|
Home | About Us | Design Services | Portfolio | Contact Us | ||
| Project Beginnings A design project begins with the development of a professional relationship with you. Even the simplest of projects require definition and that starts with our engagement with you in a conversation that will help you define the goals of your project. This step is vital to ensure that there is a shared understanding of what the desired outcome is and what is possible. Once the project is defined, we assist with the preliminary development of a time schedule and budget, determine if other professionals are required to support the project, agree on the contract relationship, and then the begin the design process. Project Development The first step in the design process involves the gathering of information that is necessary to document your project. That information may include obtaining architectural plans for an existing space or a space that is under development, but not yet constructed. If your project is a remodel, the review of existing plans to check for as-built conditions is especially critical to the design process, since built space does not necessarily match available plans. If no existing plans are available, we will carefully measure the space(s) so that floor plans or elevations can be accurately prepared. Even small projects that involve only furniture, window coverings, or color selection, require accurate planning for intelligent design decisions and a successful outcome. We will also photograph existing conditions to ensure that small details are documented, eliminating the need to revisit the space. Data Collection The next step is to conduct interviews with you, your family or your organization to collect data to develop the project requirements. If you are building a new home or building out a commercial space, this data collection may be done in collaboration with your architect and contractor. While it may seem unnecessary to prepare a program for a small project such as a bedroom, living room, kitchen, or office, the requirements need to be specified, no matter the project size. This step ensures that we both share a common point of view about your goals. Questions that may be asked in interviews for a residential project include: How many people are to be seated in the family or media room? Where is privacy important in your home? Will the kitchen be used by one person or many? Are there color preferences? Do members of your family have hobbies, collections, special requirements that need to be taken into consideration? Simple projects may require only a single meeting to develop project specifications, while complex projects, such as the development of a commercial space, may require that many individuals be interviewed to can define space needs and functional support that is required. Other types of data we collect include an inventory of existing furnishings, art, and accessories to be used, as well as the development of a wish list for new furnishings, etc. Preliminary and Final Program The last step in the programming process is to develop a preliminary program that describes all the requirements of the project, data collected and analyzed, the space or spaces to be included, along with their specific function and needs. Once this preliminary program is developed, we will meet with you to review the program, so that you have an opportunity to add or subtract from what we have developed so that your plan can be finalized to become the benchmark for the design development work necessary to accomplish your goals. Design Development This is the most critical phase of our creative process. During this phase, we creatively develop the details of your project, review all the data collected and begin the design process. Quick drawings and plans are completed to study space allocations, placement of walls and openings, location of furniture, elevations and floor plans of built-ins for kitchens, baths, functional work areas, etc., so that we can evaluate patterns of movement and circulation, to ensure safety and compliance with Local and Federal Building and Energy codes, and to find ways to make everything orderly, simple and efficient, to meet your needs. Since no single way is necessarily the best, we present optional sketches and design concepts to either give you choices to consider, or to you to give you a clear idea of the creative approach being undertaken. Once the design concept is reviewed and approved by you, we finalize floor plans, furniture placement, detail cabinet elevations, trim detail, develop designs for window dressings and other soft furnishings, make material selections, select colors, finishes, fabrics, and hardware. We source furniture, accessories, art, and other products that are essential to your project. We reserve fabrics and long-lead items so that there is no question about availability and to ensure your timeline is met. We estimate costs, prepare the final design and budget, prepare a presentation and make it to you. We review the budget, make revisions if necessary, and obtain your final approval of the design concept and budget.
Project Management Once all decisions have been made, we begin to place orders, oversee construction, present control samples for finishes for your final approval, follow-up and expedite orders and deliveries of product, supervise installation and completion, develop punch list items and supervise correction, and, finally, assist with the move-in and installation of existing furniture, accessories, and other items that are being integrated into the project. Depending upon the scope of your project, on-site supervision may be required to ensure that our drawings and specifications are followed, and to confirm quality of workmanship and attention to detail. We recommend that we be included in all design and construction meetings with your architect and/or contractor, so that any design questions that arise in the field can be addressed and documented in meeting minutes to avoid any miscommunication or misunderstanding. Design details, finish samples, paint sampling, and other issues and decisions that affect your project, are usually presented and discussed at construction meetings, so it is also important that you attend those construction meetings whenever necessary. Our staff obtains finish samples, fabric memo samples and cuttings, and any other sample for your approved projects for your final sign-off before any product, fabric, etc., is ordered. Once you have approved these finish samples, fabric dyelots, product specifications, etc., the order is placed and you will be notified of the confirmed delivery date. We continue to monitor your orders until they are received by our workroom or others, and we keep you informed of our progress as your project moves along. When we are ready for installation or delivery of product, we make arrangements with our installers and movers, to receive, deliver and install the product. We then conduct a punch list walk-through to document any manufacturer defects or issues with the product, so that those issues can be quickly corrected by the manufacturer or fabricator. However carefully planned and supervised, every project includes many decisions and challenges. If issues or problems emerge, we will be ready to deal with them as quickly as possible and to make any needed changes to reach a successful resolution. Our primary goal is to make sure that we provide you excellent design, quality service and efficient project management. If we achieve that goal, the final result will be very satisfying for you and successful and comfortable for years to come. This ensures your loyalty to Dogwood, your return for future projects and the referral of friends and neighbors. |
||||
Serving Placer and Nevada Counties Since 1995 |
530 887 0600 T |
530 887 0555 F |
