6 Tips to Prepare For Your Design Appointment

Close your eyes and envision your perfect home — now open them and let’s make it happen! When you build a new Cothran home, you’ll be able to choose from rows of carpet and hardwood samples, kitchen and bath tiles, granite and quartz countertops, kitchen and bath cabinets, and more! Ready to feel like a kid in a candy store again?

For all of your seasonal gatherings, themed happy hours, book clubs and movie nights, visits from family and friends, and of course, quiet time to yourself, you deserve a space that reflects your personality and style, inside and out. At Cothran Homes, we allow you to choose the features and finishes that suit you best, so that your home looks and feels just like you. 

Choosing the details of your home while staying within your budget may seem overwhelming, but you can rest assured that Paige Dowling, our talented design specialist, will be with you every step of the way. She’ll get to know you and what you’re looking for, making this personalized process as easy and stress-free as possible. 

Take a look at the six things you should do to make your design appointment with Paige a breeze!

Cothran Home Design Appointment Tips

1) Start a Lookbook: Think of this task as the most fun homework assignment you’ve ever gotten. A lookbook is a collection of photos that you put together to draw inspiration from. Browse sites like Pinterest, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and whichever publication catches your eye! Create a folder of photos on your desktop or print them out to start visualizing exactly what you want.

2) Write Out Your Must-Haves: When it comes to your dream home, you most likely have a few “must-haves” that are non-negotiable. Whether it’s light kitchen cabinets, quartz countertops, brushed nickel finishes, dark hardwood floors, beige tile, and more, make sure to keep a list of things that you’re absolutely set on. Paige shared, “Cothran offers so many choices to fit every lifestyle!” Writing out a list will save you time while allowing you to really focus on the design elements that you’re not entirely sure about yet.

3) Stick To Your Timeline: The building process is truly an incredible combination of moving parts. When it comes to your design appointment, one of the ways you can help yourself (and your team) is to stick to schedule — which means prioritizing your appointment over other commitments that can be moved, and working with Paige to make your decisions on time. This will allow the rest of your process to be smooth sailing!

4) Know Your Budget: If you go into your design appointment with a clear idea of what you’re hoping to spend (and how flexible you can be), you can make the best use of your time and feel confident with all of your choices. As an expert design specialist who works with budgets of all sizes, Paige will make sure to take you through all of the options that fit within your own, so you can be sure that you’re not missing out on anything.

5) Get a Head Start: The early bird catches the worm, right? And there’s nothing more fun than a “sneak peek” to get a head start on your selections. Before your design appointment, go walk our beautifully designed move-in-ready homes in your new community to see available cabinet styles and colors, different granite countertops, wood or LVP flooring looks, interior wall paint colors, carpet and so much more. This will help you get acclimated to all of our options as well as help you visualize the choices that you’re not sure of just yet. And don’t forget to ask your New Home Specialist for a copy of your community options list. This tool lists all available upgrade options and also comes in helpful when setting your budget as mentioned above. Bonus tip: tour a model home again!

6) Have Fun: Go into your design appointment with one word in mind — fun. This part of the process is all about creating the heart and soul of your home, and we want it to be enjoyable from beginning to end. Dress comfortably, feel confident in your choices, keep an open mind, and start bringing your dream home to life! 

Not only will Paige assist you, but she will be a valuable resource of information about design trends, materials, products, and prices for your personal needs and budget. And with a little bit of preparation, you can rest assured that this experience will be one to never forget. From all of us at Cothran Homes, happy designing!