Today we’d like to introduce you to Adria Gaines.
Hi Adria, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am the Founder of Project Navy Blue, a design and build business – established in 2016.
My mission is to redefine how we see affordable housing, proving that sustainability and style can coexist without compromise.
I have a passion for renovating historic homes, and honoring the structure’s history through thoughtful design and attention to the small details that tell its story and update it for a new life. My goal is to save more homes that might be destined for the wrecking ball.
The houses I grew up in shape my design story. My father, who was the youngest of eleven, maintained his father, John Calvin Miller’s (JC Miller)’s farm in Roberta, Georgia. Meanwhile, my mother thrived in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. From my great-grandmother’s early 1900s bungalow in Atlanta’s Reynoldstown neighborhood, the old-school farmhouse perched on cinder blocks in Roberta, and the mid-century ranch home surrounded by dogwoods and Japanese maples in Atlanta, each house style instilled in a deep appreciation for the art of building homes that tell stories.
More than a builder, I am a storyteller, embedding the soul of the South into every structure, ensuring my creations aren’t just homes—they’re legacies. Walking the land isn’t just a step; it’s a conversation with the earth, a grounding ritual that fuels the creative process.
The company exclusively sources high-quality sustainable building products directly from local providers.
After receiving my BS degree in Building Construction from the Georgia Institute of Technology, I graduated with a master’s degree in construction engineering from the University of Alabama – Birmingham.
To date, Project Navy Blue has built /remodeled over thirty-five homes for families and continues to grow.
You can view my work at www.projectnavyblue.com or on IG (@ProjectNavyBlue), Facebook (Project Navy Blue, LLC) or LinkedIn (@AdriaMGaines).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a Memphis-based Black woman carving her path in a male-dominated industry, I defied the odds to become a LEED-certified builder and designer.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Project Navy Blue’s mission is to create beautiful, well-built, meticulously constructed homes with sustainability and the highest level of craftsmanship in mind.
Every detail down to the last nail is sourced from quality, sustainable products in the community, ensuring not only beauty, but a level of attention to detail that is superior on all levels.
Designed with the future homeowners in mind, each home is built to blend with the neighborhood and communities surrounding it, giving a sense of pride to the family and neighbors.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Project Navy Blue hearkens back to the “haint blue” porch ceilings of the South, a paint color that Black communities historically used to symbolize the warding off of bad spirits and protection for homes often in danger of destruction by the forces of racism.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.projectnavyblue.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectnavyblue/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectNavyBlue/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/projectnavyblue
