great big job, great client

rouge is working on a great big, new job with a great client!

We’re helping a client who is in the process of building a new house built. It’s going up fast and it’s a turn-key, large home on a beautiful lot. This means that the home is built in a very streamlined manner. The builder and their suppliers are like a well-oiled machine. There are many “standard” features and sometimes there is a limited selection of choices on certain things. But, there are many, many decisions to make and lots of deadlines to juggle.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Just because it’s a “turn-key” home built by the builder who is building all of the homes in that area, doesn’t mean it can’t be unique and interesting. rouge’s client is indeed an individual with very clear and specific tastes. It’s important for him to carefully consider all the options available now, so he ends up with a wonderful home that reflects his lifestyle, his tastes and his style – not the builder’s tastes.

rouge was hired to help with this big challenge. Where to choose from the packaged options and where to splurge? When choosing from the packaged options, how to make the best choice that will fit with the overall design of the house we’re trying to achieve? When splurging, what are the requirments that effect the build?What and where is the best use of what’s available? Can we use some of the kitchen cabinet allowance to make a really cool vanity for one of the bathrooms? Where do we incur extra costs to include some strategically placed directional pot lights to highlight the incredible artwork that will be in the home?

And on and on it goes…

From flooring to fixtures to lighting to choosing wall colors…it’s all got to be done at the same time. Which is right now. And it’s all got to be done in an efficient manner so that when the builder gets rolling, everyone is on the EXACT same page. Did I mention that’s for the foyer, kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry room, mud room, hallway, three bedrooms and three bathrooms?

Imagine the work site when the contractor, drywaller, electrician, plumber, etc, etc, etc, get their direction. And we’ve asked for small, but important changes in a lot of areas that they are not familiar with because “it’s not the way it’s usually done”. It might be messy.

It’s October and the lot hasn’t been cleared yet. Move in date is at the end of January. Enough said??

It’s definitely going to be wonderful when all is done, though.

Having a good relationship with a client is incredibly important — especially on a job like this. It’s critical to be able to listen, to clearly communicate with each other, to carefully consider all options, but be decisive on the overall design direction, and to understand each other so you can take a team approach to making the ultimate vision a reality. It’s the only way to be productive on a great, big job like this one.

And you never know, rouge just might be having a whole lot of fun doing it!

Stay tuned for more tales (and pictures) to come…