Ancient Temples

When you think about Vietnamese architecture, you’re probably picturing the ancient Hindu inspired and Buddhist temples nestled in the mountainsides.

MySon Hindu-inspired temple near Hoi An

“Purple City” The emperor’s residence in the Imperial City in Hue

Thien Mu Pagoda, a Buddhist Temple in Hue

Monk’s house at Thien Mu in Hue

Exploring Vietnamese Architecture in Dat – La, Vietnam

Known for its mist-covered, winding roads, and booming agricultural industry, Dat La used to be a mountain getaway for the French colonists and Vietnamese royalty, which informs its architectural contrast of ornate structures with cozy mountainous style.

Yum… Vietnamese Street Markets are a Food-Lovers Dream!

Because Vietnam is hilly and moist and its structures either stand out or are hidden amongst its dense forest landscape, the architecture has to be durable to withstand incredible conditions.

The Crazy House in Dat-La Vietnam

This massive residence, now an operational hotel with 10 rooms, is known colloquially as “The Crazy House.” It truly lives up to its name and is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever see. Built by Vietnamese architect, Dang Viet Nga, who trained in Moscow, cites Dali and Guadi as her primary influences for the building which exhibits a whimsical fairy tale style with very few right angles to be found.

The Yellow Chalet: French-Vietnamese Architecture

The Yellow Chalet in the Woods is a charming French-built mountain retreat, one of many built by French settlers as second homes before they left in 1954. They were built in a Swiss chalet style with Vietnamese influence. Whole mountain towns are filled with these great architectural gems.

Royal Vietnamese Architecture: The King’s Palace 

The King’s Palace was built by a French millionaire and bought from him by the King of Vietnam. It used to be the Kong’s residence until he and his family were exiled to France.

Urban Buildings In Vietnam

Vietnamese architects often try to bring a bit of nature into Vietnam’s urban environments: As in these buildings inspired by lotus flowers and tulips.

Save 30% off ANY single item during Black Friday Weekend at The Container Store. But hurry! Offer ends Sunday.

Once you’re ready, whether you’re designing a walk-in closet or remodeling an entire kitchen, you’ll want to work with a designer or builder for the best built-in storage solutions that fit everything comfortably and are easily cleaned and maintained. Here are some ways to think about each space in your home to optimize your storage options:

Storage Tips for Walk In Closets

In your closets, include a variety of storage types for maximum functionality, avoid dust collectors, and consider including some clear-front storage for smaller items like purses, shoes, and other accessories. Don’t think of storage containers as an afterthought, they should be as much a part of the design as your built-in’s. And avoid thinking about trying to pack as many items as possible in: Though it may cut into your square footage, customize your space by prioritizing the items you use and wear most often, make them most accessible. This can be difficult to do, in the planning stages of your closet, but you will ultimately be much more satisfied by the final result.

Kitchen & Pantry

Much like designing closets, one mistake people often make in building a pantry is installing too deep of shelving. These are both spaces in which more is not necessarily more. You want to avoid having food stuck at the back, out of reach, going stale. A pantry is another great place to include some plastic or glass front storage containers so everything is easily identified. A new trend in kitchen, and specifically pantry design, is allotting storage space for small countertop appliance to be stored out of sight.

Mud & Laundry Rooms

Mud and laundry rooms are transitional spaces: indoor to outdoor, dirty to clean, and they involve a lot of foot traffic for being such small spaces. Consider how easily cleaned any materials are: You’ll want to avoid tiles that stain or containers that collect a lot of dust. Since these rooms are generally smaller than other spaces in your house, consider ways to utilize the vertical wall space, first, before moving onto storage that will take up square footage. Consider the flow of these spaces as well: Baskets and containers on wheels are particularly useful in these spaces since there is a lot of movement throughout.

Office & Media Rooms

Built-in’s are going to greatly improve the resale value of your home office, living, or media rooms, especially when it comes to ways of hiding unsightly technology and other cables that can potentially distract or ruin a gorgeous design altogether. With that said, consider what you use most frequently: You may want some storage containers to keep items easily accessible: magazine racks (that aren’t like a bottomless pit!), media consoles, credenzas, or tabletop storage like coffee table trays and desktop organizes.  

Include bold colors, install that wild printed wallpaper, play with patterns. A dining room is generally used for entertaining– let it entertain you! Read on for tips on where to save, where to splurge, and how to get creative with your dining room design:

Draw the Eye Up with a Gorgeous Ceiling

Create a gorgeous ceiling: Paint or wallpaper, include custom millwork and finish off with a stunning chandelier! This is a great place to invest to give the space some architectural detail.

Create a Beautiful Tablescape

With the winter holidays coming up, you’ll likely be using that formal dinning room to entertain family and friends more than usual and most of your guests attention will be geared towards what is ON the table, rather than around it, but it doesn’t have to cost a ton!  

For Thanksgiving table decor, check out these chic and affordable options on Amazon for a modern, rustic tablescape.

Get the right Sized Table for the Space

Flow in any room in important, especially a space that is supposed to seat so many people. You don’t want to go with the largest table you can find necessarily, you need to be sure you leave ideally about 45 inches, give or take a few inches, around the perimeter of the room as a walkway so everyone is comfortable. If your space is small, but you require more seating, consider a table with extendable leaves.

Statement Lighting & Layers

We’re fans of a gorgeous chandelier and it’s usually the centerpiece of a great dining room. Put on a dimmer for transitional, moody, controllable lighting. You’ll also want to include some lamps on a lower level to create layers. Lamps are, of course, functional as light sources, as well as beautiful sculptural objects.

Mirrors to Bounce Light

Include mirrors on the walls or reflective surfaces like metallic case goods or a glass table to bounce the light around the space.

Invest in Forever Frames

Although the dining room might be one of the least-frequented rooms in your home, it can also be one of the most expensive to design because they tend to be formal, and you need 6 or 8 or 10 or 12 chairs. You’ll want to invest in some great chairs that you can always recover or cover with slipcovers when you want to redesign and change up styles.

Create Some Cozy

In a formal dining room, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating a sterile, off-putting space that you don’t necessarily want to spend time in. Avoid making the space too cold by adding some cozy textiles and colors: Invest in a great area rug in a fun print or warm colors.

Showcase a Collection

Have a gorgeous dishware collection that gets used once a year (if at all)? Or ample wine bottles in need of storage? Or some fabulous art? A dining room can be a great mini-museum! Find some great showcase storage like bookshelves or use the existing wall space.

Fill It With Life

Plants, flowers: Including natural elements always makes a space more inviting. Not only do they make the space feel more lived in, they also help to purify the air. 

Lighting is decorative, yes, but it’s also a practical necessity in every home.

When you’re picking out lighting for your home, you’ll want to think like a designer: think of lighting a room in three layers: The first layer is your general or ambient light, this is the source for most of the light in a room. Secondly, think about the smaller sections, or vignettes in your rooms where you’ll need task lighting. These are spaces where you may find yourself reading, cleaning, cooking, applying makeup, etc. Lastly, think about lighting as decorative accents– these are more architectural light sources that serve as much decorative purpose as plants or art, while still illuminating the space. Read on for more specific tips about choosing lighting for every room in your home:

Bathrooms

Bathroom lighting is all about flattering lighting!

In lighting your bathroom, it’s best to avoid overhead sconces because they cast shadows on your face making you appear tired, giving you big bags under your eyes. Op’t instead for sconces, which should be wall mounted at the same level as your face, typically that measures 66” from the floor, with one on each side of the mirror. This direct and balanced light on your face which will make you look your best. For an ambient night light, undercounter light strips allow you to see without turning on the lights full blast. This is great for those midnight bathroom breaks.

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting is all about tasks and efficiency!

The kitchen is the heart of the home and needs the most variety of light for cooking, cleaning and just showing off, so you’ll want to use a variety of task and ambient lights. This includes under cabinet (at the counter and floor level, recessed lights, or ceiling mounted fixtures like Chandeliers or Pendants above island).

While cooking and cleaning, having overhead and under cabinet lighting will help you see what you’re doing. The under cabinet light strip will add more light to the work surface of the counter.  Without them, sometimes the cabinets cast a shadow on the counter making it difficult to see what you’re doing and you could chop your finger off.  (Trust me, I’ve done that! But it was also after a bloody mary, so…. Perhaps that’s a story for a separate blog post on kitchen safety!)  

And when you’re not in the kitchen, keeping the under cabinet LED light strip, inner cabinet with glass doors, and Island lights on dim, allows the kitchen to be the highlight of the home: a star even while it’s in the background. A natural approach is to center the sink between 2 windows for natural light along with installing a can light or pendant directly above the sink so you can see what you’re doing when cleaning dishes.

Dining Room

Dining room lighting is where you are encouraged to bring on the drama!

This is a room where you’ll want your lighting on controllable dimers. Beautiful lighting from a chandelier will cast gorgeous light on dinner guests so that everyone looks stunning. Wall sconces, and decorative mirrors will also help to bounce dimmed light around the room.

Living Rooms

Think about lightning living rooms to transition from day to night.

Although it’s popular, we’re not a big fan of multiple recessed can lights in rooms, because they can make a ceiling look like swiss cheese.  Again, it’s best to think in layers of lighting.  Floor lamps, table lamps, chandelier, ambient like a reading lamp, directional plant lighting, or art lights.

Consider how much natural light sources might come from the windows, candles, or the fireplace as well. And much like in the dining room, chandeliers are great for bouncing light up and off the ceiling rather than casting light directly on someone’s face casting shadows.  

Bedrooms

Think soft, subtle, and simple lighting in the bedroom.

Nightstand lamps or hanging pendants on either side of the bed, a chandelier above the bed. In closets, choose lighting above the rods or inside the cabinetry. Op’t for either a pretty pendant, ceiling mounted fixture, or recessed lighting.

Focal Points, Hallways, and Stairs

Lighting for navigation!

In choosing lighting, think like caveman: Light is the source that helped them navigate in the right direction, towards safety. If you have a long hallway, have a light at the end. If you have beautiful art, light it in a way that will highlight its depth of color. If you have stairs, make sure the steps are lit to prevent anyone from accidentally falling.

Landscape

Think of lighting in terms of distance – the house or close to the house, mid range and street level. Don’t forget to light the street numbers so visitors can see your address. Consider uplights on plants and trees, path lights to guide guests from the street to the front door, wall sconces around the perimeter (perhaps, on motion sensor), front door chandelier or sconces on each side of front door.

Entry

First impressions are everything. Make it big and bold, illuminate the entryway. If you have a tall ceiling with a window above the door, hang a chandelier so it’s completely visible from the exterior.

A Couple Lighting Terms You Should Know:

LED Lighting

Use warm white light, staying away from anything that feels unnatural with a cold blue undertone to it.

Dimmers

Dimmers are great. They save energy and offer flexibility in bright lighting for cleaning and working, or low ambient lighting.

1. Plan Appropriately

Budget, design, and schedule ahead of time. You don’t want to get impatient and dive in head first, or you’ll inevitably find yourself overwhelmed and over-budget! With that said, you do want to be flexible. Various issues often arise throughout the design-build process, which we wrote about in a separate post here.

2. Prioritize

Separate ‘wants’ and ‘needs.’ Some home improvement projects are purely for vanity’s sake, which is fine, but don’t prioritize these over those that will improve the function of your space.

3. Keep a Contingency

Keep a realistic contingency (will vary based on the scope and age of your home) 7%-10%. If you don’t use it, you don’t lose it – buy new furniture or go on vacation from renovating your home.

4. Test for Toxins

Before beginning any home renovation, you’ll want to have your contractor test for lead and asbestos. 

5. Think Outside

Don’t forget the outside of your home! Add some curb appeal with some custom landscaping and utilize your outdoor space as a living space. Outdoor kitchens and living rooms are among the most in-demand outdoor renovations. We wrote all about how you can revamp your outdoor space here.

6. Small Facelift Vs. Major Overhaul

It is tempting to want to do everything at once and get a little overzealous in doing so. Realize when something just needs a small facelift instead of a complete redo. Consulting with a designer or general contractor can help you figure this out, which can save you lots of time and money in the long run.

7. Take Your Time

Do it right – don’t rush things and cut the wrong corners by doing things like buying cheap materials that won’t stand the test of time. Consult with your general contractor who can help you come up with a realistic timeline for your renovation.

8. Add Value

Consider what is adding value to your home. Adding a pool in your backyard may be tempting, but it’s more likely that kitchen or bath renovation will better increase the value of your home, if renovating is all about getting return on your investment.

9. Think Long-Term

Part of adding value to a home is making sure it’s built to last! You don’t want to be too trendy – think classic in terms of style and materials, especially if you’re renovation with reselling your home in mind.  

10. Hire a Great Team!

Home renovations can be incredibly stressful when you try to do it all yourself. Leave it to a professional but make sure you’re hiring the perfect contractor for the job. We wrote all about how to vet your general contractor before you hire them in a separate blog post here.

1. How is the Space Being Used?

Just like designing the inside of a home, determining the primary use of the space will help guide all of the design choices. So consider how you are going to use the space. A place for kids to play? Pets that need a secured area to run around? A space for entertainment? A more intimate space? Privacy? Sun vs. Shade?

2. Start with a Focal Point

Your focal point(s) which can be anything from a large statue to a small bench or gate. From there, work outwards: consider your walk ways. These paths can be a fun place to play with materials and curves.

3. Take Your Time

Don’t rush the process. Rushing through landscaping leads to sloppy mistakes, a hodgepodge look, and dead plants. It is better to divide and conquer and do little bits at a time to create a pulled together look. This will allow you to focus on the intimate spaces and create something you really love that works with the environment.

4. Listen to Mother Nature

Consider your environment first and know what mother nature will allow you to do. You don’t want to plant a bunch of beautiful shrubs, only to find out later that they won’t survive the climate. Be sure to do lots of research based upon the environment you live in ahead of time!

5. Be Strategic

Strategically place plants to provide shade in some areas of the yard or the house to reduce energy use in the hot summer months, provide privacy from neighbors, and hide ugly things like AC units and deck support systems. Make the most out of what you choose! Consider things that will serve multiple functions (like a tree to provide shade, serve as a backdrop for something, and grows fruit!) Divide the yard up into spaces (in planning and incorporate that into the setup with hedges or pathways) to create more interest and intimacy.

6. Add Visual Interest

For smaller houses: consider tall trees to draw your eye up. Plant bolder colored plants closer up and lighter/ pastel colors farther away to give a sense of depth. And play with scale! It adds more interest to the eye. Repeat elements (color, texture, shape, etc) throughout the yard to create cohesion. This can be done with flowers, plants, and non-plant materials such as the materials of the patio or deck. Which reminds us…

7. Don’t Forget About the Non-Plants!

Most people get carried away with plants when they think of landscaping and forget about non plant materials such as decks, patios, pots, etc. These can make a huge impact. Incorporating lighting so you can enjoy your space at night is also incredibly important as well! Do just enough to guide through the yard/garden and keep with the ambiance. Solar power lights to line walk ways are a great way to do this. And string lights add charm to your gathering spaces.

If you’re more of an inside person, maybe an indoor garden is more your speed: Check out our partners at Lori Dennis Inc’s comprehensive guide to Indoor Plants–find out which are the most low-maintenance and the benefits of each here.

Keeping It Cool

Advancements in home and design technology are making it easier than ever to go green. Window shades like the Lutron Smart Shades are controlled wirelessly and are also sensitive to heat and brightness levels indoor and out for the ultimate shade, which helps keep cooling costs down. Similarly the Nest Learn Thermostat automatically adjusts itself with the season and promises to pay for itself by saving homeowners up to 20% in cooling costs.

For convenience, the iHome ISP5 Smartplug or apps like the Apple Homekit enable homeowners to control the temperature of their home from afar. Your home can be adjusted to the perfect, comfortable temperature before you even get home from work! The Lutron Caseta Wireless system works similarly to lower the shades in your home from your phone.

Safe Smart House

It’s now easier than ever to protect your family and home from invasion with alarm systems like the iSmartAlarm, which comes with window sensors, door sensors, motion detectors, and cameras. Users can control the system via an app that also has the option to monitor and control a home’s lighting, thermostat, and smoke detectors. Or First Alert Onelink systems, which includes Wi-Fi enabled smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a smartwatch, and a smart tracker for personal items like keys, a Wi-Fi safe, and a Wi-Fi programmable thermostat — all compatible with Apple’s HomeKit system and can be controlled via your iPhone.

Nearly everything in your home can be controlled and kept safe by your phone: the Kevo Smart Lock, for example, enables keyless entry to your home, using your iphone as a key. And with the August Lock and Door Bell Camera, see who’s knocking at your door from your iPhone screen.

Smart Kitchens

Refrigerator technology has come a long way, if you can believe it! The LG Mega Capacity French Door Fridge is aesthetically charming and makes food last longer by sensing humidity levels inside. The Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator includes a smart screen for busy family schedules and grocery lists and can even take pics of food on the inside so you know what you need at the grocery store.

Smart Bathrooms

Smart shower features like the Moen Smart Shower allow homeowners to control digital elements from the outside of the shower, including preset buttons enabling more than one homeowner to program desired water temperatures for a personalized shower. New digital tub fillers feature hidden speakers that emit sound waves, which envelop and gently resound within the body to calm and soothe, while a heated surface with three heat settings customize the surface temperature  for spa-like relaxation. Talk about taking your bubble bath to the next level!

Smart Garage

The Chamberlain Whisper Drive with wifi capability has a quiet, motor that can pull all garage doors, control the lights in your garage and is the only all-in-one option on the market! The Lyftmaster MYQ Universal Smartphone Wifi garage door opener is an affordable alternative, but includes less features.

HGTV 2017 Smart Home| Photo By: Brian Rozar/Auto Imaging Inc

Smart Laundry Room

Smart laundry washer and dryers like the LG Smart Thinq or the Whirlpool Smart Washers with Six Sense Live, can control loads from afar, let you know when a load is done, and even detect when detergent is running low.

Smart Controls

Need a butler? Smart home systems like the Amazon Echo, the Wink Hub, or the extremely affordable Google Home all come pretty close! Acting as your digital personal assistant or house manager, these systems can do everything from controlling lighting, playing your favorite music, or sync all of your personal devices.

The materials you choose to install in your home are a big factor in both the aesthetic and function of the design of your home. Porcelain, glass, natural stone, marble, ceramic, all have different advantages and disadvantages that come into play based upon budget, location, and how they are used.

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Choosing Tile for Bathrooms: Go for the Grip!

When choosing tile for your bathroom and shower floors, an aspect of tile you should take into consideration is its viscosity (how slippery or not the surface is). In areas like the bathroom (especially the shower) use an anti-slip tile or smaller application tile with more grout lines as a safety measure. The shower floor could use even smaller pieces of tile or mosaic where the grout will offer more grip.

In one of our Aging in Place / ADA / Accessible Living projects, we used small mosaic tile on the entire bathroom floor that continued seamlessly into the shower without using a curb, (which can be challenging for those who have a hard time lifting their foot or leg.)

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Choosing Tile for Kitchens: Backsplash and Walls

Backsplash and Bathroom Walls are a great opportunity to have fun and make a statement — Go for color, 3-D texture, rough stone, or antique glass.

Although you’ll still want to be careful about the placement: We had a project where we installed large slabs of antique mirror for a kitchen backsplash. Although the client was careful while cooking, their cleaning crew was not and had banged pots against the wall and broke the glass. We replaced the large glass with smaller bricks of glass and did the same for another project.

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Choosing Tile for Outdoor Spaces

Something to consider in choosing outdoor tile is its UV resistance. If you’re going for natural stone, a non-polished finish would be a better choice to install around pool deck or a walkway with greater exposure to rain and other elements. Chlorine and salt can do damage to stone tile, so, in general, we recommend trying to avoid this type of tile! Instead of stone, op’t for a porcelain tile.

Glass and glazed porcelain make for awesome pool tile material. Glass is the most popular pool tile, but also the most expensive. If you choose this tiling, be sure to select an iridescent color for the shimmering results! Mosaic tiles are another great idea, as it gives the designers some creative flexibility when it comes to installing the tile.

And don’t forget: When installing tile outdoors and around pools, chemical resistant grout is a must! And to prevent powder staining, you will also want to make sure that your installer is using a grout release.

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Where Does Tile Come From?

Last, but not least, let’s talk about the tile’s country of origin. You can get the same tile at $2/sqft from China, $8/sqft from Israel or $15/sq. ft. from Italy. Most of the time, country of origin is a good indication of the quality of the stone, (and telling your guests that your powder room walls are “Italian marble” can be so satisfying!)

A classic pool with coping that matches the hardscape, makes the pool as an integral part of the backyard. Timeless, blue, water-edge tiles and light color plaster will keep this traditional pool looking fresh and refreshing for decades.

Lighting & Sound in the Pool: Real Housewife of OC Shannon Beador’s Newport Coast Home

Pool lights are in important part of the pool design. A pool is an expensive landscaping feature and should be lit properly to take advantage of the beautiful design (In addition to the safety aspect).

Dive much? underwater speakers are all the rage at parties, sound travels well underwater and it is really cool to dive to your favorite tunes. Sites and sounds will amplify your pool design and make it a showcase in your backyard, day or night!

1. Securing Permits

The contractor is responsible for pulling the permits and obtaining the Certificate of Occupancy. There has to be a clear plan already in tact before the contractor can even ask for a permit. They have to submit any existing plans and the construction documents where the new plan is designed to obtain a permit. So there is a lot that goes in before this step to make sure the plan is what the buyer wants and then permits are given once a plan review is completed. The contractor will have to submit a permit application, a permit fee, and construction documents. Obtaining a permit can take a day or up to several weeks. Scenarios that you would need a permit: new construction or additions, alterations made to a building, certain types of repairs, etc. Obtaining the Certificate of Occupancy means that all the codes are met and the space is move-in ready.

2. Ordering Building Materials

Choosing materials that are suitable for the use and safe are the top priority, ie flooring used in a bathroom should be the right type for the application- waterproof, slip resistant, and not just “pretty”. The next critical concern is affordability. Does the material selected reflect your budget? For example, you don’t want to run out of money before completing your purchase because you went overboard on the most expensive tile. In our most successful projects there is communication early between the homeowner, the design team, and the contractor to ensure that the materials being selected fit into the budget and the application of the materials is in line with the budget. Don’t be fooled by an inexpensive price per square foot for material if the installation cost per square foot is outside of your budget.

3. Demo

This stage is quick, but messy! It’s exciting because this is the first thing you can actually see happening. Up to this point, everything else has been happening behind the scenes. The demolition process is noisy, so make sure any surrounding neighbors are made aware ahead of time! This part of the process, however crazy, is not mindless: there are extensive plans that have to be drawn up for this part of the process too. You won’t want to try to go at it alone and DIY. Though it seems straightforward and cost-effective, it’s more complex than you may think. It takes an experienced team to know what to keep and what to throw out.

In a remodel, you want to be extra cautious about what needs to be demolished. Communicate this clearly to the designer and builder, and have a clear system set up with duct tape or spray paint that directs the builders.

Let’s break this section down even further in steps: 1) Building and structural surveying (so the team knows what they’re dealing with); 2) Removal of hazardous materials (such as asbestos). This has to be done by a specialized team prior to completing demolition. 3) Make demolition plans which include: structural support systems, methods to be used, sequence, location,etc. 4) Finally, demolition!

If you are still going to utilize an existing space rather than building from scratch: be aware that you may discover skeletons hiding in the closet that you’ll find during this phase which could lead to cost increases. It is also a good time to sort out all of the problems your property may have accumulated over the years and do it right this time. Listen to the contractor who is tell you to “consider this…” because s/he probably knows what they are talking about.

4. Rough Construction

This is the phase where frames of walls, the electrical conduit, plumbing pipes, and ductwork are put into the house. Nothing is necessarily hooked up yet. During rough construction, you’ll begin to see rooms start to form and how they relate to each other. The frames of doors, windows, and floors are done usually with exterior siding in place. Frame inspections are necessary to check out the frame from inside the structure and the building materials. Separate inspections are made for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical; however, they can happen at the same time (preferable). There’s typically a rough-in inspection during this phase and then a final inspection once they’re all hooked up. The designer will probably be present here and there throughout this phase to make sure everything is lining up as planned and to approve. This is also a good time for and red flags to be raised from the client or designer. Fix whatever it is now before you get further in the process where it will cost more time and money. 

5. Installing Finish Materials

Getting closer! Finish materials will be picked out by the designer and approved by you. This phase is not just about aesthetics, there are codes that have to be complied with as well. Most codes are concerned with commercial spaces when it comes to this phase, but there are still some that are relevant for residential. This designer will worry about all of that though. During this phase, there should be someone checking in to make sure there were not any miscommunications/mistakes in the ordering process, and that everything is being installed properly. Things that were considered in the design process (like the installation patterns of things like tile) are being implemented. During this process, you’ll begin to see the layout coming together.

During this phase, you want to think about practicality: Think about grout, for example: White grout gets superrrrrr dirty, or do you need to choose a trim? (solid slab is the only time where you wouldn’t need a trim)

During this phase, designers and contractors monitor installation techniques, tile especially. You want an experienced team to lay down tile or else it will be bumpy and uneven. Make sure that no one get’s lazy on things like starting in the middle of the room so the flooring is centered.

6. Punch List

You don’t have to worry much about the punch list — this is for the designer to make and worry about, but it’s good to know about as the punch list is an imperative part of the process. A punch list is important because it is a compilation of smaller details that may be overlooked without the help of a seasoned professional. As is life, nothing will ever be 100% perfect on install day, so the punch list is made to ensure anything that needs to be refined will be. It’s a great system for managing expectations. It defines all items that need to be addressed before final occupancy. An actual punch list will need to be created so that all of the different people working on your home with you have a clear vision of what is left to do. It is exciting that everything is coming to a completion, but still take special note during this phase on things like trims that don’t match up, a door that might not close properly, or missing hardware. Then, it is the subcontractors job to actually get the things on the list done. This is the meticulous final task to delivering a successful project.

7. Payment

It’s likely that your contractor will document a payment schedule in the contract. Review it and make sure that you are comfortable with the terms and are able to secure financing or have funds available. Not paying on time can and usually does result in slowing down your project. If trades and sub-contractors are not paid, they will leave your job and work on other projects.

8. Lien

Liens are issued if you don’t pay the people who did the work in a timely manner. This is their way of getting you to pay what you owe. If a subcontractor isn’t paid, they file a claim. Think of the lien as a kind of the warning phase before a lawsuit. With a lien, you also cannot sell your property without a clear title (this would be a reason your title wouldn’t be clear).

What will happen if there is a change in the scope of work?

When the scope changes the process starts with what is called a “change order.” Change orders are a reality throughout projects because it’s likely you’ll change your mind about

what you want, add things or the project or financing takes a turn. Have a very clear clause in your contract about how the contractor will record, handle and bill for the change orders.

What happens if the construction goes past the stated finish date?

Construction is a business with many moving factors and unfortunately, this happens more often than not. There should be very specific parameters in the contract about a completion date and the rewards for hitting that target. It’s important to keep in mind that there are factors that are totally outside of the contractor’s control. It’s important that your contractor stays in communication with you about any unexpected delays or issues so you can work together on a realistic adjusted completion date. It is frustrating to wait, but much better to do it right the first time, as opposed to rushing and receiving an inferior project.

When It’s All Over

Much like a traditional fairy tale, you never see after happily ever after on design shows– they always end with the room reveal and neglect to show you the clean up and process for once a job is complete. So you’ll want to ask…

What is the procedure for waste? Does your contractor take the waste to a dump?

Agree before you begin on what the disposal process will be and who is responsible for the costs.

Are you interested in recycling or donating some items?

While we always advocate for recycling materials, it is generally a more expensive process that just throwing away old materials and appliances.

What kind of documentation will I receive when the project is done?

When a project is completed, a certificate of occupation will generally be granted. When payment in full is made, you receive a lien release. A lien release is issued when a customer has paid a contractor (and his sub contractors) in full. The contractor can no longer place a lien on the property for work performed and not paid for. You may want an operation manual for the home’s systems and technology and a well marked electrical panel. You should agree with your contractor on what will be provided and add it to the contract prior to beginning the job.