Haven Architecture

It’s more than just a roof over your head.

 

 

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About Us

Each of us holds a place in our hearts that we call home. It’s more than just a roof over your head. It’s where life unfolds. Every home carries its own character, its own rhythm, its own quiet magic. The colors, the light, the familiar creak of the floors, these details shape not only the space around us, but the people we become within it.

Home is where we feel safest. It’s the deep exhale at the end of a long day. It’s the comfort of knowing you can close the door to the outside world and simply be. Within those walls is a haven a place free from pretense or pressure, where you are accepted exactly as you are. It’s where you gather strength, find clarity, and grow into the very best version of yourself. In your haven, you are grounded, restored, and inspired.

When we think of home, memories come rushing in. The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking with Mom. The thrill of wobbling down the sidewalk on two wheels for the very first time. The sound of a child carefully pressing piano keys in the living room. Laughter echoing around the table at Thanksgiving dinner. Or the indescribable feeling of holding a newborn grandchild for the first time.

Whatever image comes to mind, it’s deeply personal. It’s your story. Your traditions. Your family. Your life. Simply put, it’s yours.

But life is never still. Children grow up. Friends move away. Families expand, evolve, and sometimes begin new chapters in unexpected ways. As seasons change, so do we. And through it all, our home should grow alongside us, adapting gracefully without losing the warmth, character, and memories that made it special in the first place.

Because home isn’t just where life happens. It’s where you feel secure. Where you are free. Where you become who you’re meant to be.  It is your Haven.

At Haven Architecture, we believe great design begins with listening. We bring knowledge, technical expertise, and years of experience to the table — but you bring something even more important: your vision. We don’t live in your home. You do. You understand your lifestyle, your routines, your aspirations, and the details that make a space truly yours. Our role is to translate those ideas into thoughtful, intentional design — and bring them to life with precision and care.

There’s a story about a young boy walking along a shoreline covered in starfish. One by one, he gently picked them up and returned them to the sea. An older man, noticing the vast stretch of beach still covered in starfish, questioned the effort. “You can’t possibly make a difference to all of them,” he said. The boy quietly tossed another starfish into the ocean and replied, “I made a difference to that one.”

Architecture is much the same.

We don’t claim to be the perfect architect for everyone. Instead, we devote our full attention, creativity, and expertise to each client and each home. Because to you, your project is not one among many — it’s personal. It’s where your life unfolds. It’s where you feel safe, inspired, and grounded. It’s more than just a roof over your head — it’s your haven.

At Haven Architecture, our purpose is simple: to design spaces that fit you so seamlessly they feel as though they’ve always belonged. If we can create a home that reflects who you are and supports who you’re becoming, then we’ve made a difference — and that difference is everything.

Hawaiian Shirt Theory

Architecture Is the Hawaiian Shirt You Live In

At first glance, a Hawaiian shirt and architecture may seem unrelated. One is relaxed and expressive. The other is structured and technical. But look closer, and you’ll find they share the same foundation: intention, identity, and a deep connection to place.

A true Hawaiian shirt is never random. Its patterns are inspired by landscape, ocean waves, tropical foliage, volcanic earth. Its colors echo the environment it comes from. It reflects culture, climate, and character. It belongs exactly where it was created.

Architecture should do the same.

We believe every home should reflect both its surroundings and the people who inhabit it. The way light enters a room. The way materials respond to climate. The way a space opens to the landscape. Design isn’t imposed, it’s woven thoughtfully into its environment, just like pattern into fabric.

And then there is appearance.

Some Hawaiian shirts are widely admired, very tastefully done, balanced in color, refined in pattern, effortlessly stylish. Others might be loud, clashing, even what some would call “ugly.” Yet here’s the truth: what feels bold and beautiful to one person may feel overwhelming to another.

Taste is personal. Expression is individual. What matters most is not universal approval, it’s alignment with the wearer. Your taste, tells your story.

The same is true in architecture.

Not every home needs to follow trends. Not every space needs to look like the one in a magazine. Some clients are drawn to clean, restrained lines and quiet palettes. Others gravitate toward rich materials, dramatic contrasts, and expressive forms. One person’s minimalism is another’s emptiness. One person’s vibrancy is another’s excess.

Design is not about pleasing everyone. It’s about resonating deeply with an individual- you.

We don’t design homes to win popularity contests. We design homes to fit the people who live in them. Architecture we feel, is an extension of your identity, shaped by how you live, how you gather, how you rest, and how you want to feel when you walk through the door.

And just like the finest Hawaiian shirts, with carefully matched seams, intentional composition, and thoughtful craftsmanship, the details matter. The way materials meet. The proportion of a window. The rhythm of structure. These subtle decisions create harmony, even in bold expression.

In the end, a Hawaiian shirt is architecture you wear.
Architecture is the Hawaiian shirt you live in.

It may not be everyone’s favorite.
But if it fits you, if it reflects you, then it’s exactly right.

Because a home is more than just a roof over your head.

It’s your haven.

“A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.” 

-Frank Lloyd Wright

Meet The Crew

Family Style Approach

Our team works through a collaborative, family-like rhythm, where each designer contributes their own craft and perspective to a shared creative vision. Architecture, interiors, landscape, and fabrication all flow together through open communication, trust, and a commitment to thoughtful, human-centered design. Grounded in genuine, kitchen-table–style conversation and the belief that good work begins with listening, our team supports one another at every step to create calm, meaningful spaces for the people and projects we serve.

Jacob Flitton

Founder, Owner & Principal Architect

As the founder and guiding force behind Haven Architecture, Jake believes that great architecture begins with empathy, curiosity, and a deep respect for how people live. Originally establishing the practice as a small side venture, his work expanded during the pandemic as clients sought meaningful, comforting spaces. Today, he leads the studio with a design philosophy rooted in craftsmanship, clarity, and calm. With experience spanning residential design, small commercial projects, and adaptive reuse, he brings both vision and technical rigor to every project.

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Victoria Thompson

Project Designer – Architecture

Focused on the thoughtful shaping of structures and spaces, Victoria brings a strong architectural perspective to Haven’s work. She balances conceptual exploration with technical precision, ensuring that ideas are both innovative and buildable. Skilled in coordination, documentation, and spatial problem-solving, she guides clients through each step of the design process while upholding Haven’s values of clarity, purpose, nostalgia, and design excellence.

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Lydia Geschwill

Project Designer – Interiors

Blending architectural understanding with interior sensibility, Lydia crafts spaces that feel grounded, harmonious, and deeply personal. Her expertise spans material selection, interior detailing, lighting strategies, and color theory. With a focus on comfort and sensory experience, Lydia infuses each project with the warmth and intentionality that defines Haven Architecture’s approach to creating individualized havens.

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Maggie Flitton

Project Designer – Landscape

Rooted in the belief that a home’s sense of refuge extends outdoors, Maggie leads landscape design with a sustainable, site-responsive vision. Her work integrates planting, hardscape, and ecological strategies to create outdoor environments that complement the architecture and enhance daily living. With a passion for sustainability and regional ecology, Maggie designs landscapes that are sustainable, restorative, resilient, and deeply connected to their surroundings.

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Owen Flitton

Fabrication & 3D Modeling Draftsman

As a crucial link between design intent and visual clarity, Owen specializes in fabrication modeling, technical drafting, 3D visualization, and 3D printing. His work transforms ideas into precise drawings, detailed digital models, and physical prototypes that help clients fully understand and engage with their projects. With strong craftsmanship sensibilities and technical accuracy, Owen brings Haven’s concepts to life in ways that are beautiful, tangible and build-ready.

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Spouses, Significant Others, Family, Friends & Pets

As insignificant as they may seem in our day to day work, we must give credit & acknowledgement to all of those around us- spouses, significant others, family, friends, pets, etc. who support us and provide their encouragment in our endeavors.  Without that support, we would not be able to be the people we are today.

 

Thank you.

What We Do

Custom Homes

More often than not, your property is a blank piece of land.  Nothing there but the natural terrain.  Often times, a native piece of land is the most difficult to work with.  Typically a custom project is the only way to work with the existing nuances and lay of the land.  By massaging your home to fit within the existing landscape, a much more unique, cost-effective and functional home will become yours.

Additions

More often than not, you are living in your dream home, and all you need is little adjustments.  More space, reconfiguration of things, new colors & textures. Throughout our design process, we discover what you are looking for and try hard to make that a possibility.  Our tendency is to design in such a way that the addition matches and speaks the same language as your current home.  The addition needs to feel as original as possible.

Renovations & Remodels

Instead of creating a brand new home without the memories, enhancing and revitalizing your existing dream can still have the effect of brand new living. Your renovated haven awaits.

Multi-Family

Sometimes, the need to supplement you income, or provide a possible retirement that comes in the form of owning rental properties. Whether that is through duplex type units or projects on a much larger scale, we can work through the rigorous code and accessibility requirements that allow such a project to get off the ground and into development.  Along with this the tiny home movement or even the Airbnb movement is a worthwhile and efficient way to supplement, and create passive your income.

Rental

Whether it be long-term or short-term rentals, we work with you to understand the nuamces surrounding the type of rental is ideal for you.  Even as a rental, they should reflect you and your personality.

Interior Design

A simple refresh or a detailed look inside your home, can help to connect more with how you live or your style.

Landscape Design

Your entire property tells your story.  Let our Landscape team work with nature to enhance your story.

Our Work

Customer Reviews

“Working with Jake proved to be a refreshingly easy experience. Unlike other architects I’ve worked with (to date, I’ve built 4 different customer homes in 2 states), Jake professional yet open to questions and options. Jake would listen to what we wanted, provide feedback and/or suggest alternatives if asked or necessary. I was so impressed after he completed the plans for the first house I gave him, I asked him to design two more. I’ve already recommended him to friends and have no problem doing it again.”

-Peter

“We have never done a project where we needed to contract with an architect before and Jake “hit it out of the park” with us. We are absolutely 100% satisfied with everything he did to make us feel totally comfortable with the major changes we are making to our home. He was very intuitive and was able to “read” us and our expectations in our very first meeting. He was timely and extremely communicative throughout the whole process. Jake offered several different options and allowed us the time and provided the skills to revise as needed. His knowledge immediately instilled a high sense of trust. Jake took the stress out of the design process. That meant everything. We were 100% satisfied.”

-Kathy

“We started our building process with a very rough idea of what we wanted, but no idea how to get there. We’re so thankful to have found Haven Architecture! Jake took our ideas, made practical suggestions, and created something beautiful for us. We appreciate his attention to detail, his quick communication, and his creativity. We highly recommend Jake & Haven Architecture!”

-Tricia

“I found Jake Flitton from Haven Architecture to be highly professional, cooperative, knowledgeable, and very accommodating to our schedule. In consultation, he examined our draft modular house plan to insure correct size and placement of walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light switches, kitchen and bathroom fixtures. He explained modular building procedures and he offered suggestions for our design. We appreciated working with Jake because he was very helpful with the process and contributed to our confidence with the project.”

-Barbara

“Excellent to work with. Very knowledgeable of the building aspect. Building drawings clearly laid out. I would work with this company again in the future.”

-Aaron

“Haven Architecture is professional and courteous. Jake Flitton did a great job working with my husband and me on the drawings for our new kitchen. He came out to our home several times, making practical suggestions on how to improve the ideas we had come up with and guiding us through the process. I would recommend Jake and Haven Architecture for your next home renovation project.”

-Client

“We had an excellent experience with Jake and Haven Architecture, they were able to bring our ideas to a very thorough set of prints for a somewhat out of the ordinary project. Jake was able to bring a very nice design layout to a somewhat tricky floor plan where a lot was expected out of a fairly small space, Jake was great with communication and very accepting to introducing our ideas into the project and making them work, I would definitely recommend Haven Architecture.”

-Client

“Jake did a tremendous job for us – he worked with us very closely to design a beautiful, functional house. We are very pleased with our home, and give Jake an A+ for his professionalism and courtesy. We highly recommend him.”

-Client

“I appreciated Jake’s personal care and time with our family, listening to our dreams and understanding our motivation.”

-Client

“We feel that it was the ability to work collaboratively that allowed this project to meet our vision while still maintaining the integrity of the home. Jake was able to help blend the new addition on to the 130 year old house without it feeling “different” and that was the main goal of our project.”

-Derek

“I would recommend Haven to anyone, they were a pleasure to work with. They really looked at the pictures I provided and learned the style I was trying to accomplish and brought it to life.”

-Client

“Jake was very responsive throughout the process. He saw things in our design that we couldn’t figure out on our own.”

-Bob

“I engaged this organization to create blue prints for our home. After providing some basic ideas on the custom structure, Jake was able to turn our sketch into a beautiful structured drawing. It was great to have someone extremely knowledgeable, fully engaged and open to our suggestions throughout the process. I would recommend this organization to anyone in need of professional drawings or building a custom home like we did.”

-Client

“Haven Architecture met every single one of our customer service, delivery, and project expectations within budget and on time. It was a pleasure to work with them. Jake was very responsive throughout the process. He saw things in our design that we couldn’t figure out on our own.”

-Ed

“Haven Architecture was dream to work with. They were very professional, yet made the experience less stressful and enjoyable. They were able to understand what I was invisioning (even though I barely did) and improve upon it. beautiful work.”

-Sara

“I appreciated Jake’s ability and willingness to adapt drawings during the meeting. Jake took the vision from my head, put it on his computer, and made the plan come together. His initial drawings were incredible, but I could easily be described as a difficult client.”

-Client

“I enjoyed the friendliness in the first visit and the flexibility in working through our build. Being able to ask questions and make changes as we requested it. I also was thankful for the expertise in the assistance in the vision we were trying to articulate. We were listened to every step of the way and our vision was seen on paper.”

-Janette

Ready  for a Consultation?

We adjust our process to fit your project.  Architects come in many forms, we are simply here to utilize our process and help you to create a beautiful and long-lasting project.  Let’s get started.

Contact Us

Contact Us

Schedule a call now by clicking below or send us a message.

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 80, East Aurora, NY 14052

Telephone: 716-646-8251

Email: info@havenarchitecture.com

Business Hours:

Monday – Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Friday 8:00am to 3:00pm

Saturdays by appointment only

Sundays Closed

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