“Building a house will be so fun,” they said. “You can pick every little detail yourself and make it special,” they said. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” they said. And then, they laughed and laughed and laughed.
Now, the honest people will also tell you that building a house takes a lot of work, decision-making, and some blood, sweat, and tears, but it will be worth it in the long run. And, as an interior designer building a home for myself for the first time, I believe everything everyone has said to me thus far is true. That said, NO ONE could have prepared me for the painstaking hours, hard work, and attention to detail involved in building a house. While I have always had faith in my ability to do my job for clients and do it well, I am now my own client, and I am flat out overwhelmed! It is so hard to make decisions for yourself that you know YOU have to live with permanently! Accordingly, I’ve decided I need TWO designers on “my job,” and my dad (CHD’s Patriarch and Master Designer) is the lucky winner of my design team for two openings. I had plans to be his favorite client, yet with all my experience and knowledge, that was sure to make his job on our “design team” easier. But, after several hours in the fabric room yesterday asking Dad’s opinion on selections for myself, he informed me I may be his most indecisive and high-maintenance client yet. Daddy, you are welcome. I must get it from somewhere, right?
Having now become “the client” in a new home construction project, I truly do not know how anyone undergoes a project of this magnitude without the assistance of a design professional. It takes a seasoned eye to know how a space should function upon completion and start implementing the plan to get there from the very moment you begin drafting house plans. I gave my Dad the opportunity to put in some pro bono hours when we began looking at house plans over two years ago and quickly learned that having an unbiased, professional opinion while selecting all the details that go into building a home is not only preferable but absolutely worth its weight in gold. Having assisted clients myself on new construction and renovations for many years, I never fully appreciated the value of having that unbiased professional come in and help you make all the tedious decisions. It is simply easier to have someone who can oversee it all for you and help you remain objective, keep you reasonable, appropriately set your expectations, and hold your hand throughout the process. (Oh, and occasionally remind you that while you think you have Jay Z and Beyonce’s budget, it would appear as though you do not.)
At CHD, we have an incredible team of 25+ employees that help you through the minutia of a design project, whether it is a Beyonce new build or a Jane Doe bedroom makeover. On new construction projects, our design professionals can help you as early as the house plan drafting stages to understand how your completed space will function based on the way you live and help you execute it to the very end. Perfectly placed outlets, proper door swings, appropriate materials for flooring, walls, and countertops are just a few examples of things that are instrumental in making your home a comfortable and beautiful place to live. Our seasoned designers are experienced and trained in seeing the overall picture and helping you to make all the tedious decisions necessary to ensure the finished product is something spectacular. Let CHD help you through this process, and I promise you will not regret it. It does not matter how much you think you know about design – the objectivity a true, third-party professional brings to the table is exactly what you need. Plain and simple. (Just make sure you don’t request my Dad as he has a high-maintenance client who is sure to keep him busy around the clock through 2022 and force him into an unplanned retirement to save himself. ;-) )
