Dean Larkin didn’t choose to be an architect—architecture chose him. “I’m an architect all the way through to my core,” said Larkin, who as a child enjoyed configuring challenging puzzles, leading him to his profession, which is heavily predicated on piecing together multiple design programs. “What I do today as an adult is just like what I did as a kid; I put different pieces of a puzzle together to come up with a complex, sophisticated end result. Only now I’m working on homes, not toys,” said Larkin, whose approach is based on the client and his or her personal style. “Our homes are extensions of their owners,” he said, stressing the importance of accounting for each and every space—no matter how seemingly insignificant. “I see way too many ‘throw away’ rooms; this saddens me beyond belief. It’s such a wasted opportunity for something that could otherwise be spectacular,” says Larkin, whose point is illustrated via the service entry he created in one client’s garage. “I once had a client who had multiple cars, all of which he loved to a point that he even revolved his clothes around what car he would drive that day so everything had to match. I therefore created a service entry for him that held all of his accessories and personal effects, so he could make his styling selections while near his cars. He was excited beyond belief. You have no idea.” In addition to extensive personalization, Larkin is also well-known for his incorporation of natural light. “We construct clients’ homes so that they are flooded with natural sunlight. Many have no need to ever turn their lights on during the day. Is such a detailed approach inherent? Yes, you could say so. I was born to do this.”- Dean Larkin