For many buyers, a major draw of purchasing a new home over an existing one is the ability to customize its design and functionality. Often, that customized design process occurs in a design studio.
Design studios typically offer samples from various product categories, from exterior siding to kitchen countertops. They are often staffed by team members trained to guide buyers through the selection process. These can be designers, consultants, selection coordinators or salespeople.
Of course, not all homebuilders offer design studios. Some choose to meet buyers in the showrooms of different vendors to make selections.
One benefit of selecting a builder with a design studio is convenience. These studios are one-stop shops and the experience is often included in the price of the home.
“They can select everything. If they’re unsure about a color on a sample board, we encourage them to go look at a product," said Jason Hughes, president of Missouri-based semi-custom builder T. R. Hughes Homes. “Granite has different patterns, and each slab is unique. We want them to get a good handle on what they want.”
Buyers are not limited to what’s in a design studio either. Many builders will order samples from other manufacturers or set up visits to review the products with the buyer.
Another benefit to working with a design studio is that the builders tend to have greater buying power and can often secure some products at a discount, such as an appliance package.
The types of design studio experiences
Not every new home offers the opportunity for personalization or customization. A quick move-in home is typically sold as is, but many new builders offer some level of options.
Think of the levels as falling somewhere on a continuum, said Jane Meagher of Success Strategies, who consults with builders nationally on their studio strategies and design.
Some builders limit selections to certain products and buyers work through their sales team to make selections, rather than a design consultant and studio.
Others could expertly organize design packages in various aesthetics that buyers can select from, and within that package are opportunities to mix and match selections. A salesperson or design consultant in a studio can sell this.
“They can buy the coastal cool collection or the modern farmhouse collection, and somebody with design integrity has put this together,” said Meagher. “There are benefits, maybe it’s quicker and easier and they’re choosing with more certainty because it’s compiled already.”
The typical design studio experience includes buyers selecting products a la carte from within the studio with the support of a design consultant. Sometimes, builders offer predesigned packages and the option to select products individually, giving buyers the chance to choose an easier route that’s still design-forward.
Homebuilders that give ultimate product freedom most often would be custom or semi-custom homebuilders.
"All buyers may not want that freedom because with that comes complexity and a lot of time and more uncertainty," said Meagher.
Many buyers want an experience with plenty of options, but not too many. A design studio "can be a happy medium," she said.
How to prepare for a design studio appointment
The selection process can be overwhelming. Homebuilders recommend buyers do their homework before a meeting.
About half of the buyers know exactly what they want, while the other half will lean heavily on the design consultant.
“We always encourage a new buyer to drive through our developments,” said Hughes. “Drive around and get a feel for what they like and drive through other builders’ communities and see if you like a Craftsman-style house or more traditional-style house.”
Online research is a must, and it’s helpful to bring five to six images of different parts of the home to inform the builder and designer of a desired aesthetic.
Builders should share product catalogs and brochures upon request so they can view products before entering the studio. Many even offer product visualizations online or conduct a design studio orientation before the meeting.
You'll need to make decisions on at least the following:
- Kitchen: Cabinets, countertops, appliances, and backsplash
- Bathrooms: Sinks, vanities, tile, and fixtures
- Flooring: Carpeting, hardwood, tile or laminate
- Lighting: Style and placement
- Paint: Colors and finishes
- Siding and roofing: Material and color
Tips:
- Drive around and take pictures of the features you like on homes
- Keep a Pinterest board of the things you like
- Ask about warranties and upkeep
- Pick your non-negotiables and your nice-to-haves
- Make choices based on a loved design element, such as a piece of furniture or a paint color
What you can expect in a design studio meeting
Design meetings typically last three to four hours, so it’s smart to come prepared, though there is no industry standard.
Hughes’ company does one long meeting or, on average, up to three for buyers needing more help, but at Cincinnati-based custom builder Fry Homes, designer Krystal Fry conducts four meetings on average, ranging from under two hours to three hours each.
Most builders will not charge extra for additional meetings, but buyers should always ask.
The design studio selections process typically starts with the exterior and then moves to interior selections.
“Because that’s what clients have in their head first is the exterior and then what they want their kitchen to look like, then we build off of that,” said Fry.
The types of budgets and pricing
Everyone has a budget, and it’s the role of the design studio expert to guide buyers toward selections that fit within it.
Some builders will offer allowances, upgrades or an open budget.
Allowances can amount to a budget allocated to each product category. The builder and client determine that budget based on what categories the buyer values most. For example, $10,000 might be allocated from the overall budget toward lighting, but if a buyer values lighting highly, the budget might be $25,000.
If the buyer does not use the entire allowance, that remainder is credited back for use on another product category.
Other builders may offer a standard option that’s either the lowest price or included in the price and then multiple upgrade options. At the end of the spectrum are completely a la carte selections with ultimate freedom that go toward the general, uncategorized budget.
Cost-saving tips for product selections
Deciding where to spend more money and where to save comes down to what a buyer values. Generally, the kitchen and bathrooms will be the most expensive rooms. Flooring and tile can also be pricey choices, but these also define the design style the most.
“We’ve had clients where a certain look of a countertop is important to them,” said Fry. “Factoring that in and looking to see if we’re going to spend X-amount of dollars on the countertops, are you willing to put carpet somewhere in the home?”
Selections will be a give-and-take process, like using less hardwood flooring to pay for higher-end countertops. Some experts suggest splurging on the costliest areas to update and go with simpler finishes in rooms that you can tackle later, with less fuss and muss.
“Do the things that you really want to do that would be expensive to do after the home is built … then choose your projects as you go,” said Hughes.
Lighting and plumbing fixtures, cabinets and door hardware can be easier upgrades down the line. Opting for carpet in the bedrooms instead of hardwood can also be an option.
It would be difficult to swap out flooring entirely, as it would be with kitchen cabinets and tile, but it could be easier to switch in a higher-end refrigerator or other appliance in the future.
