Turning Your House into a Home at StyleCraft's Design Studio

Choosing a homesite, picking a floor plan, handling the paperwork… all important steps in the StyleCraft homebuilding process. But once the initial logistics are out of the way, many of our homeowners start to look forward to the Design Studio Selection Experience. As they should, because that’s when things really start to get fun! At the Design Studio, our Expressions and Freestyle Homeowners get to bring their vision to life. With a variety of different styles and finishes to choose from, you’ll create a home that’s uniquely yours, inside and out. 

If you’re new to the new construction process, or even if you’ve built with another builder in the past, we bet you have some questions. We put together answers to some of the common things we get asked about the process below. 

Q: When do I visit the Design Studio for my Selections Process?

Our Expressions and Freestyle homeowners visit the Design Studio at least twice during the building process. 

First, after you’ve completed your Purchase Agreement, you’ll attend a Structural Confirmation meeting. The primary objective of this meeting is to confirm some of the structural details of your home prior to breaking ground. However, you’ll also meet your New Home Design Consultant at this meeting, who will work you throughout the home design process. Your Design Consultant can show you around the StyleCraft Design Studio at this initial meeting to help you get a lay of the land. By taking a look around early on in the process, you can get the wheels turning about what design options and styles appeal to you (well before it’s crunch time and you have to decide.) 

You’ll come back to the Design Studio later in the building process for Design Selections. This is the appointment that most people get excited about because this is when you’ll make all of the interior and exterior design choices. After this visit, our Trade Partners will incorporate your selections into your new home!

Q: How do I know what design features come included in my new home?

We’ll break this down for you pretty early on, before you sign your Purchase Agreement. Each community has an Included Features list that will lay out what features come included with each home. Your New Home Sales Consultant will review this information with you and you can ask any questions you might have. Typically, there’s a base offering of options that come standard with your home. In many cases, you can upgrade to a different color or finish for an additional cost if you have your heart set on something specific. 

Q: Do I make the selections on my own, or is someone there to assist me?

Don’t worry, we won’t throw you into the deep end! Even if you have a really clear direction of what selections you plan to make, you’re not expected to be a fully-fledged interior designer. Whether you have a general idea of the look you want, or you don’t know where to start, your New Home Design Consultant will be available to advise you as much, or as little, as you want. They’re experts at helping homebuyers create a cohesive aesthetic from the front porch to the back door and everything in between, all while being conscious of any budget constraints.

Q: How do I prepare for the Design Studio selections experience?

It’s probably been a while since you’ve done homework, but that’s just what we recommend! After you visit the Design Studio for your initial Structural Confirmation meeting, jot down a couple of notes about what things caught your eye and what things you want to look more into. For example, you’ll notice we have a wall of faucets at the Design Studio — that’s probably something you haven’t given much thought to before! It’s helpful to start paying attention to what options are available and doing a little digging on the benefits and drawbacks of each choice.

It’s also important to have a solid grasp of your budget. In many cases, your pre-approval amount will be part of the equation here. Because different design selections have different costs, we find that it’s helpful to think through your “must-haves” and your “nice-to-haves.” For instance, maybe you’ve been dying for that farmhouse sink and fancy granite, but you’d be happy to pick a more cost-effective flooring option. 

Q: How do I compile my ideas for my design style before my Design Studio Selections Appointment?

This boils down to figuring out what you like! You can do some brainstorming in advance by creating Pinterest Boards or by scrolling through design accounts on Instagram. Or, grab a few home décor magazines and get busy earmarking and circling some of the finishes that jump out at you. This helps you hone in on what you like, what you don’t like, and what elements you think might fit your lifestyle. 

As your Design Studio Selections Appointment approaches, you’ll get access to our online “Design Studio Manager.” It’s an interactive tool that lets you browse through each of the categories that you’ll be exploring during your in-person visit to the Design Studio. You can select your favorite choice in each category within the online platform. All of your favorited selections will then be sent to your New Home Design Consultant, so they have an idea of your design aesthetic before you even come in for your Selections Appointment. You and your New Home Design Consultant will then discuss your favorites, compare them to other options, and make the final selections in the Design Studio. 

The bottom line? We’re there for you every step of the way. Our Expressions and Freestyle Homeowners get to be very involved in the look of their new home, but we have a streamlined system to guide you through the process so that you get to focus on the fun part – picking your favorite finishes and Living Up in your new home.