Testimonials

Judy and Bill were the architect and builders for our home in New Canaan. They were an absolute delight to work with – they were on time, on budget, responsive and flexible. The finished product has been nothing short of exceptional. The smallest issue requires a call to Bill’s cell phone and he has someone there in an hour to address it – this after a year of living in the residence. They stand by their work and their reputation speaks for itself.
– Theresa D.

Judy Larson and Bill Gardiner are wonderful to work with. Judy is a very skilled designer/architect with impeccable taste. We hired Judy after we became familiar with her work while house hunting. Judy has local renown for her very tasteful house designs and renovations. Bill’s company is known for it’s many high end construction projects. He builds houses with the upmost quality of materials, craftsmanship and attention to detail for a very demanding clientele. Not only do we admire their work and professionalism, but the experience of working with them has been so pleasant, that we consider Judy and Bill our friends.
– Joe V.

Judy Larson is a true professional, a great listener and out of the box designer. Her ideas were spot on target and original. Our job was not easy and the end result exceeded our expectations! The Condo renovation was started in January 2016 and finished in May of 2016. Costs were on budget, just under $300,000.
– Whit H.

My husband and I are currently in the process of working with Judy and her firm on a plan for the perfect retirement home. Judy has worked with us tirelessly as we explore the many creative design options she has brought to us. We are so pleased to be working with such a skilled professional who is willing to hold our hand through the process knowing when to listen and when to lead. Because of her extensive knowledge and experience she immediately understood the dynamics of the property, best siting and location for the house to achieve optimum use of yard and lighting. She is an empathetic listener and quickly got a good sense of our needs. We consider her advice and input invaluable and are so pleased with our choice of architect.
– Marianne R.

Judy and her team were amazing to work with. They are true experts and have incredible taste. Their level of expertise and professionalism is second to none. We thought designing our house would be an overwhelming process but because Judy is such a pro, it couldn’t have been easier – everything she designs is beautiful and sensible, we rarely had any comments/changes. The entire process has been smooth, enjoyable, and exciting. We can not wait to move into the dream home Judy designed for us!
– Lindsay B.

We knew we would be in good hands when we hired Judy Larson based on her stunning portfolio, decades of experience, and long list of happy clients. We were pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable she and her team made the process of building our dream house (we did a massive renovation that touched every room). Judy was hands on and attentive to detail every step of the way, working closely with our interior designer and contractor. She made sure to understand exactly what we wanted and what our budget was, and then came up with amazing ideas that completely surpassed our expectations of what was possible, bringing light and elegance to every room in our home. We appreciate Judy Larson’s work every day!
– Sharon T.

Judy Larson transformed our basement into an exceptionally and meticulously designed, contemporary man cave. Judy has been a real joy to work with throughout the process from design to implementation. Judy incorporated many unique elements in our project. Her ability to visualize the space we wanted was spot on. We trusted Judy’s judgment 100% throughout the process and could not be happier. We highly recommend Judy for high-end architectural design projects.
– Jeanette C.

Thank you so much for our beautiful home! We really love it. It’s been great working with you and we really appreciate your effort to get us in by July 1! You really made us feel that you cared as much about our home as we do. THANK YOU!!
– Don and Tiffany, Greenwich CT

When we decided to build our Dream House, we selected the Gardiner/Larson team after investigating a number of the other architects and builders of high end homes in our area. They alone offered what we believed to be the combination of expertise, attention to quality and seamless coordination essential to having a successful project. From beginning to end, we were thoroughly comfortable with our decision and the outcome was indeed the home we’ve always wanted.
— Leonard and Stefani S., Greenwich, CT

We spent the day today walking around admiring every inch of the beautiful home that you (Gardiner & Larson) built. It is spectacular! It is beautiful and elegant, yet warm and comfortable. There are so many lovely details and it is obvious how much time and thought went into creating it. We absolutely love it and are incredibly happy to be living here.
— Shauna V., Greenwich, CT

During the design of our home, we had several sit-down sessions where we shared our ideas with Judy. Each iteration came back with exactly what we envisioned. We always felt comfortable making tweaks to any early drafts. I’m sure that some designers only hear what they want to hear and have preconceived ideas that they want you to buy into. Not Judy, she took all of our ideas and crafted them into a beautiful and functional home. I doubt that many new homeowners could say that they wouldn’t change a thing about the finished product. After three years in our Judith Larson designed home, we can honestly say that we can’t think of one single thing that we wished we had added.
— Bob and Julie U., Westport, CT.

Judy Larson and Bill Gardiner came highly recommended to us. We were assured that they are extremely meticulous, professional, honest, and straightforward. This has certainly been our experience. The entire team has run the project with great attention to detail, keeping us up to date and informed at all stages and the standard of craftsmanship is superb. Bill and Judy and their teams work very independently but consult us often with pictures, plans and emails, which is very important to us given how far away we live. While they not surprisingly work well together, we have always felt we got unbiased reads from both of them on the other’s work and ideas, and we have never had the sense one was acting as agent for the other. We were told at the outset to just trust Bill and Judy as a team—and they were right. We can’t recommend Bill and Judy highly enough!
— Monique and Sekhar B., Greenwich CT and London, UK.

I have always loved your (Gardiner & Larson) homes — they are gracious, inviting, & timeless.
— Jennie U., New Canaan, CT

While some people may believe it’s best to have an unrelated architect and builder, with Gardiner and Larson we found the complete opposite to be true. The fact that they are related entities made the process very cost effective as well as efficient given the communication between all parties was so easy. Every aspect of their architectural design work and quality of craftsmanship and building materials are of such high quality, and they always adopted the approach that everything should be done right…the first time. Six years after finishing our first house, Gardiner & Larson Homes continues to be prompt in answering any questions we have about our homes or helping us address any minor issues we face. They take the approach that you’re a client for life, which doesn’t end when the last payment is received. They have created two beautiful homes for us that we feel lucky to live in, while making the process of building them an enjoyable one.
— Evane and Ed G., Greenwich CT and Water Mill, NY

Entrusting someone to design and build a home is a major decision. For us, when setting out to find an architect and builder, the two most important qualities were competence and integrity. We believe Gardiner Larson homes speak for themselves. Their design is timeless and their construction quality is second to none. Bill Gardiner and Judy Larson are people who can be trusted to genuinely appreciate your needs and put your interests above their own. Given this was the first time we built a house, they were patient and always found time to educate us about the process and potential pitfalls. Bill and Judy don’t just construct you a house, they set out to build you a home. Throughout the entire process, we always felt they were a partner that valued the relationship above and beyond the project at hand. Both of their staffs share the same beliefs. It was such a positive experience for us, we plan to hire them both again for our next project.
— Ed G.

It is such a pleasure for us to recommend Judy Larson and Bill Gardiner as an architect-builder team. Judy has an extraordinarily clever way of making grand homes feel cozy and a way of making tight spaces seem larger than life. She and her team took into account everything that we asked for. They created our home suited perfectly to our specifications, and in the unique way in which we live our lives. Our Bridgehampton home is extraordinary—it’s grand, yet cozy. It is cool, and yet warm and homey. And, it is healing. When you walk up to the main level your breath is taken away each time you enter! Judy’s design and the Gardiner workmanship made this happen. Last, but not least, an important aspect of our working relationship is the professionalism, care and soul that they put into this project. When they said that they would do something they honored it. They never cut corners. They never let us down. It is an unusual relationship that we will always cherish. We would in a heartbeat build our next home with them.
— Patty and Madhav D., Greenwich, CT

As an interior designer, it was very important to me to be quite involved in the process. One of the best things about Judy (and there are many) is that she really listens. And one thing that I especially like about her is that, unlike other architects we interviewed, she does not have a strong ego. If an idea is good, she doesn’t care who it comes from. She is very open to ideas and suggestions. We worked very well together. She not only incorporated our large wish list, but she took it to a whole new level. Since our property had many site issues, she also worked well with our landscape architect to help site the house to take advantage of our view and create light filled rooms and a great flow. She has the flexibility to be as involved as the homeowner wants her to be. She also knows when to step forward and when to step back. . . . I know people tell horror stories about building, but I have only fun and exciting memories. Throughout the years, as our kids grew and we changed and updated the house, Judy was always on hand to help and guide us through the process. I would not only recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone looking for an incredibly talented designer, but I would build another house with her in a heartbeat.
— Donna and Peter G., Weston, CT

Judy and her team are a pleasure to work with. Extremely attentive to detail, responsive, and willing to give a strong opinion when needed, we are so happy to have them as part of our team. They have helped make the home building process, which can be complicated and stressful, enjoyable with their kindness and positive attitude throughout.
— Tami and Adam

As you know, we interviewed countless architects before deciding to work with you and your team. Aside from reviewing your work and recommendations we received from New Canaan residents, there were a number of attributes that we found particularly important when making our decision. Your personality and ability to communicate with the homeowner immediately set you apart from the crowd. Of course, skill, attention to detail, and originality of ideas were of paramount importance to us. However, beyond that, your ability to explain complex architectural concepts in layman’s terms helped us understand what was going to happen behind the scenes, allowing us to make more informed decisions. It was a long process for us to decide upon an architect, and now that our project is complete, Brooke and I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed working with you.
— Michael and Brooke S., New Canaan, CT

One of the many reasons we are happy that we hired Judy and her team is because of the ideas they came up with that we had not even considered. Our home is now full of light, practical and yet elegant. While it has many thoughtful details, it is truly family friendly, which was important to us since we have three young children. Working with Judy Larson made building our dream house a truly enjoyable experience.
— Sharon and Tom T., New Canaan, CT