CF Design ltd
CF Design Ltd is a privately held residential architecture firm founded in 1998, designing custom homes and remodels for individual homeowners across the Upper Great Lakes region (Minnesota and Wisconsin) from offices in Duluth and Bayfield, with a light-focused, site-responsive design philosophy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersDuluth, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CF Design ltd does
CF Design Ltd is a privately held residential architecture firm founded in 1998 by principal Cheryl Fosdick, operating from offices in Duluth, Minnesota and Bayfield, Wisconsin. The firm designs custom homes and remodels for individual homeowners across the Upper Great Lakes region, with a portfolio of more than 150 built and in-progress projects concentrated in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its core technical approach is a site-responsive, light-focused design methodology that emphasizes daylighting, material clarity, and the interplay of light and shadow throughout the design process; the firm employs both physical and electronic modeling alongside narrative-based design development and full construction documentation.
The firm's revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees on a percentage-of-construction-cost basis, typically 10-11% of projected construction cost for full-service engagements through the prescription/construction document phase, with a secondary hourly consultation tier. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct: clients are engaged through referrals, the firm's website portfolio, and social media (Facebook and Instagram), then proceed via consultation, site evaluation, and a collaborative design process. The customer base is horizontally distributed across mid-market and high-net-worth residential homeowners, with project types ranging from lakeshore retreats and family compounds to historic renovations and urban homes.
In 2023, the firm extended its operations by launching LUMstudio, a wholly-owned curated LED lighting gallery and education platform that shares storefront space with CF Design. LUMstudio procures and exhibits lighting from international designers, creating an integrated client education channel that reinforces the firm's light-focused design philosophy and provides a modest adjacent retail revenue stream. The firm is founder-owned with no institutional investors, a team of approximately four to five professionals, and no disclosed AI/technology platform beyond standard architectural modeling and documentation tools.
CF Design ltd firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CF Design ltd
- Legal name
- CF Design Ltd
- Website
- https://cfdesignltd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CF Design Ltd is a privately held residential architecture firm founded in 1998, designing custom homes and remodels for individual homeowners across the Upper Great Lakes region (Minnesota and Wisconsin) from offices in Duluth and Bayfield, with a light-focused, site-responsive design philosophy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CF Design ltd industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410), Residential Remodelers (236118)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Kitchen Permitting, Design & Project Management (HSAPAAAK), Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
Keywords
Where CF Design ltd is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Duluth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CF Design ltd business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Complete Architectural Services: Full-service architectural design from concept through construction documentation and observation. Most clients opt for full service through the prescriptive phase, typically 10-11% of projected construction cost. Services include contractor selection assistance and construction observation.
- Hourly Consultation: Conversation and observation-based consultation services that can jumpstart design possibilities. A few hours of consultation to find relationships between physical or functional aspects of land or building.
- LUMstudio Retail: Sale of curated LED lighting products through LUMstudio, a separate public-facing retail operation sharing storefront space with CF Design. Open to the public for education and procurement of lighting.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Full Architectural Service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CF Design ltd product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CF Design Ltd is a residential architecture practice that designs modern custom homes and home remodels for individual clients. The firm, founded by Cheryl Fosdick in 1998, also operates LUMstudio, a lighting gallery and design showroom offering curated lighting products to homeowners and design clients.
Product overview
CF Design Ltd is a residential architecture firm offering a unified service portfolio centered on architectural design. The core offering comprises Project Design (full architectural services from concept through construction), Consultation (hourly design consultation), and Construction Services (complete services through the prescription phase including construction documents). The firm also operates LUMstudio (created 2023), a curated LED lighting showroom and educational platform that shares storefront space with the architecture firm and is open to the public for lighting procurement. Services typically amount to 10-11% of projected construction cost for full service through the prescriptive phase.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LUMstudio: A curated LED lighting collection and gallery created in 2023, sharing storefront space with CF design. Exhibits lighting from international fabricators and designers, serving both educational and procurement purposes for clients.
Products and services
- Residential Architecture Services Full architectural design services for residential clients, including modern custom home design and home remodeling projects. Intended for individual homeowners in the Upper Midwest region.
- Modern Custom Home Design Design of new custom homes with a modern architectural aesthetic, delivered for individual residential clients.
- Home Remodeling Design Architectural design services for residential remodels, helping homeowners reconfigure and modernize existing homes.
- LUMstudio Lighting Gallery A lighting gallery and design showroom offering curated lighting fixtures and design products to homeowners, design clients, and walk-in retail customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 AIA Honor Awards received by principal Cheryl Fosdick for architectural projects
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CF Design ltd
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CF Design ltd technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CF Design ltd partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LUMstudiocoreLUMstudio is a curated lighting collection created by CF Design in 2023 to educate clients and the community on light and lighting. It shares storefront space with CF Design and is open to the public for education and procurement of LED lighting from international designers. LUMstudio is integral to CF Design's light-focused philosophy and design process.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CF Design ltd competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- KieranTimberlake: KieranTimberlake is an award-winning architecture firm with a strong custom residential portfolio and research-driven design methodology; analogous to CF Design in design rigor but operating at larger scale.
- Olson Kundig: Olson Kundig is an internationally recognized high-end residential architecture firm known for site-responsive, material-driven design — a national-scale analog of CF Design's premium, philosophy-led custom residential practice.
- Mithun: Mithun is a Seattle-based integrated design firm with residential and sustainability-focused practices; comparable to CF Design in design quality but operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Lake|Flato Architects: Lake|Flato is a Texas-based award-winning residential and commercial architecture firm with a comparable site-responsive, light-and-place-driven design ethos, representing a broader-scale peer in custom residential design.
Regional players
- LHB (Larson Helle Borsch): LHB is a Duluth-headquartered architecture and engineering firm operating in the same Upper Great Lakes market. While much broader in scope (commercial, civic, industrial), it competes with CF Design for residential and renovation work in the region.
- ajc architects: ajc architects is a Minnesota-based residential and commercial architecture firm where Amy Luschen previously worked; comparable in regional practice scope and project scale to CF Design.
- Cuningham Group Architecture: Cuningham is a Minneapolis-based architecture firm with residential, hospitality, and commercial work in the Upper Midwest, overlapping CF Design's regional market but at significantly larger scale.
- ICON Architectural Group: ICON Architectural Group is a Midwest architecture firm where designer Amy Luschen previously worked (2024-2025); comparable in regional residential and commercial design work to CF Design.
Direct peers
- SALA Architects: SALA Architects is a Minnesota-based residential architecture firm with a closely aligned regional focus, light-and-site-responsive design philosophy, and founder-led model — directly comparable to CF Design in scale, geography, and design approach.
Others
- Luminosa Lighting Design: Luminosa is a lighting design consultancy that, like LUMstudio, focuses on architectural lighting — adjacent to CF Design's LUMstudio offering and comparable in lighting-education and procurement services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CF Design ltd social profiles
Digital presenceCF Design ltd financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CF Design ltd leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CF Design ltd subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CF Design ltd funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CF Design ltd M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CF Design ltd
What does CF Design ltd do?
CF Design Ltd is a residential architecture practice that designs modern custom homes and home remodels for individual clients. The firm, founded by Cheryl Fosdick in 1998, also operates LUMstudio, a lighting gallery and design showroom offering curated lighting products to homeowners and design clients.
Is CF Design ltd a public or private company?
CF Design ltd is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CF Design ltd founded?
CF Design ltd was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CF Design ltd based?
CF Design ltd is headquartered in Duluth, United States, in the North America region.
How does CF Design ltd make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Complete Architectural Services are the primary driver. The others are hourly Consultation and LUMstudio Retail.
Who are CF Design ltd's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are KieranTimberlake, Olson Kundig, Mithun and Lake|Flato Architects. Regional players are LHB (Larson Helle Borsch), ajc architects, Cuningham Group Architecture and ICON Architectural Group. SALA Architects is listed as a direct peer. Luminosa Lighting Design is listed as an others.
Does CF Design ltd have an API?
No public API is recorded for CF Design ltd.
What industry is CF Design ltd in?
CF Design ltd's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310.