With the launch of A Mindful Home’s (amindfulhome.com) new venture in Design-Build, founder and principal Ryan Paddock sits down with us to discuss in-depth what our future homes will look like and how he can help them best serve us.

Ryan Paddock photographed at a home designed by architect Scott West. Photographed by Galina Juliana

The home of tomorrow is much more than the chrome and metal “Google” architectural style, reminiscent of the futuristic sitcoms of the 50s and 60s. Our homes today have evolved into entities characterized by heightened intuitiveness, efficiency, and seamless integration into the fabric of our lives. These modern sanctuaries provide solace and serve as wellsprings of inspiration. Ryan Paddock has been working to achieve just that in and around Atlanta for over a decade through his residential integration company, A Mindful Home. Throughout these years, he has continuously encountered a problem... or an opportunity. “[Our integration team] would be brought into projects too late in the lifecycle, creating these huge barriers on how the home should be thought of and how the technology could be integrated. Everything we do requires extraordinary thought and planning, yet too often, we were a last-minute addition to the project team, given constraints that didn’t need to exist,” says Paddock. “In addition, the teams were often disjointed; each party (builder, architect, designer, and integrator) having a different set of goals when they should be aligned.” Thus, Paddock’s new Design+Build concept was conceived on the principles of cohesion in four areas: design, construct, integrate and curate. “Design+Build allows us to get out in front of the project, working as the mediator for every aspect to create a successful home that satisfies the needs of our clients and blends harmoniously with the surrounding landscape,” says Paddock. Starting with the design, which Paddock says should encompass all aspects of the home, from technology and utilities to functional design and aesthetics. “We believe that a luxury home should not only allow us to flow with ease but enhance the lives of those who reside in it through technology and intentional design,” says Paddock. “This connective flow within our home should reflect the simple and organic order we see in nature every day. It’s about having a structure that serves a purpose and has a clear intention.” Intention is a huge aspect here. During our interview, Paddock ruminated much on intention, “We aren’t in the business of building track homes or huge compounds. While I’m not against that, we want every space to be extremely intentional,” says Paddock. “What are the spaces that you truly need? What are the essential things? I’d rather have a homeowner use every space in the home than have 30, 40, 70% of the home they never use.”

Photographed by Galina Juliana

Construct is where the rubber meets the road. While traditional builders often aim to finish a project quickly to minimize costs and maintain profit margins, Paddock presents a challenge when it comes to bringing in materials on a consistent level. “While providing choices is good, the abundance of options can overwhelm clients, especially when building luxury homes. Many clients building multimillion-dollar homes are willing to pay for superior construction if it’s offered. It’s about going beyond speed and expense, focusing on quality and ensuring everything fits together seamlessly,” says Paddock. Regarding the pillar of integration, Paddock and his team have a perfect platform to incorporate these technologies that will make your home truly one of the future. Everything from lighting, entertainment, security, climate, and all vital components of a home’s infrastructure will be monitored by simple human interaction or autonomous mechanisms. “The technology landscape is forever in flux with much of it commoditized,” says Paddock. “For the sophisticated buyer, however, we can provide exponentially better solutions through our world-class product partners, exclusive to our industry.” Partnerships that extend to the interior spaces category fuel the last piece of Paddock’s concept, curate. “I have always believed that the interior spaces of a home should be given equal consideration from the initial part of the design and be on a commensurate level with each and every other part of the home. We are talking about colors, materials, furnishings, lighting, accessories and fine art that complement the space and the client’s sensibilities.” The best part? With a million textures, hues, and styles to choose from, Paddock and his specialized team curate and deliver something that blends harmoniously in a space, so the end result is no surprise. Every detail, both interior and exterior, is attended to with nothing overlooked. Says Paddock, “Times are changing, a new era is on the horizon. We are turning back to our natural roots. And the home of the future is born from listening to lessons of our past. We can’t wait to show you the next evolution of A Mindful Home.”