PROFILE

Commercial Spaces

Innovative design plays a critical role in commercial spaces. The uniqueness of your design sets businesses apart in a competitive market and creates unforgettable experiences for your clients. From vibrant retail spaces, destination worthy bespoke restaurants, and inviting entertainment venues, we understand the intricate needs of our clients and we work to ensure that every detail of your project reflects your brand identity and

keeps clients coming back.

Private Residences

From new builds to historic preservation and full-scale renovations, we specialize in designing and building high-end residential spaces that reflect your style, ensure timeless elegance, utilize the highest quality materials available and work with a team of craftsman that go the extra mile to create the finest finished product possible.

Our team's boutique approach ensures that our clients receive a highly customized experience from the initial concept phase to your final walk through. By limiting the number of clients we work with at a specific time, we are able to provide enhanced access to our design team and hand-selected contractors.

Caribbean Residences

Introducing our private collection of homes. From one story bungalows to two-story dogtrot inspired island residences and everything in between, we work with our clients to bring innovative designs to life while adhering to sustainable practices within the built environment and always utilizing the outside landscape within our design.

Whether you are designing and building a vacation home or your primary residence, it is imperative that we seamlessly blend great design with modern-day functionality. By integrating thoughtful space planning into your architectural project, we are able to create a residence that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical, functional and adaptable to your future needs.

Master Planning

From luxury estates, large farms, agritourism developments, distilleries, and Caribbean Island design and developments, we bring together our specialized design team to look at where your site is today, what your wish list includes, and determine what it will to take to bring its ideal future into reality.

Residential Developments

Welcome to Poplar Hill Bluff , where every home is a testament to inspired design and timeless elegance. As one of the finest new-home communities to be developed in Indian Hills area in many decades, Poplar Hill Bluff is surrounded by mature hardwoods and native vegetation. This development includes ten custom-built homesites designed by Douglas R. Schmitt Architect and built by luxury home builder, Wilkinson Builder's, Inc.

Our Practice

With over 25 years of experience, Schmitt & Company has an international reputation for expert design with enduring quality. Working in the private and public sectors, our practice's diverse portfolio encompasses a comprehensive range of architectural, general contracting and owners' rep services. We offer residential design, commercial architecture, master planning and residential development. Our portfolio includes construction and design projects of all sizes, large to small scale.

Additionally, we have extensive experience working with historic buildings which has given our practice a deep understanding of the qualities of architecture and construction that endure over time. We recognize that the reuse and rehabilitation of buildings is vital for environmental sustainability as well as for enriching the socio-cultural identity of places around the world that are becoming increasingly homogenized.

Our Process

Our design process is steeped in relationship building and defined by seeking out the unique opportunities found within every project. Our goal is to create a space of lasting value.

We believe in transparency, so while every client project is different, we would like to provide you with a framework for what to expect when working with us.

The Discovery Phase, is all about getting to know you and your project objectives. We begin with a Site Visit where we discuss your wish list and get an idea for your site's distinctive features. These may influence the design. We look at the surrounding areas, the contours of the land, discuss any zoning regulations, etc.

The Design Development Phase, begins the design portion of your project and transitions ideas into reality. The primary components of this phase are divided into Existing Conditions, Design, & Construction Documents. Here, we build from the Discovery Phase and provide you with the layout of your existing building(s), if applicable, as well as a rough design of your project, this includes: floor plan options, exterior elevations and a site plan layout. We may bring in outside consultants, if needed, including but not limited to: landscape architects, structural and civil engineers, and urban planners. Once a preliminary design is finalized and agreed to, then we complete the Construction Documents. These documents will be used for review, permitting and construction bidding.

The Construction Phase, we create and present you with a detailed construction budget at the onset of the project by working with our hand-selected laborers, craftsman and material suppliers. We also provide a project timeline and work together throughout the building process to ultimately culminate with a robust and innovative finished product.

Our guiding values that lead every decision we make in business are: Professionalism, Teamwork, Passion, Commitment, & Integrity.

DOUGLAS R. SCHMITT

Douglas R. Schmitt is an award winning, licensed Architect & General Contractor with over 25 Years of design, building and owners rep. experience. An artist by nature, Schmitt merges innovative design with practical functionality, driving national awards for many on his diverse client list.

A propensity for transitional international style, Schmitt's creations are influenced by his studies in Venice, Italy, his European and Caribbean travels, his tenure living in the Bahamas and his appreciation for the sophisticated, demure designs quintessentially found in the southern United States.

Schmitt's work is established in the United States, Caribbean and the Pacific Coast of Mexico. While each project is embedded in their own local context, they are all united globally by common architectural ambitions.

Several of Schmitt’s most notable projects include, Le Moo, named by Food Network and Thrillist as a “Top 25 Steakhouse in the U.S,” Grassa Gramma, named by OpenTable as Diners' Choice 2024, as well as private oceanside residences in The Caribbean. Schmitt's designs can be found in the Caribbean with island awards for: “Top 100 Hotels in the World,” “Top 25 Caribbean Resort Hotels” in 2020 & 2022 by Travel + Leisure & "#1 Hotel in the Bahamas" by Fodor's Finest Hotels Awards in 2023.

In addition to notable projects seen by the public, Schmitt is incredibly proud of his work with private clients. “A large number of my clients request that their privacy be respected and thus there are no photos of their homes on my website or social media. This is something I take seriously as one's personal space is their own and thus it should remain just that,” Schmitt says.

Our team is passionate about our craft and dedicated to our clients. We collaborate closely to bring their visions to life while adhering to the highest standards of design, sustainability and historic preservation when applicable.