Changing of the Guard: Lewis Builders Poised for Higher Elevations

To our esteemed Colleagues, Clients, and Friends,

It is with great honor, excitement, and most of all, gratitude, in this spirit of Thanksgiving, that I share with you the following exciting news of our company and our team.

Over 24 years ago, I established Lewis Builders, once a young, one-man, all-stop-shop for everything in residential construction. And now today, we have matured and grown up to be a luxury design-build firm in Carmel, on the premise that if you Change Your Space, you can Change Your Life. 

Part of our success as a company lies in focusing on the interests of our company and our team. Every year I have either developed or hired team members to take over different areas of expertise within our growing company, to replace what I myself once did in the company. We now have a best-in-class team of experts in a multitude of departments from entitlements, residential and interior design, tradesmen, project leaders, a business manager and an office team to support.

This year, I have made the decision to hire a CEO to replace myself, and elevate our company yet again to the next level. Why now? This company and brand now has a life of its own. It is greater than I ever imagined 20 years ago. And our employees, our brand, and our community are calling it to continue to rise.

As I step, not out but to the side of our company, I have found the perfect person destined to step into my role as CEO of Lewis Builders; once a client, turned friend, and now partner in growth, Jay Davisson.

When Jay hired us to design and build “Tres Paraiso,” his nearly 10,000 sq. ft. home in Teháma, we both could feel there was a future opportunity for us to work together, but at the time, we just didn’t exactly know how. 

While our paths to success were at different levels, perhaps both Jay and I saw in each other a kindred spirit of business leadership. Jay built his career starting in the warehouse at Sherwin Williams, working his way up to President of the Americas, managing all company owned stores generating 9 billion in revenue. His well-sought after expertise brought him to CEO roles in various construction supply industry companies. His success led him to craft his dream home here in Carmel, designed intentionally for his children and grandchildren to gather and build memories in. Over the years, Jay, myself and our team got to know and respect each other. And shortly after Jay and his wife, Jenny, moved into their custom dream home, Jay and I started designing and building our business opportunity together.  

To create an analogy, our Lewis Builders firm is like an airplane the team and I spent years building to the point where we were able to lift off and sustain flight. Now, it’s time for me to shift into the copilot’s seat, welcoming in Jay, a professional pilot, who can fly this plane at a higher elevation, with expertise in navigating the altitude. Our message is simple: Lewis Builders is poised for growth.

I am so proud to have brought our company to this point, and I am excited to bring in a first class leader to help our company to rise to the next level.

Cordially and with Gratitude,

John Lewis

Design in Progress: The Making of a Modern Vacation Home

Our clients’ vacation home in Carmel-by-the-Sea is a rare gem. With its impressive  scale, height, and footprint, a similar house would never be approved on its lot again, which makes the process of updating and reimaging it that much more special.

The property itself might be outdated, but the tools and technology our design team uses are cutting edge. After the initial design consultation, we use Chief Architect software to create a virtual, 3D walkthrough so our clients can see how their space will look and function. This is the perfect way for us to collaborate with homeowners and make tweaks as needed to the design before construction even begins. 

Starting with a Clean Slate

When it comes to creating the perfect vacation home, functional aspects like storage space, appliance size, closets and more are a bit different from a primary family home. Our clients told us that they plan to spend a week or two at a time here with their two young children fairly often throughout the year, so the final design of the space will keep this in mind.

Ultimately, our goal is to create a sleek, usable space with a low level of required maintenance so this family can spend more time enjoying their time together and less on upkeep.

This older structure has a significant amount of rot and failing framing, so before we transform the interior, our team will reframe about 95 percent of the structure, replace the windows, roofing, and siding, and install a new drainage system to redirect water away from the house.

Designing An Open, Modern Retreat

Against a backdrop of light wood tones, crisp white, and contrasting black elements, the interior will be a beautifully relaxed take on modern design with an absolutely stunning floating staircase as the focal point. Sourced from Viewrail, this piece is supported by one single metal structure piece, while thoughtfully placed glass panels make the treads appear to float in midair. 

Every element of this floor plan has been meticulously designed to encourage shared experiences and promote togetherness. Our design team utilized the floating staircase as an architectural centerpiece that not only connects the main floor to the upstairs, but invites you to explore the upper level of the home without feeling disconnected to what is going on below. A breezeway lined with the same glass paneling as the staircase will overlook the kitchen and living area, offering clean sight lines and drawing the eye upward to the architectural details in the wood-clad ceiling. 

To provide a kid-friendly space for our clients, we will transform the house’s original garage into a separate family room, reserving the main living area for more formal entertaining.

Finally, we’ll create a cohesive flow from the interior to the outdoor space with new hardscape and landscaping that fits the house and the neighborhood, while also creating another perfect spot for fun and relaxation.

By staying on top of the latest design trends and technology, our team is constantly fine-tuning their expertise so that our clients can envision their spaces before a hammer is raised. Stay tuned to see our progress on this incredible project!