Why I Started GOAT Homes

There are many roads that led me here.

I’ve always believed that our experiences — even the difficult ones — shape our purpose in ways we don’t immediately understand.

I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis while studying for my Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. After years of unexplained pain beginning in childhood, the diagnosis brought both relief and uncertainty. Living with a chronic condition forced me to think differently about my future, my career, and the environments we move through every day.

It also gave me something unexpected: perspective.

After my diagnosis, I knew I needed a profession that allowed flexibility, movement, and creativity. That path led me through commercial interior design, commercial construction, and eventually into teaching. Each step strengthened my belief that good design is only as successful as its ability to support real life. Because what is the point of a beautiful design if it doesn’t function?

Years later, that belief became deeply personal. When I met my husband, he proudly showed off the home he had custom built. He was especially excited about one detail: “I made it accessible.”

After experiencing a temporary wheelchair recovery from a sports injury in high school, accessibility mattered deeply to him. He understood firsthand the uncertainty life can bring. He told his builder he wanted his home to be accessible and every door needed to be 3-foot-wide. The builder agreed. Plan modifications were made. Everyone involved believed the home would meet that goal.

But as I walked through the house, something became immediately clear…it wasn’t accessible. Some doors met the requested width. Others did not. Bathroom clearances were insufficient. Circulation space was tight. Critical details that determine whether a home truly functions for someone with mobility needs had been overlooked.

The most striking part? Everyone had good intentions. My husband did the right thing by asking. The builder believed they delivered. The plans were reviewed. Yet the result still failed.

This, upon other experiences, had revealed the same conclusion:

Accessibility is not a single measurement. It is a system of relationships.

Door width alone is not enough. Layout matters. Clearance matters. Turning space matters. Reach ranges matter. And these principles are surprisingly absent from most residential design conversations. This realization stayed with me.

As I settled into daily life in that home, I found myself repeatedly noticing the same issue across the industry. Accessibility and universal design principles — standard considerations in commercial and healthcare environments — were rarely integrated thoughtfully into residential projects. Not because people didn’t care - but because many simply didn’t know.

Homeowners shouldn’t be expected to understand turning radii, clearance requirements, or aging-in-place strategies. That responsibility belongs to trained professionals. Yet even then, these details are often treated as optional upgrades rather than foundational design decisions.

And the reality is simple: Life changes. Aging parents move in. Injuries happen. Mobility shifts. Needs evolve.

Retrofitting a home is possible — but adding space later is expensive, disruptive, and sometimes impossible.

Planning ahead costs far less than correcting later.

GOAT Homes was created to bridge this gap between intention and reality.

To design homes that are:

• Truly accessible
• Thoughtfully planned
• Beautiful and timeless
• Built for long-term living

Because accessibility is not about limitation. It is about flexibility. Comfort. Dignity. Longevity.

After much thought, reflection, and prayer, GOAT Homes was born - and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.

Oh yeah - and the GOAT part…

Yes, that’s me in the picture. I have had pet goats since I was a baby and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They are the sweetest little angels and my favorite animal…so naturally - GOAT Homes had to be the name of my business!

If you’re building, renovating, or simply planning ahead, GOAT Homes exists to help you create a home that truly supports the way life unfolds.