Designing your dream home can be a difficult process — but it doesn’t have to be. At Compass Homes, our team brings experience and endless creativity to your home to ensure that it is exactly what you want. And with our premium features, you can rest easy knowing that every detail exceeds your expectations.
Our Interior Designer & Client Liaison, Tiffany Pirkl, will help guide you through the selections process for the interior & exterior of your newly built home. “I assist our clients in making selections within their budget, while also making their home beautiful and fresh,” says Tiffany. “We have many gorgeous included features & finishes to choose from, as well as, several preferred partners that we work with, so I can always find what our clients are looking for.”
We understand that buyers oftentimes have difficulty envisioning what everything will look like once it’s all together, which is why we are so excited to open our award-winning home Design Studio at 3817 Attucks Drive in Powell, Ohio. And while the home Design Studio might seem small there are endless possibilities within its walls!
We recently had the chance to talk with Tiffany about the Design Studio, and what the typical process looks like for guiding homeowners through the design process.
Q: What should clients bring with them to their appointments?
A: All of the things or nothing! If you have been pinning your favorite ideas to Pinterest board ideas, or have been gathering pictures from Houzz and magazines for inspiration, bring it all with you. If not, I can help clients start from scratch. We have tons of samples in the Design Studio, which allows me to mix & match things for the clients to see, which helps them decide what they do and don’t like.
Q: Do all meetings take place at the Design Studio?
A: For the most part, yes. But there are times that the client will set up appointments with vendor partners like JAE Company, Capital Lighting, and Swan Freedom. While many times the client will meet with these vendors on their own to make selections, I can go with them if they would like a second opinion. For visits to our partner Distinctive Marble and Granite, I attend with the client.
Q: How many appointments will a client typically have, and how long is each appointment?
A: I typically have three to four appointments with each client, each one lasting about four hours, to make all the selections necessary for their new home. That might sound overwhelming, but we use our Charted Course, which is the homeowners’ guide to how the entire process works. It lays out all the appointments that will need to be made and when. Appointments usually are broken down like this:
- First appointment – I begin with a “lifestyle talk” with the client so my suggestions are based on how they live. We start the design selections process in the kitchen and review cabinet layouts, talk about how they want to customize it to fit their needs, and discuss the pros & cons of different kinds of flooring. I also usually take our clients to Distinctive Marble & Granite to see full slabs rather than relying on a small piece to make a decision.
- Second and Third Appointments – During these appointments, we focus on selections specific to bathrooms and other rooms throughout the home.
- Final Appointment – This is the opportunity to review all selections made and review the details sheets for each selection to make sure everything is agreed upon and finalized with the client.
Q: If there is something a client wants that is not in the Design Studio, can they still get it?
A: The answer is always yes. They can get essentially anything they want. We have some wonderful resources available to us and can reach out to find anything our clients have their hearts set on.
Q: Are you noticing any current trends in home design?
A: Black & white kitchens! Black islands are in – particularly our custom “book-end” islands built by our trim carpenters in black. We affectionately refer to it as our “Monesi Island,” named after our clients who first requested one. This style pairs well with a tall wine rack and undercounter beverage refrigerator with a fun countertop backsplash!
A: I get to work with so many great people. They truly become friends. There are people that I’ve worked with years ago that I still chat with today.
Of course, just like most things in the world right now, we have some new policies & protocols in place at the Design Studio to ensure that our clients can continue to make selections for their home, while staying safe at the same time. We currently are operating with both Zoom meetings and in-person meetings. For in-person meetings:
- Pre & Post Appointment sanitizing of samples
- Conference Room seating limit to maintain social distancing
- Hand sanitizer available
- Clients by appointment only
At Compass Homes, we’re passionate about our process-driven culture that allows our clients to enjoy building their new homes almost as much as they enjoy living in their new homes! We are here to help guide you through the building process so that your home is uniquely yours, with more thought and quality per square foot. Contact us today to get started building your new home.