What Erstad Architects does

Erstad Architects is an integrated architecture and interior design firm headquartered in Boise, Idaho, founded in 1998 by Andy Erstad, AIA. The firm delivers cohesive design services combining architectural and interior design disciplines under a single practice, serving education institutions (charter schools, private schools, college dormitories), non-profit organizations (behavioral health facilities, homeless shelters, food banks, community centers), multi-family housing developers (market-rate, affordable, senior, mixed-use), and select commercial/industrial clients (corporate offices, food processing). The practice operates with approximately 22 professionals, including AIA-licensed architects and NCIDQ-certified interior designers, executing projects ranging from tenant improvements to large-scale developments such as a 110,780 sf food bank warehouse renovation and an 85,500 sf charter school transformation.

The firm's business model is project-based professional services, with design fees negotiated per engagement based on scope, complexity, and project requirements; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and reputation-driven, relying on direct client engagement with developers, institutions, and organizations, supplemented by community involvement (e.g., Wassmuth Center for Human Rights), professional association participation (notably AIA Idaho, including a 2023 presidency), content marketing via the company blog, and social media campaigns such as the "Inside Design" series. Geographic focus is the Treasure Valley and broader Idaho market, with select project work extending into New Mexico (Albuquerque). No proprietary technology platform, patents, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; competitive differentiation is built on design expertise, integrated architecture/interiors delivery, and 28 years of established local reputation.

Ownership is private and founder-led, with no external investors or parent company indicated. In April 2025 the firm executed a leadership transition: Andy Erstad continued as Founding Partner while Katrina Kulm, AIA, became Managing Partner, with Adrienne Lane-Martin as Principal of Interiors and Sherri Potter as Finance Director. The firm has accumulated 14+ regional awards since 2012 (Idaho Business Review Top Projects, Idaho Smart Growth, City of Boise Building Excellence) across housing, education, and non-profit project categories, underscoring its standing within the Idaho A&D market.

Name

Erstad Architects

Legal name

erstad

Website

https://erstadarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erstad Architects is a Boise, Idaho-based architecture and interior design firm founded in 1998, serving education, non-profit, multi-family housing, and commercial clients through an integrated design practice of approximately 22 professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Interior design services
• Educational facility design
• Multi-family housing design
• Commercial architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Project-based professional services providing architecture and interior design for commercial, educational, multi-family housing, and non-profit projects. Revenue is generated through design fees for projects ranging from tenant improvements to large-scale developments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Erstad Architects delivers integrated architecture and interior design services for commercial, educational, multi-family housing, non-profit, and institutional projects across Idaho and New Mexico. The firm combines both disciplines in a unified practice to produce cohesive spaces, providing design, planning, construction documentation, space planning, finishes, FF&E, and tenant improvement services on a project-based engagement model.

Product overview

Erstad Architects is an architecture and interior design firm offering comprehensive design services across multiple specializations. The firm operates as a unified practice where architecture and interior design services are integrated to deliver cohesive spaces. Their core service offerings include Architecture Services and Interior Design Services, which are offered together for every project. The firm specializes in distinct project types: Education Facilities Design (charter schools, private schools, college dormitories, libraries), Multi-Family Housing Design (market-rate apartments, affordable housing, senior housing, mixed-use developments), Non-Profit Facilities Design (behavioral health facilities, homeless shelters, food banks, memorials, community centers), and Commercial Design (corporate offices, industrial facilities). The firm has completed projects throughout Idaho and has expanded to other states including New Mexico. The firm was founded in 1998 and employs approximately 22 professionals, offering both architectural and interior design capabilities as an integrated service delivery model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Comprehensive architecture services including design, planning, and construction document preparation for residential, commercial, educational, and institutional projects.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services delivered in coordination with architectural design to create cohesive spaces, including space planning, finishes, furniture selection, and FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment).
• Education Facilities Design Specialized design services for educational institutions including charter schools, private schools, public schools, college dormitories, and libraries. Projects include The College of Idaho Finney & Voorhees Dorm Remodels, Vision Charter School, Sage International School, Gem Prep Nampa, Elevate Academy, and Riverstone International School.
• Multi-Family Housing Design Design services for multi-family residential developments including apartments, senior housing, affordable housing, and mixed-use projects. Projects include Adare, The Boardwalk Apartments, Boardwalk Residences, Crescent Rim, Norfolk Apartments, New Path Community Housing, Dee Mar Apartments, and San Roque & La Serena.
• Non-Profit Facilities Design Design services for non-profit organizations including shelters, community centers, food banks, memorials, and social service facilities. Projects include Idaho Youth Ranch Hands of Promise Center, Interfaith Sanctuary, The Idaho Foodbank, Wassmuth Education Center, TRICA, Anne Frank Memorial, and Zoo Boise.
• Commercial Design Commercial building design services including office buildings, corporate facilities, and hospitality projects. Notable projects include True West Beef corporate offices and welfare buildings in Jerome, Idaho.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cushing TerrellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and engineering collaboration partner on the Idaho Youth Ranch Hands of Promise Center project, working alongside The Land Group and other project partners.
• The Land GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture and site planning partner on the Idaho Youth Ranch Hands of Promise Center psychiatric residential treatment facility project.
• Terry ReillyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal service provider collaboration for New Path Community Housing permanent supportive housing facility for chronically homeless individuals.
• CATCHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerService provider partner for New Path Community Housing project providing vocational training and life skills services.
• BCACHAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBehavioral health and healthcare service provider collaboration for New Path Community Housing project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: National integrated design firm with extensive K-12, higher education, and community practice. Much larger but competes for the same institutional clients as erstad in education and civic markets, especially on larger-scale commissions.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with substantial K-12, higher education, and community design practice. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same institutional project categories, especially as Boise-area projects scale up.

Direct peers

• McCool Carlson Green Architects: Pacific Northwest architecture firm with similar mid-size profile and integrated practice covering community, housing, and education projects. Comparable in scale (~20-50 staff) and Mountain West/PNW market orientation.
• Legat Architects: Mid-sized integrated architecture firm specializing in education, community, and multi-family housing. Similar scale, integrated architecture/interiors capability, and segment focus to erstad's practice.
• Cushing Terrell: Boise-headquartered multi-discipline architecture and engineering firm offering integrated design services across education, multi-family, and community projects. Already a documented erstad collaboration partner on the Idaho Youth Ranch project, making it the closest comparable in geography and service mix.
• KTGY: Multi-family housing specialist architecture firm with national footprint. Highly relevant as a peer on erstad's multi-family vertical, led internally by Chad Weltzin's multifamily division, though typically larger in scale and more multifamily-focused.
• BBL Architects: Architecture firm with strong education vertical specialization, comparable in headcount and project mix to erstad. Overlapping K-12, higher education, and community facility design work in the regional architecture market.
• FGM Architects: Mid-size architecture firm with deep K-12 and community-focused portfolio closely mirroring erstad's education vertical. Similar size band and public-sector/community client concentration make it a strong peer.
• Anderson Mason Dale Architects: Mid-sized Denver architecture firm with strong K-12 and community-oriented portfolio comparable in scale and client mix to erstad. Both firms emphasize civic/community work and integrated architectural services for similar institutional clients.
• LHB: Mid-size integrated architecture, engineering, and interior design firm comparable in headcount and integrated service offering. Similar community and institutional client base across regional markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/erstad
• Facebookfacebook.com/erstad.eggs
• Instagraminstagram.com/erstad.eggs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erstad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Erstad Architects