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The design phase of creating a new home is filled with options – enough to make your head spin. With so many choices and directions you can take, this process can become overwhelming and difficult to manage- especially if you are unaware of all the possible decisions you might have to make in the upcoming months.

To make the process flow smoothly and reduce obstacles along the way, it helps to prepare yourself before the design process even begins. By performing an initial evaluation of your thoughts and preferences in regards to the following five areas, you’ll lay a solid foundation that will guide you through the design decision process.

Investment

Knowing your budget and how much you are willing to invest upfront will help you accurately design your new home and manage your expectations. Using this budget, your architect will be able to help incorporate your desires and functional needs in a cost-effective manner. Discuss budget concerns with your architect and how you plan to access monetary resources so that your architect can effectively meet the requirements laid out by financial institutions. With the budget in place, you can begin to explore design features in context with your anticipated final price tag.

Aspirations and Emotions

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: One of the most important things you can do when designing your home is to know what you want and why. In other words, decide what you want to accomplish by building a new home. Is it important to create a space to nurture a growing family? Do you want to create a home that features your artistic tastes? By assessing your aspirations and emotions before designing begins, you will have something to guide your choices as you move along which will make the process more fulfilling.

Sensitivity to Design

Consider just how important design is to you. Upfront, lay out any aesthetic concerns you want to be sure to address. Discuss homes that you like, spaces and design features that have caught your eye (this is the perfect time to break out your style file). Gauging your sensitivity to design will help your architect develop a design that satisfies your preferences and pleases you for many years to come.

Tolerance

The process of building a new home from start to finish can be tedious and mentally taxing. Decide if you want the final say on even the minutest decisions, or if you’d prefer to save yourself the headaches and defer to the professional judgment and knowledge of your architect. Many homeowners find that the less they are bothered with minor construction conflict, the more enjoyable the process. By gauging your tolerance level upfront, your architect will be better informed of when to involve you throughout the process.

Green Concerns

Building a new home will have an impact on the environment, and you’ll need to consider your level of “green” concern as well as what measures you’d like to take to improve sustainability. A vast selection of building materials and products provide low-impact options that are both stylish and functional. Deciding your level of concern at the beginning of the design process will allow your architect to present you with options to best meet your objectives.

It might seem daunting now, but the design process is not as bad as it seems. It all comes down to figuring out what you want and working with your architect to make it a reality. Try to focus less on the perspective of seeing yourself making tough decisions, look at it from the perspective that you are designing your future dream home.

© 2017 Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC

Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC designs custom homes to satisfy, support and sustain our client’s best life, to be an authentic expression of their site, lifestyle and culture, while remaining rooted in history and expressive of the times. For more information on Kevin or the firm go to www.kevinharrisarchitect.com.