Our Design Services

Crafting the perfect design that aligns with your project goals and vision is the cornerstone of any successful renovation project. Therefore, we provide consulting design services in-house for all of our projects. For many of our clients, consulting design is everything they need to create their perfect space.

However, if you already love the style of a particular interior designer, we will collaborate with that designer during project development and construction in a designer-led design process. Each design route will offer its benefits and considerations.

Delve into each design option below to discover which design services are right for your renovation project!

Consulting Design – Included with our design services.

With consulting design, we provide guidance during the planning and decision-making stages of a project. We collaborate with you to understand your needs, preferences, and goals, and then offer design expertise so you can make informed choices. We assist clients with spatial planning, identifying color undertones, material selections, layout optimization, and budget management.

Our primary role is to offer expert design guidance, empowering you to make decisions that align with your vision. This type of design service ensures that your final space reflects your unique style and requirements. Additionally, it is often lower cost than designer-led services, as it does not require time from an additional professional. Likewise, design costs are included in our estimates and the final cost of every project, so our clients do not have to budget separately for design.

Designer Led Services – We work together with a designer of your choice.

With designer-led services, a third-party designer takes the lead in the design process. It’s an ideal choice if you already love a designer’s signature style. You’ll share your inspiration photos, functional goals, and any other design preferences with your designer. The designer then assumes control over selecting materials, paint colors, and other project elements in collaboration with us, your trusted contractor. While your involvement in certain decisions will be required, the majority of choices remain in the designer’s hands, both before and during construction.

By choosing this option, you still benefit from our layout and spatial planning expertise, complemented by your designer’s input. These layout drawings are pivotal for ensuring a seamless construction experience. However, this design path typically comes with a higher cost, due to standard designer fees and the additional time invested by an external professional.

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One of the most integral parts of our consulting design services is defining the color undertones of neutrals using Maria Killam‘s color undertone system. Have you ever tried painting your walls gray but they ended up looking green or purple? Or have you ever thought you were installing two different white materials, but one of them looks dirty and beige while the other too stark white? Have you ever painted 15 samples on your walls and spent hours going back and forth to the paint store, never quite sure which one was right?

We take the guess work out of selecting paint colors and finishes. By defining the color undertones and choosing ones that work together, we avoid these costly color mistakes often made by homeowners. Spending a little more on design up front saves you money you may spend on re-work in the future!

Design Phase Timeline

This timeline depicts the standard order of events for any clients using our in-house consulting design services. However, clients who choose to work with a third party designer will still follow this general timeline, with some slight modifications.

  • Site Visit

     

    After a Professional Services Agreement is signed, Buck and / or Renee will begin our design services by performing a site visit.

    Buck will take refined measurements as needed and Renee will determine color undertones of any existing finishes by using this system. We’ll look at your flooring, paint colors, furniture, etc. This allows us to coordinate future material selections to work seamlessly with the elements remaining in the space. We’ll also discuss both functional and aesthetic goals for your space and order them by importance. Prioritizing project goals allows us to stay focused on what matters most to you in order to maximize the value of the finished space.

  • Information Gathering & Inspiration

    Clearly communicating your aesthetic preferences is crucial to the consulting design process. Sending inspiration photos to Renee is one of the best ways to communicate the style you’d ultimately like to achieve. This can be completed at any time before or after the site visit, but must be done before material selection meetings. Additionally, you can communicate your vision by describing how you want your space to feel. For example, you may want it to feel bright and open, rustic and natural, simple and clean, or colorful and inspiring. All of this information helps us provide our best design services, helping you achieve the completed space you are envisioning.

     

    Information Gathering & Inspiration

  • Subcontractor Site Visits

     

    Imperative to our design services is having our specialized trade contractors on site, or view the project via photo and video, during the project development phase. These men and women are experts in their field. Placing their eyes on the project allows us to foresee potential issues or more efficient routes of construction that we may not have considered on our own. We are then able to make adjustments to our design and construction design as needed, helping us to more accurately plan & execute your project. Likewise, our trade contractors will give us a fixed cost bid, ensuring that you know the true cost of your project before construction.

  • Material Selection Meetings

    We visit the showrooms of our trusted trade contractors to select most of your materials in person. This includes flooring, tile, countertops, plumbing fixtures, and hardware. Some materials are chosen digitally, depending on what is needed for your particular project, and what is available in town. Selections of these fixed elements in person as much as possible is crucial to seeing the true color undertones of each product and being able to visualize your final space. As part of our design services, Renee will attend these meetings with you. She’ll not only assist with the selections themselves, but also maintains a consistent line of communication regarding the project as a whole between each trade.

     

    Material Selection Meetings

  • Scope of Work / Design Package Creation

     

    Finally, we will create your Scope of Work / Design Package. This is the culmination of all the work performed during the design phase. It includes all of the information regarding your project, such as images and details regarding the scope of work. It acts as your construction agreement, as well as the document that all workers will use on site during construction. This ensures we are all on the same page, and minimizes miscommunication and construction delays waiting on decisions.