many of our ADUs, was born from that project. The home was designed to follow the natural slope of the land, modest in its approach but stretching out to embrace guests upon entry.

While some interior details may feel dated now (as 22 years will do), I remain proud of its proportions and layout. Shortly after completion, I received an unexpected call from Design New England. They wanted to name me one of nine architects on the rise in New England. I was honored, but I had to confess—I had just moved back to Northern California to start Larson Shores Architects.

Now, as I focus fully on Inspired ADUs, a division we started in 2008, I couldn’t be happier. These small cottages serve families in deeply meaningful ways, and I’m excited to keep building spaces that truly support people’s lives.