Fombelle Design & Development Blog

Fombelle Design Announces New Office Location in Arlington, MA

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:19:19 GMT

We are thrilled to share exciting news about Fombelle Design! Our team is relocating to a new office space at 1011 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA , effective immediately. This move marks a significant milestone in our journey to better meet our expanding business needs.

Why Arlington?

This prime location strategically allows us to stay closely connected to the communities we work in - Medford, Somerville, Arlington, Winchester & Cambridge. Our new office will serve as a creative and operational hub, enabling us to collaborate more effectively with our talented team, subcontractors and realtors.

We’re excited for a space to call our own for developing and delivering thoughtfully and beautifully designed homes with a focus on functionality and craftsmanship.

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this exciting new phase at Fombelle Design!

The Fombelle Design Team

35 Cotting St: Utility Work

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:48:27 GMT

Water and Sewer work October 28 - 30

Utility work will be starting today at 35 Cotting St - Medford. Work will be done in phases over the next three days, October 28 - 30.

We are breaking the project into smaller stages, completed sequentially, starting with the cut and cap of the original water line today. Our goal is to minimize disruption to neighbors and those living on the street. Only a specific area of the street or sidewalk will be affected at time and will reduce impact on neighbors and traffic.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and will do our best to minimize disruption during this phase of construction. If you have any specific questions let us know.

September Project Update

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:05:01 GMT

What's been happening at Fombelle Design's properties?

Time flies! Where did summer go?! With fall around the corner, here is an update on what’s been happening on our sites. If you’re looking for information on a job near you, just skip ahead to that address below.

Medford

35 Cotting Street

We’ve started site prep, but you won’t see much activity yet. We’ll keep you posted on when you’ll start to see activity.

Somerville

60 Avon Street

Thanks for all your patience during construction on this gorgeous house! Expect open houses to continue.

25 Avon Street

This beauty is wrapping up! And there is only one word to describe it – stunning! Only minor interior finishes to complete with driveway and landscaping stealing the show. Both should be done by end of next week. Expect staging, photographers and more to be showing up over the next 1.5 weeks. Open houses coming soon!

146-148 Jaques Street

Demo is complete. Stay tuned for more updates!

24 Berkeley Street

Site prep has started. Stay tuned for more updates!

Winchester

9 Norfolk Road

With all the beautiful siding up and exterior paint well underway on the outside, it is about time to make the inside look just as pretty! Painting and all the interior finishes are underway.

Watertown

12 Carver Road

This cutie is moving quickly! You’ve seen the new garage door being installed. Insulation and drywall are rolling and will be followed by finishes. This adorable house will be done before you know it!

Check back for more updates!

9 Norfolk Rd: The History of the Garrison Colonial Style House

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:16:34 GMT

Learn more about this iconic style of house.

One of our current projects, 9 Norfolk Road in Winchester, MA, has an iconic style. One most Bostonians will be familiar with – the Garrison Colonial. There should be one famous house in particular that comes to mind.

Know it? No? We’ll reveal the famous house later, so keep reading!

The Garrison Colonial house style emerged in the 17th century in New England during the early English settlers. It is characterized by a second story that overhangs the first. This style reflects both practical and cultural influences from the colonial period, rooted in English building traditions and adapted to the New England environment.

In Massachusetts, Garrison houses were built in early American frontier towns. The overhang allowed defenders to drop projectiles or shoot downward, enhancing the house’s fortification. However, many Garrison homes in settled areas like Boston were primarily domestic, with the overhang serving aesthetic and spatial purposes rather than defense.

Key features of early Garrison Colonials include:

Second-story overhang : Typically, on the front facade, sometimes decorated with carved pendants (e.g., pineapples or acorns).
Timber-frame construction : Using heavy oak or pine beams, often exposed internally.
Central or end chimney : Unlike other colonial styles, Garrisons often had a single chimney at one end.
Small casement windows : Leaded glass with diamond panes, due to glass scarcity.
Steep roofs : Designed to shed heavy snow, common in New England winters.

Today, the Garrison Colonial style remains a symbol of New England’s early architectural heritage, embodying practicality and resilience. While few original 17th-century Garrison houses survive due to their early wooden construction, the style’s influence persists in neo-Colonial homes. However, modern construction rarely replicates the overhang.

The Garrison Colonial’s enduring appeal lies in its balance of functionality and historical charm, reflecting Massachusetts’ early settler experience and later nostalgia for its colonial roots.

Notable examples in Massachusetts include the Boardman House in Saugus (c. 1692) and the Parson Capen House in Topsfield (c. 1683). But those aren’t the one we were thinking of…

Have you guessed it…no?

Drum roll please...The Paul Revere House (c. 1680)

Cool right?! We are excited to be able to keep the roots and character of the Garrison Colonial Style in our 9 Norfolk Road property. It will have all the historical charm and functionality mixed with modern convenience and design.

Stay tuned for more on this property!

What’s going on at Fombelle Design?

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:40:04 GMT

Here's what's happening at each of our properties.

There's a lot happening throughout our sites. If you’re looking for information on a property near you, skip to that address below.

Medford

35 Cotting Street

Site prep is starting. You'll be seeing some activity next week - Thursday through Saturday

Somerville

60 Avon Street

This project is pretty much wrapped up
You’ll see a few people about making small and last minute adjustments
Expect open houses!

25 Avon Street

Exterior and interior painting is in full swing
Flooring is almost completed
Cabinets, doors, countertops, and closets are going in

146-148 Jaques Street

Pest Management precautions are going into place this week

24 Berkeley Street

Pest Management precautions are going into place this week
Waiting on condo conversion meeting before starting demolition
Demo and clean up expected to start end of July

Winchester

9 Norfolk Road

Siding should be finished by Friday!
Expect to see walkways, decks, patios, and garage doors going in over the next few weeks
Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC are almost ready for inspections
After inspections insulation will go in, followed by drywall

Watertown

12 Carver Road

Demo and cleanup should be completed this week
Exterior siding was cleaned last week
Interior paint preparation is being done along with flooring sanding
Expect to see more people around soon including framers, plumbers, electricians, and HVAC installers

Check back on our blog to see more updates!

35 Cotting St Tree Cutting

info@fombelledesign.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:05:01 GMT

We cut down a big tree...

There are few things we love more than mature trees. That being said, today we made the difficult decision to remove a large pine tree at 35 Cotting Street, Medford. This tree was unfortunately in the way of the current curb cut for the property.

We understand the tree is a familiar part of the neighborhood, providing shade and beauty for many years. Its removal is a source of sadness for all involved. We understand and appreciate the feedback from all the neighbors we have spoken with.

Moving forward from today you can expect to see a renovation of the existing house with an addition to the side. Our plan is to keep this 2-family home and convert it from top and bottom condos to side-by-side townhomes. We will keep everyone informed of our progress via this blog and look forward to getting to know everyone on the street during this time of construction.

Thank you in advance for your patience as we understand living next to construction is never easy.

Quick Project Update

info@fombelledesign.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:40:53 GMT

What's happening at our projects?

If you are looking to stay up-to-date on our projects then this is the place for you! We will give a quick recap of what's happening at each of our construction sites.

35 Cotting Street - Medford

With sad hearts we had to cut down a large tree at 35 Cotting Street today. We did everything we could to try and make our future design work around this tree but unfortunately it was not possible. Thank you to all the neighbors for your understanding.

12 Carver Road - Watertown

Interior demo has started at 12 Carver Road this week. Next week we will push forward with interior framing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC. This project will move quickly so check back often!

146-148 Jaques Street - Somerville

Demo has started and should be wrapping up soon! After that there will be a brief break while we wait for permits to be issued.

24 Berkeley Street - Somerville

This project is patiently waiting to go before the condo conversion board. More to come the end of July!

9 Norfolk Road - Winchester

All roughs (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) are finishing up this week and expect inspections next week. That means insulation is coming around the end of next week and plaster the week after. Soon you will be seeing garage doors and siding going in. This project is quickly moving forward for fall market.

25 Avon Street - Somerville

We are mostly through tile! Starting Friday flooring, kitchen cabinets, and doors will be installed. After that it comes down to all the finishing touches inside and out. We will keep you posted as we move closer to finishing the driveway as there could be some street restrictions that day.

60 Avon Street - Somerville

This beautiful home is on the market! There will be more open houses this weekend (both Saturday & Sunday) from 10:30am - 12:00pm. Keep in mind we are finishing up the driveway but that should be done by Monday.

Thank you again for you patience during our construction process!