About Us
We chose the acorn for our logo, not only as a nod to our home city of Raleigh, NC, the city of oaks, but as an embodiment of what we stand for as a company. The acorn is the symbol of strength and potential. We strive to create buildings that are strong, sound and will last for generations to come. We also see the potential in all spaces and work hard to maximize each and every square inch to accommodate your needs. Like the acorn, we are a small company. And as the acorn transforms into one of the strongest trees in the forest, we also work hard to create the strongest designs and buildings in the area.
John Enzor
Construction
At an early age, John started building projects with his dad and brother, which gave him the desire to create and build. Later, he went on to NC State University and earned his degree in Technology Education, gaining the education he needed for all aspects of technology and building.
After college, John worked in several different construction trades that gave him the hands-on experience that led him to get his Residential and Commercial General Contracting license. He started Craft Construction and built many projects including the cottages on Oakwood Ave, winning The Sir Walter Raleigh Appearance award in 2010.
Working for HGTV’s hit show, “Love it Or List It,” further enhanced his understanding of design and construction. John helped the show produce 44 renovations over a 3-year span. After leaving the show, he joined The Raleigh Architecture Company, where he gained knowledge and experience with modern architecture. John was the construction lead on projects that won several AIA awards including:
- 2018 Merit Award - Chappel-Smith Residence
- 2019 Tour of Residential Architecture - Greene-Klem Residence
- 2019 NC Honor Award - 716 Offices
- 2020 Triangle Honor Award - 716 Office
- 2020 Sir Walter Raleigh Award - Commercial - 716 Offices
John's desire to learn, adapt, and create amazing projects is what has led him to start Oak City Design & Construction with long-time friend Julie Watkins.
Julie Watkins
Design
Julie has always had a passion for creating beautiful, comfortable, and functional spaces. Even as a small child, she would frequently rearrange and redo the rooms in her own home, experimenting with ideas and inspirations.
Julie graduated from the Interior Design program at Meredith College in 2007. For the next five years, she worked at a commercial design firm, primarily creating spaces for offices, higher education, and even science labs. She then decided to get a Master's Degree in teaching so that she could teach her passion and educate the next generation of designers. She taught Interior Design at both the high school and college levels, where her students placed 1st in the Nation in the FCCLA Interior Design Competition. Julie also utilized her knowledge and expertise to co-write the high school Interior Design curriculum for the entire state of North Carolina.
For the past five years, Julie has been working from home in order to raise her two small children. During this time, she started her own company, Julie Watkins Interiors, where she primarily focused on designing residential spaces and homes. This year, she decided to join forces with her good friend, John Enzor, in order to be able to do more and larger design projects.
Julie's philosophy is that good Interior Design makes sense! She has always been inspired by the Bauhaus principle of "form follows function" and strives to create spaces that are functional and helpful to its inhabitants. Even the most beautifully designed spaces are useless if they can't be used well on a day-to-day basis.