Artisan Build Construct

05/28/2026

A plunge pool sounds simple. The ex*****on is not.

This pool in Edge Hill, built alongside our DADU project just off Music Row, goes to eight feet deep with an integrated hot tub. Getting there required upgrading the gas lines to handle the pool's heating element, a future kitchen, and a fireplace. That's a significant utility coordination effort within the city, which means multiple municipal partners, permits, and sequencing that has to be right.

Our team coordinated the site work, design, architectural, and municipal pieces to get it done. That kind of project management is what separates a finished product from a stalled one.

Allard Ward Architects on the design side. Artisan on the build.

It turned out exactly as intended.

Interior Design: Both Minds Design
Architect: Allard Ward Architects
Builder: Artisan Build Construct

05/26/2026

Not every project starts with a renovation.

In this case, the homeowners had lived in the original house for years. As their family grew, they took a serious look at whether it made sense to remodel/expand or start fresh.

After evaluating the structure, layout, and long-term potential, the right decision was to rebuild.

We demolished the existing home and began construction on a new one designed to better fit their lives. The new home is just over 3,700 square feet, with three primary bedrooms, each with its own bath, along with dedicated office spaces that can convert into additional bedrooms down the line.

05/23/2026

Urban DADUs come with real constraints. Setback minimums, impervious surface limits, and stormwater management requirements shape every decision from site plan to materials, and in Nashville's urban core there is no working around them.

On this project in Edge Hill, we were at the minimum allowable distance between the primary structure and the DADU. That meant the outdoor space between the two buildings had to work harder. We used pervious pavers throughout, every one drains through to a French drain system designed by the landscape architecture team to route stormwater correctly. It is a code-compliant drainage solution that made the site viable, and it reads as a clean, finished surface.

The fireplace is a gas insert with true limestone veneer, built by our masonry team. It anchors the courtyard between the two structures and turns what could have been a pass-through corridor into a place worth spending time.

The goal with a constrained site is to solve the requirements correctly and end up with something better than you would have built without them. This one delivered on that.

Interior Design: Both Minds Design
Architect: Allard Ward Architects
Builder: Artisan Build Construct

05/23/2026

05/21/2026

Square footage is fixed in a DADU. How you use it is not.

The upstairs bedroom in this Edge Hill project uses Roman clay on the walls: a handworked plaster finish that adds texture and depth in a way that paint cannot. It gives a new building some of the material character you find in older construction, which matters when the goal is a space that feels considered rather than just completed. Ceiling lines were matched carefully and the lighting was selected to work with the finish rather than against it.

The bathroom is compact but fully resolved. Both Minds Design specified handmade Zellige tile throughout, with mitered edges at every transition (inside corners, outside corners, and at the window surround). Mitered tile work takes more time and more skill than bullnose, and the difference shows. A linear drain sits flush at the shower edge. A skylight overhead brings in natural light that makes the room read larger than it is.

Both Minds Design did strong work on the interior selections throughout. The custom vanity, the fixture choices, the material layering, it all holds together.

Interior Design: Both Minds Design
Architect: Allard Ward Architects
Builder: Artisan Build Construct

05/19/2026

The gallery is intentionally minimal with white walls, clean lines, and space for the art to speak.

So the bathroom went the opposite direction.

It is fully wrapped in hand-printed wallpaper from a German artist’s past exhibition, paired with bold fixtures and a darker palette. It’s a complete shift from the rest of the space.

We loved partnering with ZieherSmith on this space!

05/16/2026

What you don’t see under a house matters just as much as what you do.

After demolition, we discovered limestone within the footprint of the foundation, but not consistently across the entire site. Some areas were solid rock, others were soil.

That is a problem. When part of a structure sits on rock and another part sits on soil, they settle at different rates. Over time, that leads to differential settlement: cracking in drywall, stress on the structure, and long-term issues that are expensive to fix.

Instead of building on uneven conditions, we brought in a geotechnical engineer and adjusted the approach. We over-excavated the limestone and installed a crushed stone buffer to create a consistent base across the entire footprint. That allows the structure to settle evenly over time.

It’s not something you’ll ever see once the house is finished.
But it’s the kind of decision that determines how the house performs for decades.

05/15/2026

The best projects come from good collaboration!
We love getting to work alongside talented architects, designers, and trade partners to bring ideas to life. Every project is better when everyone’s at the table early, sharing ideas and solving problems together.
A lot of what we do is collaborative solution smithing— and honestly, that’s one of our favorite parts of the process.

05/15/2026

A plunge pool on a tight urban building site may not be as simple as you would think. Projects like this are always the result of a lot of thoughtful coordination and a great team working together.

This pool in Edge Hill, built alongside our DADU project just off Music Row, reaches eight feet deep and includes an integrated hot tub. Behind the scenes, it also required upgraded gas lines to support the pool heating system, a future outdoor kitchen, and a fireplace, which meant navigating permitting, utility coordination, and sequencing with multiple city departments.

I’m grateful for the team that helped bring it all together. From site work and planning to utilities and construction, everyone stayed committed to solving problems the right way and keeping the project moving forward.

These are the kinds of projects that remind me how much collaboration matters in construction. Nothing worthwhile gets built alone.

Really thankful for the opportunity to be part of this one, and proud of how it turned out.

Architect: Allard-Ward Architects

Interior Design:
Builder:

05/14/2026

This kitchen sits inside one of the oldest homes in Historic East Nashville, built in 1900 (possibly 1895). Projects like this aren’t just about finishes. They’re about process.

We took the space down to the studs, releveled floors, straight-lined walls, and rebuilt the structure so everything that followed would be precise.

From there, it became a collaboration.

We partnered with our cabinet fabricator for the precision pieces: custom cabinetry, panel-ready appliance fronts, integrated storage solutions, while our in-house trim team handled detailed millwork, alignment, and integration throughout the space. That balance allows us to control quality while being strategic about cost.

Instead of outsourcing everything, we divide the work intentionally:
• Fabricators build what requires factory precision.
• Our carpenters build what makes financial and craftsmanship sense in-house.
• Designers guide material and finish direction.
• We coordinate it all to ensure it aligns seamlessly.

Even matching 100-year-old heart pine floors required three custom stain attempts before we were satisfied. That’s the level of detail historic homes demand.

This is how Artisan builds:
Strong in-house team.
Trusted trade partners.
Clear communication.
Strategic cost control.