Working together as your team
Building or remodeling begins by establishing a relationship with the people who will be in your life for the duration of your project so it is crucial to work with a team you can trust and communicate with. At Custom Dwellings, our team of professionals specialize exclusively in design-build and are with you throughout the project from concept to completion. Get to know our team and contact us for your next project!
Russell
Russell, a native Virginian, moved to Macon, Georgia on his 18th birthday to start his studies at Mercer University where he graduated with a BBA '98. Four years later, he was engaged to Stephanie and moved to Cobb County, to be closer to her while she finished Architecture school at Georgia Tech. Six months later they purchased a house in Marietta, where they still reside, with no plans on leaving anytime soon (at least not until the 9 year old is out of the house). After spending several years working for a few different local home builders, he decided to hang his shingle out as a general contractor himself and formed Custom Dwellings. When not working or helping raise his family, he enjoys playing guitar and being outdoors.
Stephanie
Stephanie was born in Germany and grew up in the Air Force Base town of Warner Robins, Georgia. From a young age her passion for residential design was evident and influenced by her Chicago area grandparents. While in college she began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and served on mission teams building homes in Mexico through Casas por Christo. She graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.S. Arch ‘99 minoring in both Construction Management and Psychology. She began her professional career in an Architectural Internship working for a well respected in-town residential design build firm which she ultimately left to spend more time with her growing family and exclusively devote her professional design services to Custom Dwellings’ clients. Being a serial volunteer, she has been involved in many activities, including Scouts, the Environmental Ed Chair for the East Cobb County Council of PTAs, school garden, church, and the list goes on. In her ‘spare time’ she enjoys the outdoors and anything she can be creative with, whether it be a home improvement project, sewing, scrapbooking or doing crafts with the kids.
AMY
From the moment she set pencil to paper, being in a creative career field is what Amy, a Marietta native, always knew she wanted to do. Seeing she possesed natural talents in design, she was encouraged to persue her creative passion by her father, who was a home builder and “artist at heart” himself. Amy attended Auburn University, where she spent time in the Architectural program and ultimately earned a Degree in Interior Design, along with a Minor in Buisness. From there, she gained experience working for two commercial architectural and design firms on numerous retail projects, including being the Lead Design on several regional mall renovations. After that, Amy decided that it was time to pursue a different work endevour entirely - full time parenting. Along with her husband, she has been proudly raising 3 beautiful daughters for the past 16 years. And while the reward of being ‘mom’ has offered numerous amazing work experiences, it seemed that it was time to dust off the design skills and rediscover her passion! Amy has been fortunate to have joined the Custom Dwellings team as a designer in 2022, and is thrilled to continue to persue her lifelong love of design. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and attempting to visit as many of the National Parks as she can.
Mike
Mike hails from Savannah, but moved to Atlanta 20+ years ago to further his career as a carpenter, working on remodeling projects in the Atlanta area. He has been neighbors with Russell and Stephanie since they moved into ‘his’ neighborhood in Marietta 21 years ago. Over the years he has worked as a carpenter, custom closet system installer, and insurance adjuster. He joined forces with Custom Dwellings 8 years ago as a carpenter and is now helping to manage the construction, while still swinging a hammer from time to time. He is a proud parent of 3 wonderful kids and enjoys spending his time in the woods on his mountain bike.
Rob
Rob grew up as a military child, moving to several different states and eventually putting roots down in Georgia. Over the years he has worked as a carpenter, custom cabinetry builder, spending some time in commercial flooring and is now a Junior Project Manager for Custom Dwellings. Rob started out his schooling with a focus in computer support, quickly realizing that was not his passion. He has since changed his major to Commercial Project Management. During his free time he enjoys riding dirt bikes, mowing his lawn, and spending time outdoors. He also has a fascination with donkeys.
FREE
Free is a builder and artist with roots in the visual arts and a strong commitment to craftsmanship. She earned her B.A. in Studio Art from Spelman College, concentrating in sculpture. That creative foundation led her to an architecture internship in Chicago and ultimately her passion for construction.
Since then, she's run her own small interior renovation business and worked in a variety of roles, including site supervisor for a Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Her sculpture background gives her a sharp eye for detail and a thoughtful presence on-site.
Outside of work, Free enjoys flipping furniture, training for road races and triathlons, and spending time outdoors with her family. She's currently pursuing a master's in Construction Management to deepen her expertise on the management and operations side of building.
PEBBLES
Bring your dog to work day happens pretty often at Custom Dwellings. Pebbles is a 90# Silver Labrador Retriever- not to be confused with a Weimeraner! She is a big goofball and loves to greet our UPS driver because he brings her treats even if he doesn't have any packages for us. Pebbles enjoys being "Office Dog" , keeping us company on days when the house is too quiet.
In the end, the finished bathroom, closets, and built-in wardrobe units are nothing short of spectacular. The attention to detail and craftsmanship are evident in every aspect of the design The overall combination of design meets build and commitment to client satisfaction truly shines in the finished project.
Amy E. | Marietta, GA