The Best Residential Architects and Designers in Nashville, Tennessee

Last updated on July 15th, 2024 at 11:53 pm

Finding the right residential architect in Nashville, Tennessee, can be daunting, but it’s crucial for bringing your dream home to life. With the average residential project costing between $200,000 and $400,000 and high-end projects reaching even more, it’s important to choose a professional who can handle the complexities of your vision. Projects can take up to 21 weeks to complete, often encountering unexpected challenges that require a seasoned architect’s expertise to navigate smoothly.

With a population of approximately 692,587 and a median home value of $582,900, Nashville is a thriving city with a robust housing market. This bustling metropolis has about 180 contractors specializing in residential projects, reflecting the high demand for skilled professionals who can design and build unique, high-quality homes. The average cost of a construction project over the past two years is $139.31/sq ft. Nashville’s vibrant architectural scene is characterized by a blend of historic charm and modern innovation, making it an exciting place to build your dream home.

Choosing the right residential architect is essential to avoid the pitfalls of construction delays, budget overruns, and design missteps. A reliable architect brings technical skill and creative vision to your project and ensures that the process is as stress-free as possible. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the best Nashville residential architects, known for their excellence in design and commitment to client satisfaction.

Overview: The Best Residential Architects and Designers in Nashville, Tennessee

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

John TeSelle Architecture

405 Fairfax Ave. Nashville, TN 37212

Outstanding client service is at the core of John Teselle’s practice in designing homes. After launching his firm, he helped hundreds of clients build their dream spaces, from small residential remodels to complete custom houses, hotels, schools, restaurants, and office buildings. Clients praise TeSelle for his high-touch personal approach. As an architect, he believes his job is twofold: to give clients the information and options they need to make good decisions and to communicate those decisions to the contractor.

TeSelle is a member of the AIA and a LEED Accredited Professional of the U.S. Green Building Council. His firm’s portfolio showcases a variety of styles, including Spanish Meditteranean, mid-century modern, farmhouse, and Tudor. In this spacious custom home, TeSelle incorporated the homeowner’s stained glass artwork and used green technology to power the home. Energy-efficient design features of the house include deep overhangs on the south-facing side to block the summer sun, 2×6 framed walls with water-based spray foam insulation, and a “cool roof” to reflect solar heat.

Michael Goorevich Architect

95 Whitebridge Pike, Suite #203, Nashville, TN 37205

With a focus on bespoke modern homes and projects, Michael Goorevich has carved a niche for himself in the architecture industry of Nashville. His sleek contemporary lines are present in every project, from new homes to additions to renovations. His signature style is also present in his work on restaurants and multipurpose spaces across Nashville. That style has earned Michael honors, citations, and merit awards from The AIA of Middle Tennessee.

Featured here is one of Goorevich’s award-winning residences: a gable house in Belle Meade. The plan was for the house to be simultaneously open and closed, modern and traditional, timeless and current. Goorevich rose to the challenge by creating a contemporary home that fit perfectly among its neighbors. The residence features three gable roofs filled with natural light. The stunning project has been featured by Dwell and Nashville Lifestyles Magazine. It has also earned awards such as a 2016 AIA Middle Tennessee Merit Design Award and was a finalist at the 2017 Subzero Wolf Kitchen Design Contest.

Noble Johnson Architects

PO Box 121613, Nashville, TN 37212

Noble Johnson Architects is a small, full-service architectural and interior design firm that has made a big name in Nashville for its sustainable green designs and highly detailed projects. The firm’s petite size provides time: time for the hands-on involvement of principal architect William ‘Bill’ Johnson. An architect since 1985, Bill has designed everything from churches to cookie stores, private residences to restaurants, and bathrooms to horse barns. He captains a team of skilled architects, interior designers, consultants, and contractors who have a thorough understanding of programming, site and environmental conditions, budget, and construction requirements. Together, the collaborative team makes every project a success for the client.

As a residential architectural firm, Noble Johnson Architects’ work includes custom residences, vacation homes, renovations/additions, and multi-family projects. It also has outstanding expertise in historic structures and has received the Metropolitan Historic Commission Preservation Award for Infill Construction in a Historic District. As a member of the US Green Building Council and as a LEED for Homes Accredited Professional, it has designed LEED Platinum and LEED Silver Certified homes in Middle Tennessee. The firm is among the few Nashville residential architects to be featured in HGTV.

Allard-Ward Architects

1618 16th Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37212

Allard Ward Architects has been creating inspired designs for 20 years. Founding principal architect David Preston Allard started the firm with a focus on providing comprehensive programming, design, and planning services for clients interested in building projects of enduring quality. He has over 35 years in the industry, with experience in urban planning and restorations of over thirty historic buildings. He has been recognized with local and national awards from various historical commissions. Rounding out the leadership team is Michael Ward, who joined the company in 2001 and brings more than 25 years of experience in architectural design, interior design, and master planning to the table. He is an LEED Accredited Professional & Member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the USGBC (US Green Building Council).

The firm’s team of architects and designers is well-versed in every aspect of the design process, from pre-design and programming to construction administration. The consistent result is tastefully designed homes that are functional and efficient. These homes have graced the pages of Better Homes and Gardens, Additions, Remodeling Ideas, and the Nashville Scene. Featured here is one of Allard-Ward Architects’ creations. Charming dormers and ivory brick give this Nashville home the feel of a cozy English cottage.

Fentress Architecture Workshop

112 Craighead Ave., Nashville, TN 37205

Fentress Architecture Workshop is a client-centered practice devoted to finding the best design solutions for clients’ specific needs. Headed by James Fentress, this full-service firm embraces diverse architectural approaches, refusing a signature style and mastering both classic and contemporary forms.

The firm’s eclectic knowledge of home styles can be seen in its portfolio of Nashville residences. Fentress Architecture Workshop has completed Tudor, mountain chalets, farmhouses, and midcentury modern, among other styles. These homes can cost anywhere from $100,000 – $5 million, depending on the project’s scope. Aside from custom homes, the firm is also adept in historic renovations and new builds in historic districts, as well as commercial spaces.

Four Square Design Studio

1201 4th Ave. South, Suite #109, Nashville, TN 37210

Award-winning firm Four Square Design Studio is known for its versatility in designing residential and commercial projects. The firm provides planning and designing custom homes, builder-spec and market homes, light commercial and multi-family buildings, and additions and renovations. It has also worked on historic renovations and received a 2015 Preservation Award from the Metropolitan Historical Commission of Nashville and Davidson County.

Brad Sayers and Andrew Heideman lead the firm, which has over 30 years of combined experience in residential and commercial design. The duo fosters open communication and a highly collaborative process between the designer and the client to achieve the best results. Their designs can be seen in Memphis, Nashville, and the rest of Middle Tennessee. Their homes embrace timeless architecture while incorporating modern details and amenities for today’s discerning tastes.  Four Square Design Studio’s project was featured in the Nashville Post as a testament to its reputation as one of the best Nashville residential architects.

Ryan Thewes Architect

165 Lelawood Circle, Nashville, TN 37209

Ryan Thewes aims to provide Nashville residents with organic, modern design. Heavily influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, Thewes’ early work in Chicago, Atlanta, and New Mexico—where he worked with Don Erickson and Robert Green, both former apprentices to Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as Bart Prince, a former Bruce Goff apprentice—still resonates. Ryan continued to develop his practice in Nashville, earning recognition not only in the U.S. but in Europe as well. He has been recognized widely for his advancements in green construction and the green building industry. Thewes is a licensed architect in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia and is a member of the National Council of Architects Registration Board.

Although the firm caters to a wide range of clients, it limits clients and has a waiting list so that Thewes can personally work on each project. He believes that a personal connection with each design generates unique, creative solutions for each site and each client. A great example is a modern hillside home in Nashville. Located on a steep hillside south of Nashville, Thewes successfully designed the home to reflect the contour of the hill. Large amounts of glass let in natural light and create a feeling of indoor-outdoor permeability. Projects like these helped the firm earn awards, such as the Build Magazine’s Modern Design Firm of the Year – Southern USA in 2016.

906 Studio Architects

143 Fifth Ave. South, Franklin, TN 37064

906 Studio Architects is an award-winning, full-service architectural firm that provides design solutions for residential, commercial, academic, and community projects. Named by The Williamson Herald as one of the region’s most respected architecture firms, it has built an impressive portfolio of innumerable projects that incorporate the latest building techniques with the region’s colorful history. 

The firm is led by the principal architect and managing partner, Michael Hathaway.  A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Hathaway has built homes in Dallas, other parts of Texas, and Memphis. Today, he serves on the City of Franklin’s Historic Zoning Commission and its Planning Commission, which he has chaired since 2005. Michael is joined by Michael Katsaitis, who leads the residential arm of 906 Studio. Katsaitis worked with Hathaway for nearly three decades before recently joining him in the firm.

906 Studio’s residential designs are often single-family homes inspired by traditional architecture: arts and crafts, Tudor, and colonial. This Leiper Fork custom home features three stories of living space in the farmhouse style. The home boasts an inviting and open space through its vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and white aesthetic. As one of the leading Nashville residential architects, 906 Studio Architects received several recognitions, including the NAHB Multi-family Pillars of the Industry Awards.

DAAD – Dryden Architecture and Design

2520 White Ave., Nashville, TN 37204

Third-generation architect Nick Dryden is making creative waves in the architectural scene of Nashville with his studio, DAAD – Dryden Architecture and Design. The firm takes a holistic design approach that has made Dryden one of the area’s most in-demand architects and interior designers. DAAD has worked on a variety of projects, from restoring farmhouses and historic landmarks to developing contemporary and sustainable communities. Its client list is just as impressive—it includes Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and Grammy Award-winning country artist Marty Stuart. 

Nick’s skill and talent come organically. His grandfather, Allen N. Dryden, Sr., studied in Chicago under Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. He was the city architect of Kingsport and won the Rome Prize. DAAD has earned its share of awards, including a 2019 AIA Tennessee Design Award for Interior Architectural Design for its work on the historic Art Deco Noelle Hotel.

DAAD’s residential projects are a blend of cosmopolitan chic and authentic Nashville. The firm uses traditional material palettes that include limestone and stucco while exploring dynamic transitional silhouettes and contemporary forms. Featured here is the Tyne Boulevard Residence that DAAD built in 2000 and renovated in 2017.

Marcus DiPietro, Architect

416 Barrywood Dr., Nashville, TN 37211

Marcus DiPietro’s work is defined by tailored architectural plans and dynamic homes. An alumnus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, DiPietro specializes in residential work. His full-service architectural firm serves Nashville and nearby areas. Three decades in the business have honed DiPietro’s skill, producing bespoke homes in coveted neighborhoods.

Past clients praise DiPietro’s flexibility in style and ability to work with various clients. He has worked with so many different people with different demands and expectations, and yet he consistently exceeds their expectations as a design architect. By focusing exclusively on the client and learning their lifestyle, he can create homes that beautifully reflect each client’s authentic lifestyle and value. A perfect example is this modern farmhouse. He designed the house to have a harmonious connection with the owner and the home’s natural surroundings through the use of clerestory windows and a wide-open layout. The silhouette is farmhouse; the contemporary materials and finishes bring it into the modern era.

Price Harrison Architect and Associates

2415 Crestmoor Rd., Nashville, TN 37215

Nashville-native Price Harrison is a well-seasoned architect whose expertise comes from his 35 years of experience. Harrison possesses a background in English and the Fine arts, as well as an architectural degree and a master’s degree from Yale. Towards the end of the ’80s, he apprenticed in New York under the late Paul Rudolph—one of the nation’s leading architects in modernism and widely known for his use of concrete and complex floor plans. Using what he had learned from the famed architect, he went on to work with other well-known architects such as Richard Meier and Partners, Pei Cobb, and George Ranalli..

The firm specializes in modern residential and commercial architecture, and it offers interior design, graphic design, and branding services. Its sleek contemporary plans have won accolades from the AIA Middle Tennessee and have been featured in publications like Dwell, Houston Modern Luxury, Metropolitan Home, and Elle Decor. One such project is the Hearn Residence. Situated in Belle Meade, the modern residence is a refreshing sight nestled among the more traditional homes of the neighborhood. The home’s unique design still fits in with its neighbors due to its large front lawn and natural stone detail on the exterior. The project earned a Merit award at the 2017 Middle Tennessee AIA Awards.

Studio 8 Design

56 Lindsley Ave., Nashville, TN 37210

Studio 8 Design serves with sustainable architecture for residential and commercial markets. Despite being a young firm, its collective of architects have decades of experience between them that assure clients that every project is in expert hands. Principal and owner Matt Taylor specializes in community design and planning, having dedicated 15 years of his career working on civic projects for Florida and Tennessee. He is joined by Anna Ruth Kimbrough, whose background in art, art history, and architecture led her to work in New York designing high-end residential, restaurant, and retail design projects.

The firm is a member of the USGBC and strives to implement responsible design strategies in every project. Fostering good stewardship of the natural and built environment is one of Studio 8 Design’s priorities, along with clear and open communication with clients and harmonious teamwork.

Nancy Hayden Architect

6545 Rolling Fork Dr., Nashville, TN 37205

Nancy Hayden’s unique understanding of the built environment enables her to create exceptional homes for Nashville residents. She has over 28 years of experience in commercial and residential architecture, historic renovations, interior design, space planning, and master planning. Her forte in historic work and renovation can be seen in her list of awards from the Metropolitan Nashville Historical Commission. Hayden is a member of the AIA and is NCARB-certified.

Meticulous attention to detail is evident in Nancy Hayden’s work. She can bring out the best in every style, whether it’s a plantation-style home or a mid-century modern abode. Her work has been featured in various magazines such as The Tennessean, The Nashville Scene, Today’s Homes Upscale Living in Nashville, Southern Living Magazine, and Southern Living Easy Decorating. She has also been featured in Dori Howard’s The Smart Woman’s Guide to Homebuilding.

Pfeffer Torode Architecture

921 B Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37206

Pfeffer Torode Architecture is a boutique residential, commercial, and community architecture firm with studios in Nashville and Montgomery, Alabama. Since its inception, it has created innovative design solutions for an array of project types, scales, and styles in multiple states. The firm has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Good Grit, Vogue, Elle Décor, Veranda, Elegant Homes, Traditional Home, Country Living, Sophisticated Living, NFocus, and various other publications. 

The firm is headed by partners Jamie Pfeffer and brothers Jonathan and Scott Torode. Pfeffer began his architectural study at the Rural Studio under the direction of the renowned architect Sambo Mockbee, a winner of the MacArthur Fellowship and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. After earning his degree, he spent internships in New York and Boston. He began his practice in Uruguay before setting up shop in his native Nashville. The Torode brothers have been practicing architecture for more than a decade and are affiliated with the NCARB.

One of Pfeffer Torode Architecture’s claims to fame is its residential work. It blends old-world elements and whimsical details to create modern translations of classic architecture. Their uncommon take on everything from lake houses to party barns appeals to their clients from all over the South, slowly establishing itself as one of the go-to Nashville residential architects. One such unique project is a 6,000-square-foot home in Highland Park. An eye-catching blend of Dutch Colonial and Cape Dutch makes it truly stand out.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of architects and designers, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the commercial contractors in the Nashville, Tennessee area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.