Rebecca Riden AIA Architect

Ms Riden was wonderful through every step of my kitchen renovation. I was a little nervous about the process, but Rebecca was reassuring and supportive in the face of my indecisiveness. I had considered this project for several years. I have no doubt that,without Rebecca, I would still be considering. Instead, I am enjoying a beautiful new kitchen! She was amazing in steering the design to be functional and beautiful. Her knowledge of materials is amazing. I highly recommend Rebecca Riden as an amazing architect.

When we were looking to update our Prairie Village cape cod, we wanted to work with an architect who was experienced with our type of home, understood how to make better use of existing space and would take a collaborative approach to the design process. Rebecca Riden listened to our thoughts and then came back with several directions to discuss - shown as interior layouts and exterior renderings. She was open to our ideas along the way and integrated many of them into the plan. At the same time, when we had not so good ideas - like wanting to completely knock out the dining room walls - she came back with a solution that gave us the openness we desired while respecting the integrity of the individual rooms, gently reminding us that the new had to work with the old. When the contractor discovered structural surprises, Rebecca was there with an engineer to figure out the solution. The end result has completely changed the way we live in our home. The dining room opens to the kitchen which opens to a beautiful new screened-in porch. We love the big sliding French doors and the airiness of the pitched ceiling. The back of the house, which used to look like an unplanned mess from too many poor additions, now looks like it was intentionally designed and built - because it was! Rebecca is awesome. We highly recommend her work.

Rebecca is always a pleasure to work with for the general contractor as well as the client. As contractors, we appreciate thoroughly detailed, well thought out plans that make execution a breeze and success a certainty. Rebecca never fails to provide clever design solutions and is an ideal partner in any project.

For twenty years we lived 1200 miles away from our ancestral home: Kansas City, Missouri. We assembled binders of clippings and scanned photos from scores of magazines and books; including things we liked and DIDN’T like, annotating the “why” of each. Then we analyzed the space-use-purpose by square footage of our then current dwelling, and modified requirements based on our future living requirements (after retiring and moving). We decided a ranch style ADA friendly (no steps) house would serve us the next 40 years. I spoke with dozens of architects on the phone; then interviewed three face-to-face (during trips back). Rebecca Riden (our angel-architect) thought the huge pile of notes, spreadsheets, and annotated photos and clippings was a godsend. She was HIRED. Rebecca assembled three preliminary plans for us. We reviewed them and marked them up with likes and dislikes and the reasoning behind each. With the property finally in hand and the grades known, she assembled a final plan based on the three preliminaries. It was perfection. Interior sight lines, lighting, heat load, life style, interior furnishings, and you-name-it: everything was considered. Permitting and construction was a breeze. Loving every day in our final home due entirely to our angel-architect—Rebecca Riden.

My project was a whole house remodel. I have no background in design or construction so I was looking for an architect who would be at my side throughout the process. I interviewed 3 architects. On the initial walk through, 2 of the architects were telling me what we should be doing rather than asking what I wanted to achieve and asking me questions to figure out how to create my vision. Rebecca was the only one who listened first and then made suggestions. I appreciated Rebecca's interest in the "Not So Big House" (NSBH) philosophy: get the space that works for you and the amount of space you need and no more. Use your money to pay for quality and not a larger space just for the sake of having a large space. For example, if you don't need a formal dining room, save that money and invest in the kitchen tile that makes your heart sing. The great Scottish architect and designer, Rennie MacIntosh, said that you should have nothing in your home that you do not find useful or beautiful. With the NSBH philosophy you can have both practical and beautiful. The trades loved Rebecca. If one of them had a suggestion for solving a problem, she would listen, evaluate and then make a decision. She either tactfully explained why their suggestion wouldn't work or willingly embraced it and praised the tradesperson for their good suggestion. Crew members mentioned more than once that Rebecca was easy to work with and had the best drawn plans of any architect or designer with whom they had ever worked. A happy crew that is personally invested in the project is an invaluable asset and Rebecca created that type of environment.. I love my "new" house. Rebecca saw exactly what was in my head and brought it to life. After 22 years in my current house, with Rebecca's help, I am finally living in the home of my dreams. The details of the home are fabulous, but it's the way my home feels that makes me so happy. Everyday as I walk about the house, I feel so grateful that I live in my home and that I found Rebecca to help me achieve my dream. If you are looking for an architect to listen to your dream and then work to help you achieve it, then Rebecca is the perfect choice. I am confident that if you choose Rebecca, you will achieve a beautiful result that reflects your vision for your project.

When you have labored on a project for such a long time that your architect has watched your babies start school, you know she is one of the most patient architects you will find! Through every step of the design process, Rebecca always strove to know us well so that she could design our home well. We are almost to the finish line of our new farmhouse build in central Kansas; and Rebecca has designed a home that will not only function perfectly for our family, but also captures and frames the beauty of the land upon which it sits.

Rebecca was highly recommended to us by a friend that worked with her on a house remodel. She is amazing! Our remodeling project required turning a completely neglected Prairie Village ranch into a two story craftsman style home. One of Rebecca's strengths is her ability to listen and incorporate your wants into the practical way a family functions in a home. She is considerate of your budget and provides you with a variety of design options to help you achieve a finished space you love!

Our family cabin tucked into the bank of a river on the side of a mountain range in Colorado was in sore need of an update. Tired finishes and tight spaces made it hard for everyone in our family to be there together. Rebecca Riden AIA to the rescue! Now that the total renovation is nearly complete, the space is much more livable and well utilized. Even though the cabin is a small two bedroom, it feels so much bigger now. Rebecca was able to work in a second bathroom and increase the size of the kitchen with an open floor plan. She took down one wall and switched the location of the dining area, giving us twice as much space around the table and room to sleep up to 4 more people. We are certainly looking forward to our summer vacation this year!

Rebecca worked with us to design a custom home that met our needs, lifestyle, and budget. From the initial bubble diagrams and concepts through detailed blueprints, she carefully guided us through trade-off decisions in order to balance our desire for functional yet affordable design, longevity (three small boys), and aesthetic. As the inevitable obstacles were encountered she worked with our builder to adjust as needed. She was not afraid to get a second opinion on structural questions which we believe are amongst the most important decisions. That was a dozen years ago and as empty nesters the home we so carefully laid out still brings us great joy. We recommend without reservation.

I met Rebecca about 3 years ago after asking our friends and family for recommendations for an architect to help us with a whole house renovation and addition. After our first meeting with Rebecca, I knew we had found the right person. Rebecca was amazing. She was able to interpret our style and vision even when my husband I were rambling in more than one direction at the same time. We were presented with multiple options that were relevant and creative. The entire process from start to finish was very organized and thorough. I can't imagine the process without her knowledge and experience. Whenever I became overwhelmed with design choices along the way -- Rebecca found a way to re-center my thinking to help me make the right choice for my family. Rebecca was always very professional and worked great with my contractor. She had great contacts for building materials and was always conscious of quality within our budget. I love my "new" old house. - And I loved my experience working with Rebeca Riden AIA Architect!

Rebecca was spot on with her design! Hubby and I can now prepare food together in our kitchen, have more storage than we ever dreamed possible, and the kitchen absolutely gorgeous. It just flows. While totally new and modern, she incorporated a large arched casement window over the sink and arched passageway to the new mud room that nod to the arches throughout our 1932 Dible Tudor. The kitchen feels like a natural part of our historic home, unlike many kitchen renovations we've seen in our neighborhood. Rebecca monitored the project as it was built making sure it turned out as planned. Hire her!