ks studio design process

One of my most frequent asked questions from just about everyone is: “what all do you do?” / “What all are you apart of?” And my answer is usually: “everything you will let me be a part of!”

The building process in most cases can be stressful and decision making exhausting. At KS Studio we’ve broken down the design process into fourteen steps that outline what all we take part of helping guide you through a start to finish, turn-key experience, in an effort to make it a fun experience. 

step one.

Meet together either over phone or in person to define the scope.

This helps us know how much involvement you want KS Studio to be a part of.

We also evaluate the team. Who is the architect? Who is the contractor?

If you don’t know these answers we make recommendations based on timing of the project, scope, design, and budget point you want to try to hit. 

step two.

Let’s get the boring part out of the way! Once the contract and retainer are finalized … we get to work! 

step three.

We love to get started in the very beginning of the project. Once you have the property we like to be a part of forming the team and coordinating with the architect.

As many meetings necessary, we like to be involved with the architect, bouncing ideas off each other and coordinating both our visions so that they align with your direction.

We take the architect’s plans and review them as it relates to function of how you describe to us how you use your spaces as well as overall design, keeping it consistent throughout the home. 

step four.

Kick off aesthetic meeting.
One of my favorite meetings as this is the first time that we start touching actual finishes I see fit for the direction the architect is going.

Along with the finishes we bring to the table LOTS of images of cabinetry, lighting, flooring details…etc. to help us define the overall vibe you are wanting in your home.

This is very important as we springboard off the “yes” pile into making actual selections. 

step five.

Define preliminary budget.

KS Studio teams up with the contractor to prepare for approval the overall construction budget.

There are several of those items in the construction budget provided by KS Studio that we provide the numbers so that you have one total cost. Those items include:

  • Furniture, finishes, & equipment

  • Decorative lighting

  • Tile

  • Cabinetry Hardware

  • Window treatments (ie. shades & drapery)

  • Wall treatments (ie. wall covering & plaster)

  • Bathroom mirrors

  • Bathroom hardware (ie. towel bars, hooks, toilet paper holders) 

step six.

Get detailed with the Floor plans!

Once the architect’s plans are final, KS Studio then creates

  • Furniture Plans

  • Finish Flooring Plans (where does the hardwood go? carpet? tile? … etc)

  • Reflective ceiling plan (lighting locations, ceiling treatments, changes in ceiling heights for aesthetic purposes) 

step seven.

Select architectural details. These include:

  • window package. Which brand to proceed with? What finishes?

  • Stair design

  • Fireplace surrounds as well as the firebox inserts

step eight.

Now the fun part! The part when you really start feeling like you will actually build the house. When we start selecting finishes. This includes but not limited to:

  • Flooring: hardwood, carpet, gym flooring, tile & grout

  • Walls: paint, wall covering, plaster, tile & grout, moulding

  • Ceiling: paint, paneling, plaster, moulding

  • Exterior: stone, pavers, wood, fascia, metal

step nine.

Select fixtures & appliances. We meet at the contractor’s preferred vendor and select plumbing fixtures and appliances.

In this step we also select the decorative lighting, bathroom mirrors and bathroom accessories (ie towel bars, hooks, toilet paper holders). 

step ten.

After a little bit of time on our end without meetings KS Studio works to compile all of the detailed drawings. This includes:

  • Plumbing rough-valve locations

  • Electrical junction locations

  • Cabinetry elevations

  • Moulding details

  • Tile drawings

step eleven.

Now the time to check our preliminary budget. All of the work we’ve done together so far gets sent out for bids to check our preliminary budget numbers. After we get pricing back we reconvene and decide where we need to value engineer and where we feel comfortable moving forward on. 

step twelve.

One of the best parts is furniture procurement. We work side by side with the client going through each room, insuring there are no surprises. If there are any previously purchased pieces that need to be incorporated into the package, we also consider the best location for those. 

step thirteen.

As the home is being constructed, KS Studio and the client finalize the cabinetry details with the mill shop, select cabinetry hardware once the cabinetry drawings have been confirmed, and walk the slab yards to hand select the exact slab to use per location. In addition to selecting the slab, KS Studio will confirm all edge profiles per area to create a unique home. 

step fourteen.

The building process! I love being on site and working hand in hand with the contractor and his subs. There is a great energy when all the hard work of design is coming to life! I meet with the framer to insure all the details are being implicated like the shower niches. I also meet with the electrician to insure all wires are being pulled to our decorative lighting locations as well as locating exact junction locations.

Occasionally we meet together on site and sometimes I am just with the contractor.

All of our process makes it possible to smoothy get to the finish line and install your furniture package!