Nautilus Design Studio has been serving the Rogue Valley since 2001. Projects in the NDS portfolio include new homes, remodels and additions, and express a broad spectrum of styles, from Victorian to Modern. NDS specializes in Historic Restoration and has many successful projects in Ashland’s Historic Districts. Over the years, NDS has cultivated design/build partnerships with several premier, high-end builders in the community.
Brint Borgilt
Residential Designer Brint Borgilt began designing and building in Marin County in the early 1980s. A stint in Santa Fe introduced him to active and passive solar design, adobe and strawbale construction and the ethics of building with natural materials. Brint moved to Ashland in 1991, where he continued his career as a designer/builder. He started Nautilus Design Studio in 2001 to focus exclusively on residential design.
NDS Mission and Approach
NDS favors a client-centered approach that respects the unique attributes of each project. Imperative to this process is identifying and navigating the specific design constraints of site, budget, planning, and discovering how to achieve the client’s goals within those constraints.
Integrity is a hallmark of every NDS project. New homes honor the site, the landscape and the regional vernacular, utilizing renewable materials and sound, sustainable construction methods. Remodels and additions express continuity with both the original dwelling and its environmental context.
NDS Design Philosophy
Whether large or small, new home or remodel, every NDS project includes these elements:
- Timelessness. Timeless design employs classic, enduring materials over trendy styles that will inevitably date the project. Such choices for floor coverings, tile, cabinetry, and countertops will contribute to the lasting value of the project.
- Gracious Elements. A house should be a restorative space, with elements that lift the spirit. These include arches, vaulted ceilings, hearths, dramatic stairways, and cozy niches like breakfast nooks and window seats.
- Flow. Rooms should communicate with each other and a dwelling’s inhabitants in an intuitive manner. The particular language and culture of a well-designed house enhances the lifestyle and happiness of the household.
- Order. A calm, well-ordered Floor Plan acquires intelligence, and reflects patterns of daily life. Such a house will promote wellness and peace, along with higher degrees of function.
- Indoor/Outdoor Connection. A well-designed building is in dialogue with the outdoor environment, and celebrates the West Coast lifestyle with outdoor rooms, optimized view assets and opportunities for winter solar gain.
- Natural Materials. A house should be authentic to the site and surrounding landscape. Integrating appropriate natural materials—wood, earth, and stone--promotes a healthy indoor environment, complements the outdoor environment, and create a sense of place.