How does Ceci Bates approach initial client conversations in custom home building?

Ceci Bates, through architect Roberth Jordan, approaches initial client conversations by focusing on capturing the essence and meaning behind each client's requests to ensure cohesive architectural designs.

What role does Roberth Jordan play in the Ceci Bates design process?

Roberth Jordan, as the architect for Ceci Bates, listens beyond words to interpret client needs, translating them into designs that align with long-term living goals.

How does Roberth Jordan handle client requests that don't fit the overall design theme?

Roberth Jordan of Ceci Bates seeks to understand what a client request represents in terms of sentiment and feeling, then embodies that in a more fitting manner within the home's design.

Notes From Our Journey

From twenty-six years of building custom homes on Lake Texoma, here we share about our process and what we've learned about design, materials, engineering, and the decisions that shape a home built to last for generations — the questions clients ask us most often, and the answers we give around the table in our design center.

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Listening Beyond Words: Roberth Jordan’s Approach to Architectural Design

Listening Beyond Words: Roberth Jordan’s Approach to Architectural Design

Ceci Bates

September 18, 2026

Many who decide to build a custom home hold a collection of fragmented desires. A kitchen remembered from a friend’s inviting home, a sunlit room that evokes a vacation memory, or a space that fulfills a long-held wish. These fragments are vivid, yet rarely do they form a cohesive whole. The challenge lies in envisioning how these elements fit together and what they truly mean for living over decades, not just the immediate future.

Roberth Jordan, Ceci Bates’ architect, starts his process with these very fragments. Drawing on his extensive experience, Roberth notes that his work goes beyond simply drawing what is asked. He often says that understanding the “why” behind a client’s words is crucial. His role is as much about being an interpreter as it is about being a designer. Clients might express a desire for a specific designer chair, yet if the overall home is envisioned as a French country residence, that singular piece may not align. Here, it’s Roberth’s responsibility not to dismiss the client’s desire outright but to delve into the essence—the memory or atmosphere that piece represents.

This initial phase is about exploration through conversation and observation, forming a foundation on which every design decision rests. Only after he truly understands does he begin to craft. Roberth allows the design to crystallize naturally from what the client genuinely values and hopes to experience in their home.

Building a home that resonates with how one wishes to live requires more than just fulfilling stated requests. It begins with understanding the unspoken needs beneath those words. Roberth’s method reflects Ceci Bates’ philosophy that homes should not just meet present demands but support future aspirations. We invite you to learn more about how we approach custom home design by visiting cecibates.com.