Designing or renovating a home or office can feel daunting. From structural soundness to color choices, the list of things that have to be addressed can get pretty long. But having a professional on hand to help you address your challenges or bring your idea to life really makes all the difference. With that in mind, one of the most common questions first-time clients have is:

Q: What should I bring to my first appointment with my architect?

A: Almost whatever you want!

Existing blueprints or plans - if you have current blueprints or plans of your home or professional space, bring them. It helps us know what the structure of the building is underneath, which will allow us to make the best suggestions and give the most sound advice as to how to make your design dreams a reality.

A basic idea - you don’t have to have a fully articulated idea of what you want, but some basic ideas help. Is there a certain style or look you are going for? Do you have a certain goal you want to achieve with your building or renovation project - for example, do you want more natural light in your house, or would you like your office look to be more current? Even a few catch phrases to describe your goals will help us get started on the design process. “Colonial inspired, but modern” may sound vague but it’s a lot better than, “It’s hard to explain what I want...” You don’t need to have all the details ironed out, you just need to tell us where to start, which brings us to...

Examples of your taste - a good architect and designer does not force their goals or tastes on you, they help you bring your own style to life! So, help us understand what you’re looking for. Did you see a picture in a magazine that showed your dream kitchen? Show us. Have you found a catalog that has furniture pieces and fixtures that you’d like to incorporate into the finished office? Bring it in. Can you envision the exact color you want the walls to be, or the kind of wood you want to use? Hand over a swatch or a sample. Bring in a binder full of torn out pages or craft some Pinterest boards. The more examples you can show us of the things you like and the look you’re hoping to achieve, the better we’ll be able to craft a design that exactly matches your style.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be, that’s why you’re coming in to meet with us! Our job is to make it as easy and uncomplicated as possible to design and create the changes you envision. We promise, it’s a lot less intimidating than you think, and just a little preparation will get you the space you want.

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