Ep. 491: Terracotta Design Build
Show notes
Ili Hidalgo, architect, interior designer, and co-founder of the Atlanta-based firm Terracotta Design Build, joins the podcast to demystify the often intimidating intersection of architecture, interior design, and construction. She explains how keeping all three disciplines under one roof allows her team to row in the same direction, ensuring that beautiful designs are actually buildable and stay aligned with realistic budgets.
The Design-Build Advantage: When the architect, designer, and contractor are on the same team, every design line drawn is tied to a specific construction cost, preventing runaway budgets. Ili stresses that clients must be completely honest about their budgets upfront so the team does not accidentally over- or under-deliver on the initial design.
Hidden Construction Costs: Clients are often surprised by the overhead expenses required before the "pretty" things are even ordered. A significant portion of a budget goes to demolition labor, dumpster dumping fees, site containment (to prevent mud runoff fines), and tree removal or recompense funds.
Renovation vs. New Construction: Renovations can sometimes be more expensive than starting from scratch because the labor involves both undoing and redoing. A good architect will evaluate zoning requirements, future floodplains, and your home's equity before finalizing whether to renovate or build new.
Where to Splurge: Always invest in the hidden systems of the house (plumbing and electrical) and in architecture that respects the neighborhood's fabric. For interiors, splurge on high-quality furniture frames that can be endlessly slipcovered or reupholstered over the years.
The Invisible Magic of Circulation: The unsung hero of a great home is how you move through it. Logical room adjacencies, sensible sightlines, and practical switch and plug placements (like hidden appliance garages in the kitchen) make a home inherently comfortable without you ever noticing why.
Exterior Colors: Moving away from the trendy white brick with black mullions, Ili favors deep, moody jewel tones for exteriors—like a rich teal she recently used on a Victorian home in Candler Park, or dark greens and charcoal grays.
Surviving Construction: Because supply chain delays are a reality, Terra Cotta utilizes a 5,000-square-foot warehouse to order and hold materials before demolition begins. They are also building a new studio in Decatur that will feature rooftop apartments specifically for clients to live in during the most intrusive phases of their home renovations.
You can keep up with Ili's upcoming projects—including a new resort community in North Georgia—on Instagram at @terracottadesignbuild and at terracottadesignbuild.com.
If you had to choose between a moody charcoal gray or a deep jewel tone for the exterior of your home, which would you lean toward?
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