When we were contemplating our kitchen remodel, we knew we wanted to use Timberdoodle Custom Cabinets in Westlake, because of the great work they had done for us previously. So I called Timberdoodle and asked them to recommend a designer, and they introduced us to Darla at Latina. We’re very glad they did.
The ideas that Darla brought to our initial meetings really resonated with us. She really took the time to understand our sensibilities and needs, and brought some fresh ideas that we had not thought about previously. Our home has an unusual layout, which required us to make some structural changes to achieve the open look we wanted. We found Darla to be a creative problem-solver, not only in her selection of colors and materials, but also with a few thorny challenges regarding plumbing and HVAC. She brought the right mixture of boldness and pragmatism in her designs.
Darla and Anthony were sensitive to the impact on our lives of having a big portion of the house inaccessible during construction (she even brought us dinner one evening). They were attentive to detail and were quick to address anything that looked awry, and Darla was particularly good about anticipating potential challenges and addressing them before they became problems.
Overall, we’re thrilled with our new space and are very happy we worked with Latina to create it.
Lisa and I had a dream together dating back to 2005 after we happened to come across a timber frame project in our area in the Spring of that year and became enamored with the architecture and wide open spaces and rustic elegance. We met and quickly became friends with the timber frame builder, Brian; thus beginning our quest for our dream home.
Fast forward to 2017, eight years into our new home, Lisa and I had become disenchanted with the small laundry room, patio, and dining room which housed our grand dining room table,. We sketched out our own ideas for a larger dining room and lauandry/pantry through various iterations as well as a covered, screened in patio; eventually incorporating timbers into the theme. Finally, through what we believe was divine intervention, we crossed paths with the Latina Design and Build Group, Darla and Anthony, through our boys highschool connection. Simple conversations at football games turned into serious discussions and eventually an in home consultation. We discussed our philosophy and respect for nature and openess; our need to rekindle our twelve year old timber frame dream; and our expectation of satisfying our need for spaces that will accomodate large family gatherings, entertainment, larger dining area, larger and separater laundry and pantry, and incorporate western themes of stone, large timbers, fire places and light.
We already had our timber framer, Brian, now a true blue friend; had already sourced our own countertops from our friends in Chautauqua Lake, and had chosen lighting form a local Amherst, Ohio merchant as well as New Orleans during a spontaneous walk down Royale St. We were set; all we needed was a direction, and architect and a design group that could handle our theme. We wanted something that would transport us to Telluride or Aspen.
The Latina Group more than came through; they excelled. The entire process of transposing the existing home to the new home took seven months (March through October 2107)—-done in time for our Halloween party!
Phase one started with transforming our small dining room into a new rear entry and laundry with shelving, repurposed cabinets from the old kitchen, an old piano crate repurposed into a bench with cubbies for hats and gloves, a new rustic powder room, a dog shower station and a bird sanctuary! This was, where, at least we could hang our coats and cook and live.
Phase two included bumping out the existing family room and moving the fireplace over by 28 inches to keep everything centered and repurposing our existing Anderson windows(saving thousands of dollars). This would eventually be our new larger dining room.
Phase three was the ‘Big Dig’; excavating the patio and replacing it with the new family room timber structure and timber over-hang with outdoor patio area.
Phase four was the entire interior rebuild; new kitchen, wine bar, walk in wine cellar, stone pillars and arches, slate floor entry, barnwood siding, wood flooring that Darla managed to grab for pennies on the dollar. The wood floors have twelve different species of wood and idea that I decided would be a cool look from past visits to the Rockies. Darla set us up with the right folks for cabinetry and appliances making it extremily easy for us given our hectic schedules. The wine bar is a nearly 400 lb slab of Black Walnut as is the new powder room vanity with stone sink and contemporary industrial copper fittings. The entire project incorporated a new sound system through out the new four rooms and out door area with sixteen speakers and a SONOS based system designed by a high end personal entertainment sound engineer.
Anthony ran the show. The amish workmanship he employed was extraordinary and incredibly friendly. We had friends walking through our home for seven months, no one was a stranger; n’er was an evil word between anybody. The masons, plumber, electricians, carpenters, all gave 100% effort to the project, as they were as vested in it as we and Latina were since it was so utterly different from their usual work.
The stewardship by Latina Group and the workmanship under their guidance was outstanding. They understood our dream and visualized it and made it happen. They helped us save money and conserve elements by repurposing windows and cabinets. In the process, not many people can say they are friends with their contractors—— we are forever friends. They helped make our dream come alive and we are forever grateful. Scott and Lisa
WIt was obvious from our first meeting that Darla and Anthony were the contractors for us. It was like having a conversation with long lost friends. At our second visit, they presented their proposals for renovating our bathrooms. They had truly listened to our needs and wants. Darla did a great job of helping us choose all the fixtures, tiles, colors, etc. I had LOTS of ideas and she helped to hone in on the best of those. Once demolition began, problems became advantages with their problem solving and creative solutions. From then, everything ran smoothly. All the trades were very professional and friendly. Both Darla and Anthony communicated all that was going on and what would be happening next. Either one or both of them checked on the progress daily. We love our new bathrooms and have recommended Latina to several friends and family members who are thinking of renovating. We will definitely call on Darla and Anthony again.
If you are looking for a team that gives you a personal touch, allows you to work directly with the owners and someone who sticks to their word… This is the team for you. Darla and Anthony were very patient throughout our selection process on finding a builder to help us remodel the first floor of our recent home purchase. We were looking for a builder that wouldn’t disappear after we signed the agreement, would allow us to make changes throughout the job and that was experienced in the community. They checked every box. A day never went by where we couldn’t pick up the phone and reach Darla and Anthony if we had any questions. They took down walls, changed the floor plan, created a mudroom, remodeled the kitchen, new hardwood floors, converted our house to central heating/air, updated electricity and more. I can’t speak highly enough about their work and would recommend them to anyone looking to have work done on their house. It is refreshing to come across builders who cares about you being happy and will go to great lengths to do so. Darla who handles the design does a great job at taking your vision and making it a reality. She is up to date with the latest trends and comes up with unique creative ideas to make the space your own.
We chose Latina for our home renovation because of Anthonys family history in construction and Darla’s impressive design sense. Our goal was to add a few much needed areas to our home without losing any precious yard space…no easy task for the smaller lots here in Rocky River. They were able to come up with a design of two smaller additions that resulted in a larger kitchen, new mudroom, new main floor powder room, Larger master bedroom with new master bath, and a new 4th bedroom. They even created a new covered patio area for us and we were able to keep our yard space for our kids and dog to enjoy. Their crews were knowledgeable and honest workers, and Darla and Anthony were at our home every single day to instruct and check progress. They were extremely responsive throughout our entire renovation.
Our home is almost 100 years old, and renovating it to its original integrity was also a goal for us. Darla kept this in mind every step of the way, from the way she reimagined our lackluster fireplace to bring back its beauty, to the antique doorknobs she was able to track down. Her careful choices in lighting and fixtures also reflected an antique vibe while updating the home at the same time.
We moved out with our kids and dog during the renovation, and getting back home as soon as possible was a priority. Latina accomplished our goals as originally scheduled (during a pandemic no less) and got us back home quickly for such a large project. We are so thankful for Darla and Anthony’s hard work. We love our home and now have the space we need to enjoy it for years to come.
Before deciding on doing a project ourselves, we had seen excellent, timely work that Darla and Anthony had done in our neighborhood. It made the decision to choose Latina very easy. From the very beginning they were friendly, responsive, and easy to work with. As the project was ongoing, we knew we were in good hands as they would take the time to answer questions we had and meet with us along the way to ensure that everything was proceeding as planned and if there was any feedback/changes we had for them.
Darla was quick to hone in on the design style we were going for & was quickly able to make great recommendations when we were stuck trying to pick out different fixtures/hardware/appliances and Anthony was constantly on site making sure things proceeded as expected. As everything was beginning to get delayed due to the pandemic, we were still able to get our project done quickly which was very appreciated. When we have some more projects to do, we will definitely be giving Darla and Anthony a call.
Testimonials
Darla was a pleasure to work with. Her ability to drill down to our perfect kitchen was fantastic. She gave us everything we were looking for in a new kitchen without compromising our budget. Her attention to detail and follow up skills are exceptional. Darla made the process easy and fun all the while ensuring we were happy throughout the process. She also consulted with us on interior colors for our home and we couldn’t be more pleased with the selections.
Darla designed our kitchen four years ago and we were so happy with her work that we had her redo a full bath last year. She has great insight and taste. She is responsive and prompt. She is pleasant and cooperative. If something is not to your liking, she fixes it. She finishes projects on time and within budget. Having worked with many contractors, Darla stands out as a true professional.
We had such a great experience working with Darla Kurtz. The re-design of our kitchen and bathroom was a challenge, as the spaces were small. But Darla embraced the challenge and approached the project with an open mind and a problem-solving attitude. One of our favorite memories was when Darla reviewed preliminary drawings with us for the first time. She said, “I just want you to know, I don’t think any of these versions are ‘it’ yet. I want to get your feedback to see what you like and don’t like, then we’ll go from there. ” We respected and appreciated that so much. Her attention to detail and professionalism came through in every encounter.
We debated for a while whether to sell our house or have some major renovations done. We, ultimately, decided on the latter and started meeting with various contractors. Our project included a complete renovation of our first floor including new walls, floors, kitchen update among several other items. Our initial meeting with Darla and Anthony from Latina builders was supposed to be a one hour meeting but it lasted several hours. We went through all details and they took their time explaining in detail what we would expect. Our initial impression wasn’t just that they seemed very professional and knowledgeable but more so their personal and genuine demeanor. This became more apparent in the weeks to come. Their crew members were right on time and I would see either Darla or Anthony several times a day in our house. They were always quick to communicate with us. Yet, what struck me the most with Darla and Anthony was their willingness to always go the extra step. It was like the project was personal to them. They understood our situation with having a young child and therefore would personally come at times on weekends to accelerate the progress. I had dealt with various contractors in the past but never encountered such a kind, unique and genuine work attitude. I can now see now the amazing quality of their work and we are already in discussion with them about a major addition project to our house. The one simple reason why I would recommend them is that not only they deliver the finest quality of work but they make every project personal and work so hard to make it perfect. They are honest when it comes to unexpected delays and will truly work hard to overcome any obstacles. At last, I am happy not only to consider them business partners, but great new friends.
We worked with Darla and Anthony on remodeling the kitchen and first floor of our house. We met with several other contractors, who only gave us a verbal price for a vague scope of work. Darla and Anthony were so easy to work with. After our first meeting, they took our ideas and concerns with the previous layout and developed a great floorplan and a detailed estimate for us to review. Darla had a great vision of what could be when she looked at our house. She gave us a layout that opened up the house and gave it a better flow. Where other contractors balked at knocking down walls because of the electrical or HVAC in the walls, Darla and Anthony were able to reroute the mechanicals or incorporate them in the new structures.
Our family lived upstairs while the renovations were going on. Darla and Anthony were at our house at least twice a day to manage the construction. The house was cleaned up at the end of each day. They made sure we had a working stove, until the end of the project, so that we could continue to function in the house.
When we started this project, we knew the timeline put us right up to the holidays. Darla and Anthony kept the work moving throughout and ensured that it was finished on time. We were able to enjoy the holidays and entertain out of town guests in our beautiful new space!
As first time home buyers who were also looking to renovate, we were a bit overwhelmed with where to start. Darla and Anthony were wonderful in helping us make the changes we wanted to turn this house into our own! They are extremely knowledgeable, professional, and approachable and we really valued their expertise in the design and execution of what we envisioned. We are absolutely thrilled with the end results and can’t wait to use them in the future for other projects in our home!
We recently remodeled our home and we couldn’t be happier with how our house looks and how the process went. Darla and Anthony were truly wonderful to work with and if we had to do it again, we would hire them without question. From the start, we found Darla and Anthony to be detailed oriented, hardworking, and easy to work with. Darla took the time to create the perfect design for our downstairs and made it exactly what we were looking for. Throughout the entire project, Darla and Anthony communicated with us constantly and were at our house daily checking on the contractors. The contractors they use were reliable, professional, and meticulous in their work. Our family lived in our home throughout the renovation, and Darla and Anthony were mindful of this; they were always friendly and kind to our children and even brought us dinner a couple of times. They made a very difficult process as easy as possible. Darla and Anthony take pride in their work and we felt like the project was personal to them and they wanted it to be perfect. We truly loved working with Darla and Anthony and we love how our house turned out.
After speaking with a few Design/Build firms, we chose Latina Design Build to renovate our master bathroom. Darla and Anthony, both brought their strengths to the project. Darlas’s creativity and attention to detail maximized the limited space and gave us everything on our checklist. She guided us every step of the way with our product selection. Anthony was frequently on-site throughout the project to advise the tradesmen and answer any questions we had. Our project began and completed on schedule and on budget! Thank you Darla and Anthony!
After deciding that our 21 year old home needed a main floor update, (kitchen, laundry, great room, master bedroom, powder bath, living and dining rooms) we met with and interviewed a few different remodeling firms, before meeting with Latina Design and Build Group. We were able to see an example of Anthony and Darla’s finished work, in our own neighborhood. Latina Design understood what we had in mind, and they offered us ideas on how to make our home more functional and beautiful. We especially liked their willingness to meet with us a few times, answer all questions, discuss and consider different options, while still respecting our budget.
Those they employed to do the work, from demolition to finish, were all exceptional professionals providing a quality finish. Excellence and pride was shown by their drywall installer, wood floor installer and his crew, painter and his team, etc. My husband and I have had five other homes built across the country, and the Latina Design Group’s crew were by far the best we have experienced. Our cabinetry was all custom built and the carpentry work was outstanding! We appreciated their attention to the details and willingness to please.
Darla was wonderful in helping us pick out cabinetry, paint colors, fixtures, tiles, etc. From faucets to floors, Darla’s amazing design talents and suggestions made the outcome beautiful, and perfect for us! I’ve worked with designers before who push a trend or style that was uncomfortable for us. Darla understands her clients and shares her visions of what changes are possible. Never pushy, most helpful, Darla always offered us several selections and ideas to consider. She also gave us excellent advice for purchasing custom window treatments, rugs, and specific pieces of furniture. Both Anthony and Darla always responded to our calls, e-mails, and/or texts, as well as being available as needed on site. Darla and Anthony are conscientious and caring people that you can trust.
Our home’s main floor remodel turned out lovely and exceeded our expectations! Without any reservations, we highly recommend the Latina Design Build Group. Anthony and Darla care about their work, the clients they serve, and it certainly shows in the final outcome of our main floor remodel.
Nancy and Fred
Home Owner
Latina Design Build Group was great to work with on our home addition. They were right on schedule and listened to everything we wanted. They were extremely responsive throughout the entire process. All of the people they hired to complete the work on our house were professional and did top notch work. We are so happy with every detail of our master suite addition and wouldn’t change a thing! We highly recommend Latina! -Jake and Kathryn
Jake & Kathryn
Home Owner
In October of 2020 we purchased our dream home with a nightmare kitchen. We knew we had to begin a kitchen remodel almost immediately. We have had experiences with contractors in the past so we knew what we were looking for and what we wanted to avoid. For this project we met with 3 contractors including Darla and Anthony from Latina Design Build Group. We immediately felt comfortable with Darla and Anthony. We began to talk about what we were hoping to accomplish with the space and what our wants and needs were. We received our detailed project quote about a week or so after our initial meeting which we felt was appropriate. Latinas quote for this project was middle of the road and what we felt was fair and in line with the budget that we had set. Work began promptly as agreed upon and finished within a few weeks of the initial completion date. The sub contractors that they use are very friendly, conscientious and respectful of our families schedule as we were living in the house for part of the renovation. Communication with Darla and Anthony regarding scheduling, questions and project concerns were quickly answered and they were very responsive over text or phone. They were excellent at finding creative and practical solutions to the challenges that can arise when updating an almost 100 year old home. Overall we were extremely satisfied with our decision to use Latina Design and Build for turning our nightmare kitchen into a kitchen suitable for our dream home. We would definitely recommend Latina Design and Build group, so much in fact that we are using them again to renovate one of our bathrooms.