Melisande Atkinson is the owner-founder of Better Built Craftsman LLC, a local home improvement contractor that has been serving the Birmingham area since 2010. Before that, she ran a similar contracting business, MM&I, that focused on helping clients rebuild their homes following Hurricane Katrina.
Kitchen and bathroom design has long been a passion of hers. She stays abreast of industry trends and design innovations in order to bring these innovations to her customers. Melisande works with a team of talented remodeling contractors, deck builders, kitchen and bathroom remodelers, and carpenters and stays involved in their day-to-day activities in order to be able to address the various challenges that can arise when out in the field and meet customer expectations.
Melisande studied Geology at CSUB, which – in addition to getting to swing hammers – gave her many opportunities to advance her drafting and CAD skills. She also worked at A-1 Appliances helping consumers furnish and design updated kitchens. She also spent a number of years working in the Business Development field which helps her in her day-to-day business efforts.
Her personal design aesthetic can be described as Mid-Century Pan-Asian with a heavy emphasis on clean lines, bold geometrics, and warm color palettes. Her passion for visual design brings a nuance to her contracting business that is unique and balanced.
“One of the main reasons I chose to found my own home remodeling company,” Melisande states, “is that while the idea that ‘perfect is the enemy of good,’ there is no such thing as good enough,” a philosophy that drives her to continue to grow and evolve. “My crew is on board with my principle philosophy, which is important to me. Without their exceptional talents I could not deliver the sort of experience that I want to my clients.”
Melisande can be reached at contractor@betterbuiltcraftsman.com