Journal
Build Diaries
Real project walkthroughs from Donovan Smart Living's portfolio. Dimensions, decisions, what went sideways, what the client wishes they'd done differently. Honest postmortems, not highlight reels.
4 articles
Build Diaries
Case Study: A 1960s Mid-Century in Silver Lake — Smart Home Without Gutting the Walls
Retrofitting a classic mid-century post-and-beam for whole-home automation usual...
Build Diaries
Case Study: A New Build in Bel Air — Starting From a Blank Electrical Plan
Starting from a blank electrical plan is the rarest luxury in smart home design—...
Build Diaries
Case Study: The Venice Beach House That Changed Its Mind Mid-Project
Framing was complete when the client called and said they wanted a dedicated hom...
Build Diaries
What I'd Do Differently: Five Regrets From Real Projects
After 200 homes across Los Angeles County, I carry a list of things I'd undo if ...