How to Prepare for Your Consultation in the DesignQ

We understand that one of the most exciting parts of buying a brand new home is getting to choose everything that goes into it, and our priority is to ensure that you’re happy with the outcome. That’s why we’ve put together a list of things you can do in order to prepare yourself for your appointment with one of our Certified Interior Decorators in the DesignQ. During this appointment, you will solidify your plans and choose all of your interior and exterior colour selections. Being prepared is key!

Why Should You Prepare

When you purchase a home with Broadview, you receive a 3-hour personal consultation with one of our Certified Interior Decorators. During this appointment, you are choosing everything from shingles to stucco colour, flooring, cabinets, backsplashes, and everything in between. It may seem like 3 hours is more than enough time to get it all done and signed, but it can fly by before you know it. If you’re prepared going into it, it will be a breeze when it comes to making the final decision, and you can rest assured knowing you’ll leave the appointment feeling confident that you made the right choice.

Visit Show Homes

A great way to get an idea of what you would like is to visit show homes. You’ll see details that you may not have considered, such as upper cabinets with glass inserts, or having your kitchen island a different colour, style or finish than the cabinets lining the walls. You may even surprise yourself by what you find that you like. Maybe you thought warm brown cabinets would look awful next to the stark black feature in the center, or that patchwork tile would look horrendous on the wall, but standing in the space, you actually like the final result. When you visit a show home, you’ll be able to see the whole picture, and how the design and décor ties everything together. Whether you like the look or not, you’ll be able to narrow down what you’re looking for after the visit.

Do Some Research

There are many options available to find inspiration for what you want your dream home to look like. A good place to start is online. Whether you’re looking for a neutral design or something unique, you’re sure to find it on the internet. Houzz and Pinterest are great options, where you can create an account and save the photos you like, making them easily accessible when it comes to choosing your products in the DesignQ.

DesignQ Open House

The DesignQ Design Center holds an open house every Thursday where you can come in and take a look around at all of the product that is being offered. The Design Center itself is over 4,000 square feet, so we highly recommend taking advantage and coming at least once before your scheduled appointment – there is a lot to take in! In our opinion, the more times you visit beforehand, the better. During the open house, you’ll be able to chat with one of our Design Consultants. They can give you more information on products, the benefits or any possible drawbacks, and assist you in narrowing down the selections you’re interested in. 

The DesignQ Open House is designed for you to get a good idea of what products and colours you want in your home, with the information to back your decisions. By narrowing down your selections beforehand, you may find that you’ll have an easier time when it comes to making the final selections during your appointment.

Write It Down

Whether you are out and about viewing show homes, or checking out the product in the DesignQ, be sure to take note and/or a picture of what you like. If you can, find the name of the product on the sample, or ask a sales agent to help you out if you found something you love in a show home (knowing the address of the show home is also helpful!). If you know the name, or at the very least, the style of the product you’re looking for, it’ll make for an easier time for your Design Consultant to find the right product, rather than sifting through a bunch of different samples trying to locate the right one.

Ask Questions

From starting the building process to choosing the colours for your home, there is a lot of information coming at you. It may be hard to keep track of it all, so if you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask. Maybe you don’t know if the paint colour you want for the walls will match the flooring you love, or the ceramic tile backsplash you’ve had your eye on is really the right choice - ask your Design Consultant! They’re professionals and they are there to help. They can give you advice on what selections will compliment one another, or what type of flooring is going to be durable enough for your busy family. It’s better to ask the question than to second guess yourself later, when it may be too late to make a change.

Establish a Budget

It’s important to consider how much you want to spend before you arrive at your appointment in the DesignQ. While there are many standard options that are beautiful, meaning they have already been included in the price of your home, there may be some aspects of your home that you want an upgraded material. Maybe you want soft close drawers and doors in your kitchen, or you’ve fallen in love with a granite countertop. Be sure you understand what standard options are included in your home, and which are considered upgrades, meaning you’ll have to pay a bit more for the product. Having a set budget will keep you from going overboard. Keep in mind though, your Design Consultant may be able to give you a range in how much the upgrade may cost, but they will have to get it quoted after your appointment to get the exact cost. This means you may not be signing off as soon as you finish your appointment. But don’t fret, this is a usual occurrence when it comes to upgrades in your home.

Keep Record

Whether you visited during the open house or came in for your appointment, there is no doubt that you saw an abundance of product samples with different names and finishes. When it comes to finalizing your decision, it’s a good idea to keep your own record of the products you chose during the appointment, making sure it matches what your Design Consultant has written down for you. Be sure to double check that everything is correct before you sign off on your selections.

While getting to choose all of the colours and materials for your home is undoubtedly one of the most exciting parts of building a brand new home, we know that it can also be stressful when it comes to making the final decision. We hope that with these tips you’ll leave your appointment feeling confident in your decisions, and we’re sure you’ll love the end result.