Carol Ann's Custom Blog

If you’re looking for a building lot and find one that seems promising, please make no assumptions about what can be built there. Selecting the right property is a complex process which should involve deep...

Carol Ann Zinn has been designing and building distinctive, high-quality homes, remodels, and additions since 1978. She and the Zinn Design Build team handle both the design as well as the construction, making the process...

I am often asked what’s the cost to build a luxury custom home in Chapel Hill? That question is so broad that it is (for me) unanswerable without significant other information: site topo and location,...

Are you looking to update your living environment but not sure if you want to renovate or build a brand-new home? As a long time Chapel Hill designer-builder, I can help you figure that out....

Having recently completed a big Durham master suite remodel which includes a spectacular modern bathroom… Zinn Design Build is starting 2026 with three other projects under construction. These are all located in Chapel Hill, but...

It’s a chilly, foggy Sunday morning here in Chapel Hill… … a good day to make split pea soup (in process!), stay warm and cozy, and sharesome updates. While Project Manager Jason O’Quinn continues to...

I’ll never get tired of saying it: There’s no place like New York. I just returned from another long weekend trip to my home state, where I enjoyed a little time in The City with...

Working on our Chapel Hill projects this week while I spend time in the San Francisco Bay area is effortless, thanks to the internet, email, zoom, and phone. It’s 5:30am on the West Coast (8:30am...

The front door of any building provides an opportunity to make a welcoming statement. Whether it be the design, the color, and/or adjacent elements, this area is the first introduction to and hint of what...

Clients are showing heightened interest in creating upscale laundry rooms. This might include the use of inventive new laundry accessories for increased functionality, and it might manifest in beautiful cabinetry, lighting and ceramic tile to...

The housing world of 1978, my first year as a designer-builder, was far different from the housing world of today. The exteriors of many Chapel Hill homes looked like traditional colonials, and the typical eight-foot-high...

Yes, my latest journey was to this mystical land of inspiration, where traditional elements are blended with modern style, harmonizing form and function with a focus on simplicity and the use of natural materials. This...