In Conversation with Nick Masciantonio
The project manager and rising star at Livingston Fine Homes shares his career journey
Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles: You are originally from Pennsylvania, but are based in Atlanta. How has the city shaped your opportunities and approach to projects?
Nick Masciantonio: Atlanta is a hotbed of design and architecture. The best and the brightest work is here with such an incredible variation in style. Coming into Atlanta, my experience was limited to commercial electrical—it was here that I got into windows, roofing, siding, and then eventually fireplaces, which is how I met Bobby [Livingston]. Mentorship from my fellows in this industry has shaped who I am today. Looking back, I’m now incredibly grateful I made the 14-hour drive in a Penske with not much more than a memory foam bed and enduro bike. I grew up in Pennsylvania, but the accomplishments I’m most proud of have all come in Atlanta.
AH&L: You joined Livingston Fine Homes a few years ago. What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?
NM: On the construction side of custom building, entropy remains undefeated, and unanticipated complications are our bread and butter. Oftentimes, we are presented with an inspiration picture and a dream. Behind that picture, what we see is 15 to 20 separate materials, three to five different suppliers, five to 10 unique trades, 20 to 40 craftsmen. Everything has different lead times, tasks need done in phases, the existing plan needs altered, and we need to make sure everything fits and is technically possible. Yesterday, I went to the grocery store with a list and the firm belief that I’d get there and be back out in 20 minutes. But, a road was closed, I parked far away, the checkout line was long, I realized I don’t want chicken, I want steak—and then approximately 1 hour later I’m leaving the store with my list mostly done and with seven additional items. That same universal experience of “whoa, this did not go as planned” happens within every single aspect of construction. It creates opportunities to solve a lot of problems, and I like to solve problems.
AH&L: You have experience in sales across various construction trades. How does this background help you as a project manager?
NM: I’m able to put myself in their shoes. If I were trying to accomplish this task, what would I do? How would I do it? What would I use to do it, and who would I do it with? I’ve been on the other side of the table. We are asking trades to handle unique situations on the daily. Before we ask, the more we understand where they are coming from and what their daily challenges are, the better outcomes we get.
AH&L: As a project manager you often have to think quickly on your feet. When have you had to put that to the test on the job?
NM: A project manager makes a thousand decisions a day. Minute by minute there are small judgment calls that can have implications for the next 50 to 100 years of a home’s existence. That said, some of my favorite problems to solve are the simple ones. Things like, “Hey Nick, how the heck are we going to get this 1,300-pound marble statue of a bunny on top of this limestone landscaping wall with nothing but three guys and a prayer?” Straps, leverage, and elbow grease, my friends. Shout-out to Rene Olvera and his guys—he is equal parts MacGyver and Maximus Decimus Meridius.
AH&L: Is there one home or project that stands out in your career?
NM: Truthfully—my house. I like taking on projects and doing the work myself. Nothing gives you more respect and perspective for just how challenging it is to get anything done the right way.
AH&L: What does a successful project look like from your perspective?
NM: A couple very basic colloquialisms come to mind: “Aim small, miss small.” “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” The more you focus on the smallest details possible and getting those correct, oftentimes the big things can sort themselves out. Find a small detail, try to get it perfect, and watch things work out around you. Take the time to think through the details and get them right. A week delay here while we settle on a plan can save weeks of fixing and work-arounds later. Homes of the magnitude we are involved in require constant communication between clients, architects, designers, engineering, and our trades. Ultimately, we all want the same thing: a client that is ecstatic about waking up every day in a home that is a one-of-a-kind, living piece of art. To create something like that, it takes a village. As general contractors, we are not designing or physically picking up the tools and building, we are the conduit for getting it done. A successful project is one where the details are dialed in, the pace is a consistent march, and we have productive communications with the design and build team and the client.
AH&L: Who knows what the future holds. Is there anything you have your sights set on or would love to dive into one day?
NM: I love Clay Chapman’s work on structural masonry and building 1,000-year houses. I’d love the opportunity to build something similar in the future.
AH&L: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received that guides you through life and career?
NM: My father, the one and only Big Carm, used to tell me all the time as a boy, “Faithful in little, faithful in much.” I like to take that to heart when working through what can oftentimes feel like an endless amount of minutiae on a project. But probably the best advice I ever got from him that is the most impactful, also happens to be the simplest: Keep going. livingstonfinehomes.com
A Day in the Life
Morning to night with Nick Masciantonio
3 A.M. I am now in the realm of the conscious—though not fully.
3:30 A.M. Cold plunge. I am now thoroughly and brutally conscious.
4–8 A.M. Cappuccino and computer time.
8 A.M.–12 P.M. Run by projects, get trades started, answer questions, and hit on key details. Practice mediocre Spanish.
12–4:30 P.M. Client, designer, and trade-specific meetings and pre-site walks. Prep for future scope.
4:30 P.M. Home to walk the dog with my beloved. Quick workout. Cook a delicious dinner and catch up on our programs.
This is the eighth installment of AH&L’s Futures of Design. To learn more about the class of 2026, visit atlantahomesmag.com/futures-legends.
