Design Perspective: The Vision for A Custom Home Built the Right Way
When most people picture hiring an interior designer for their custom home, they imagine it happening somewhere after the plans are designed or purchased, the builder is hired, and the contract is signed. Maybe even after the walls are up, right around the time the builder says, “It’s time to choose your finishes and colors.” But that thinking puts design far too late in the process. To build a truly intentional custom home, it’s time to shift our design perspective.
In reality, good design – great design – starts much earlier than that. It begins with the very first conversations. It takes shape in the drawings and not the process of picking the colors and decor. And in custom homes especially, it should be part of the foundation… literally.
At J. Myers + Associates, we’ve worked on projects where we were brought in early and before architectural plans were finalized. In some cases, we’ve been brought in before those plans even started. But, we have also worked on others where we came in after the framing was already complete. And while we’ve made beautiful things happen in both scenarios, the difference in the process, the efficiency, and the outcome is undeniable.
Too Late to the Party: A Real Client Cautionary Tale
We were brought into this project on the day the excavator showed up.
Literally.
There were no preliminary design meetings. No opportunity to weigh in on the floor plan. No space planning, no window placement discussions, no mechanical coordination. The foundation was being poured, and the design team had yet to be able to modify the plans per the clients’ request.
And so, from day one, we were playing catch-up.
Our first task? Redesign the master suite, guest suites, laundry, and mudroom all while excavation was actively happening. We quickly discovered that the windows had already been ordered, but no one had reviewed their height in relation to the future flooring. There was no conversation about how the windows would impact cabinetry or millwork. And mechanical systems? Already in motion, without consideration for aesthetics or efficiency.
Every decision we made had to work around what was already in place. We spent the better part of a year solving problems that could’ve been prevented with pre-planning and early team meetings
Red Flags During Framing
One of the most challenging moments came during a site walkthrough with the client, just as framing was underway.
We immediately noticed issues that should’ve been caught on paper:
Door openings that didn’t allow room for casings.
A kitchen window placed where it would impact the size of the cabinets.
A symmetrical cabinet layout that was now impossible without moving framing—or the already-ordered window.
We did what we do best. We found solutions. We adjusted the window as far as structurally allowed. We rebalanced the cabinetry beneath it. In the end, it worked. But not without compromise. Not without cost. And not without stress.
These were just the visible challenges. Behind the walls, we were coordinating structural needs, electrical placement, plumbing runs, and lighting plans. But we were doing this after the fact.
What Happens When You Design in Reverse
When a designer comes in late, you don’t just miss out on creative input. You risk compromising the function, flow, and even feasibility of your design vision.
Here’s what this project ran into:
Costly Redos: Framing had to be adjusted after inspections. Cabinet drawings had to be reworked multiple times.
Timeline Delays: Decisions that would have been simple during planning became schedule-stalling issues during construction.
Design Compromises: Sightlines, cabinetry, and lighting all had to be massaged into a plan that had already been executed without the full picture.
Client Frustration: The clients weren’t just making design decisions—they were navigating construction stress, plan revisions, and unexpected hurdles.
The irony? This home had so much potential. Gorgeous setting. Unique layout. Clients with a strong sense of style. But the missing piece – a cohesive, collaborative plan – meant we spent months working backwards to create what should have been planned forward.
“The devil is in the details,” and if those details aren’t worked out before framing, someone is going to pay for it – either in time, money, or compromise.
Making It Beautiful Anyway
Despite all the challenges, we’re incredibly proud of how this home turned out for the clients. That’s the beauty of experience. You learn how to pivot, adapt, and still deliver excellence even when the road is bumpy.
We leaned hard on our ability to visualize the finished product and communicate clearly with both trades and clients. We reworked elevations, revised cabinet drawings, created custom solutions for lighting and layout, and stayed involved every step of the way.
The greatroom fireplace wall was not really defined. The plan from the builder was just a general “we have done it like this before.” But that plan wasn’t in keeping with the design aesthetic or sophistication that this client was looking to achieve. So the multi-step design process and multi-professional involvement for the design and execution was being worked through right up to the 9th hour. Instead of from the start as it should have been. To be fair, some of the time spent was tied to budget review and value engineering due to the design. But in the end, we stayed the course to achieve the results we were after.
We created design options, made adjustments due to the constraints, and then coordinated the framing, fireplace, electrical, stone cladding, metal accent cladding, cabinetry, lighting, slab, etc. And It ultimately became a standout feature that looks sophisticated, unique and elegant because we designed it that way – exactly like the clients wanted.
In the primary suite bathroom, we reimagined the layout to remove a bathtub the client didn’t want. That decision, combined with the room’s layout and view, led to a ripple effect of design adjustments, including reordering windows, adding exterior doors, and relocating linear drains due to foundation constraints. Each of these changes came with added cost and compromise. These challenges could have been avoided if the plans had been reviewed with the full team in place from the start.
Throughout the home, we adjusted trim, built-ins, and created lighting plans to work with the structure instead of against it.
The final results are beautiful. The clients were thrilled. But it took triple the coordination and triple the effort to get there. That effort could have been streamlined with early planning.
When you see the finished space, it’s easy to forget the struggle it took to get there. But we remember. And that’s why we want to help others avoid it.
What We Wish Had Happened
So, what would’ve changed if we’d been brought in from the start?
The master suite and kitchen layout would’ve been aligned with the client’s lifestyle from the beginning and not redesigned after the foundation had started.
Windows would have been selected with cabinetry, flooring, and sightlines in mind.
Cabinet layouts, lighting plans, and ceiling details would have been coordinated with structure and trades. No retrofits needed.
Mechanical systems would’ve supported, not hindered, the aesthetic.
And the clients would’ve had a far more enjoyable, efficient experience.
The Lesson: Bring Your Designer to the Table Early for Your Custom Home
Interior designers aren’t just “finish-pickers.” When brought in early, we act as a bridge between vision and execution. We consider the art and the architecture. The flow and the finishes. The way a home will feel – not just the way it will look.
This project is proof: you can create something beautiful even when the plan goes sideways. But it will cost you. More time, more money, more stress, and more decisions under pressure.
If you want a custom home that works for your lifestyle, honors your vision, and avoids unnecessary headache, bring your designer in early. Before the drawings are done. Before the windows are ordered. Before the first stake goes in the ground.
And if you’re not sure where to begin? J. Myers + Associates is always happy to help connect you with the right architect and builder. That’s the foundation of a successful project – assembling the right team before the build begins.
P.S. Want to See How It Turned Out?
Despite the bumpy road, this home turned out beautifully, and we’d love to show you. Watch this behind-the-scenes walkthrough.
(Behind the scenes walkthrough of a custom home build designed by J. Myers & Associates)