Expectations vs. Reality: ORC23
Updated Nov 23, 2023 | Average read time: 10-12 minOne Room Challenge Article 5, Week 06
Welcome back to our One Room Challenge series and this is our second article in this series for Week 3. To read all the articles in this series, please CLICK HERE.
Our belief is that miracles are best left to the holiday movies ! The timing of the Fall 2023 One Room Challenge is catching a transformation that has taken months to properly design and plan for. Bathrooms can have more levels of complexity, as is the case with our project where luxury details like a steam shower and accessible features are a part of the design. When we have projects that align with this time of year it is an important to map out expectations for our clients. Our design studio primarily works on one of a kind projects, where many things are custom and made to order. I will be your guide throughout the transformation of our bath renovation, this blog series, and our timely topic of Expectations vs Reality. Where I will provide some insights, 3 tips, and maybe a tale.
We are literally heading into beginning of the winter and “holiday” is a word that will creep up into our social media feeds. People will start to plan how they want to entertain, maybe refresh their spaces, or even more! This is where reality television has maybe created expectations as to what can be done in the design world. Our design studio primarily works on one of a kind projects, where many things are custom and made to order. Our most common problem at this time of year might reveal itself in my nickname for this annual phenomenon, which is “Christmas Miracles”.
Not only is our founding designer known for their colourful style, Corey Klassen is a Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer through the National Kitchen & Bath Association. New clients sometimes don’t realise the depth of how we plan out a design to where even the lay out of the tile is architecturally mapped out in a tile diagram in the construction drawings we provide. This is to ensure that the not just visual elements of a project are considered but also include the physical requirements of the equipment being specified. This means that ahead of construction the design is complete. I will use this project to illustrate the actual real life benchmarks that will affect the timeline of an actual luxury bathroom by a certified Master Kitchen And Bath Designer. For our Japandi style bathroom project, these timeline benchmarks are the base cabinets, Countertops, tile install, glazing and the custom millwork.
An integrated design process is how we work together with our clients and their chosen contractors. It is the key to how we work together with eachother as a team to both communicate and achieve the timelines of this project.
Week 6 article features:
Christmas Miracles
Tip No 1. Rome was not built in a day!
Construction is like the Ballet
Custom is an investment
Custom Bathroom Details
Custom Upholstery & Millwork
Supply & Demand
Tip No 2
Tip No 3.
Progress is being made with the tile on week 5 of our One Room Challenge. Everything is getting set up for the countertops and ledges to be installed just after this post for wk 6.
Background
Hi! Andrew here, and I am the Design Director at Articulated Design Studio. You might remember that in Spring 2022 we entered the One Room Challenge for the first time. It provided such positive feedback from our readers that we couldn’t wait to participate again. The timing of the Fall 2023 ORC is catching us at a projects transformation that has taken months to properly design and plan for. Our aim is provide you with a behind the scenes glance at a luxury bath design project in this 8 article series. I will use this project to illustrate how we work together with our clients and their chosen contractors in an integrated design approach.
This series documents the features and benefits of steam showers as a cornerstone in the future of bath design. Our Principal Designer and Founder, Corey Klassen CMKBD NCIDQ IIDA, is also a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer through the National Kitchen and Bath Association and a recognised subject matter expert in luxury bath design, steam shower planning and design, accessible design and living in place, and inclusive design. Over the years Corey has contributed back to the design industry at large not only through teaching the next generation of designers, and providing educational content at design industry events across both Canada and the United States. He has also been involved in publications and programs for the design industry at large.
“Then there was the total revamping of our certification program. I would like to give a shout out to two of our long time collaborators: Corey Klassen CMKBD of Articulated Design Studio and Judith Neary CMKBD of Roadside Attractions. Thank you both for your help and guidance with our new program which features a learning management system that makes it easier to access materials, as well as to track your progress online. Our certifications as well as our growing badge program are even more valuable as a competitive tool in today’s market.”
Bill Darcy, CEO NKBA, January 31, 2023, Time stamp 20:57 min/sec
https://nkba.org/insights/nkba-ceo-delivered-state-of-the-association-address-at-kbis-2023/
Over the past few years there have been many things happening behind the scenes at Articulated that we can only start to reveal. The accessible story to our bathroom renovation project is a great way to start that. Corey has won local and international awards for bath designs and spoken to the industry about steam showers and luxury bathroom design. Yet it wasn’t until a industry publication in 2022, through an independent peer nomination, that Corey was recognised for contributions to both accessible and inclusive design to the industry at large across the United States and Canada.
Throughout this article, I aim to connect you with a few tips we learned over the pandemic as well as some insight into the factors which can affect the timeline of a renovation project like ours.
Christmas Miracles
I am just going to say this as plainly as possible. For years our clients hear us bring up a small discussion point about “Christmas Miracles!” and the upcoming “Winter Holiday Season” in the middle of the heat of summer. Why do you think I am saying this almost 6-8 months away from Christmas and other holidays?
It is about starting a proactive conversation well in advance with our clients. Their hopes and dreams for this venture might come with assumptions that they would like to achieve. Whether these are realistic is based upon the market conditions that exist during a period of high demand? This is the big question! Our belief is that miracles are best left to the holiday movies. We always want our studio and our clients to have a positive experience no matter the size of the project. Our role is to help people customise their dreams in ways that they might not have expected. Our services help our clients navigate this exciting and rewarding journey they are choosing to embark on. Yet we do not want it to be more stressful than it needs to be for them … and our team.
Our Studio’s Goals Are Simple
These last four months of the year provide so much lifestyle inspirations to people in the areas of entertaining, nesting, design style, and hosting. It makes it a busy time of year and stimulates demand for a whole range of product categories for different areas of a household. These areas of a home are kitchens, dining rooms, guest rooms, and holiday themed living rooms. This seasonal demand can affect how much supply there is, as well as book up our custom workrooms well in advance of the season. So just like it did during the global pandemic in the past 3 years, you will have some lucky people who planned well in advance and are first in line to get their orders completed on time.
This is the ideal scenario we want all our clients and their projects to be in. It is what we at Articulated Design Studio plan for no matter whether it is the end of January or beginning of September. These four months leading up to the end of the year normally provide a number of phone calls to our studio. They are from potential clients looking to re-envision or create new spaces in time for their holiday celebrations. It all depends upon what you want done and the time window we have been provided to accomplish the work. Our tips are to be taken as free advice with a few unvarnished reasons to be helpful to a client’s journey.
Tip No 1: Rome was not built in a day
Our catch phrase has it been used by people in a variety of situations and reasons. It can relate to people’s expectations in relation to time.
Because the thriving metropolis of Rome took thousands of years to get to the point where we see it today.
The thriving metropolis of Rome took thousands of years to get to the point where we see it today.
The Roman elements that stood the test of time took craftsmanship, careful planning, and TIME to implement.
Much of it was done without the aid of modern construction technology.
A renovation project will be a journey that they will prepare for, just like a vacation.
Yet this is not reality TV where everything and anything is completed in a weekend. These made for TV moments take a lot of preparation behind the scenes to look as effortless as they do. Good Design doesn’t “just” happen, it needs time to get it right the first time, also:
Permits take time to both propose and process
Custom made to order products take time
Getting products to the site takes time.
Construction is like the Ballet
Your project will have an ordered sequence in how it is implemented just like the choreography of a ballet.
Keep in mind that some work can not be done until one component is installed before another can happen afterwards. We like to give our projects a few months head start before you implement your demolition and start the work. This gives products time to arrive ahead of demolition starting.
So Expect things to take longer than you expect as you might not know the sequence
Custom is an investment.
An investment in furniture, millwork, upholstery, and original artwork is more than just a practical addition to your home; it's a carefully selected item that combines timeless aesthetics, superb craftsmanship, and enduring value.
When we work with a client and there is custom work being done. I always appreciate the journey we will be involved with the client as no two projects will be the same as there are so many options.
The investment piece?
In the world of interior design, there's a term that holds immense significance – the "investment piece."
What are some examples of investment pieces?
Iconic Mid-Century Modern Furniture: Timeless classics like the Eames Lounge Chair or a Wegner Shell Chair. These pieces are celebrated for their design and functionality.
Handcrafted Wood Furniture: Custom-made wooden dining tables, sideboards, and cabinets, which showcase the natural beauty of wood and age gracefully.
Antique or Vintage Finds: Pieces with a history, like a well-preserved antique armoire or a vintage leather sofa, can add character and charm to your space.
Designer Lighting: Signature lighting fixtures by renowned designers that become focal points in your room.
Custom Millwork: Custom-made wooden cabinets, shelves, built-in storage solutions, bespoke bookcases, fireplaces or room dividers
Custom Cabinetry: Check out our kitchens and bathrooms, the projects in our portfolio will provide an idea of the types of cabinetry possible. Standard lead time starts at 12 weeks upon the time of the order being placed. This does not include the time needed to design and approve the custom cabinetry and the types of custom finishes you want.
Custom Upholstery: see below
Custom Bathroom Details
In the case of our bathroom renovation there are a few custom details that will affect the timing and installation of our project. In addition to the custom millwork and the cabinetry, there is the custom made to order countertops and ledges for the bathroom as well as the glazing for the shower enclosure of the steam shower. I will comment on each below:
Countertops & Ledges
The countertops and ledges can not have their final measurement before they are fabricated until the base cabinetry is installed.
Some of the ledges for the shower needed to have the tile work complete before they can be measured exactly
This means that they can not be fabricated until the final measure is completed and approved by your designer or contractor
Fabrication and installation will take approximately 3 weeks or roughly 12 business days
Glazing For the Steam Shower
The glazing for the steam shower can only be properly measured when the ledges it will be resting on are installed.
The glazing required for this project is a tempered glass that will meet the thickness and specifications of the steam shower
After measurement and approvals, fabrication for the glazing will take roughly 10 - 12 business days with installation happening about 3 weeks from the measurement
Next Update for this will be Nov 7, 2023
Our luxury bathroom’s countertops and ledges are due to be installed on the morning of Nov 6th. I will follow up with the details and how the rest of work is progressing.
Custom Upholstery
When we work with a client and there is custom work being done. I always appreciate the journey we will be involved with the client as no two projects will be the same as there are so many options. Custom upholstery, in particular, allows you to choose fabrics and cushioning that suit your preferences for both comfort and aesthetics. Allowing a hand-tailored upholstered sofa to blend seamlessly with your interior design concept.
A standard timeline for a custom upholstery order in North American Workrooms will take between 12-18 weeks. This is depending upon the time of year and seasonal demand. If the custom workroom is in Europe, the lead time will be at least 16-24 weeks. When there is a period of high demand those lead time will increase.
Is worth the wait? Yes, it is just that a little bit of patience is needed because it is being made specially for you.
Custom Millwork
“Custom millwork is tailor-made woodwork that exists for practical and decorative purposes. Moulding (aka. trim or crown moulding) is the most common object in millwork. Due to these items being custom-made, the outcome is unique woodwork that perfectly suits your taste and requirements.” The Difference Between Custom Millwork and Casework
These elements are built to last, with superior materials and construction techniques. Investing in millwork requires thoughtful consideration. Your interior designer can design the interior architectural details for your project, they can also assist you in commissioning high quality workmanship that will be designed to fit your space perfectly. To ensure your investment is truly worth it you need to allow time for the designer to produce the design. Also:
Millwork is usually one of the last details to be installed in a renovation or new build project. So you must let the tiling and painting be completed first.
It is standard for quality custom millworker to be booked out 2-12 weeks in advance before they can produce your design. This is dependant upon both seasonal demand and the availability of required materials. Why? They organise their commissions based upon the order of their being placed.
Other Articles In This Series
5. It is all about Supply & Demand
Have you heard of Adam Smith?
Supply And Demand
Adam Smith, the father of economics as some refer to him, created these laws of supply and demand in his influential volume The Wealth of Nations in 1776. To give you the quick notes version; The law of demand holds that that the demand level for a product or a resource will decline as its price rises, and as the price drops. In a nutshell, the past few years have been about the ebb and flow of low supply and then heavy demand in so many different sectors of our day to day life.
Why am referencing this ?
We sometimes talk with prospective clients who think everything can happen in a weekend like on a reality home improvement TV show. Just keep in mind that when we work on a renovation project there will always be demanding forces are at play, depending upon the time of year.
Tip 2.
Get a second opinion before you decide.
If a contractor is claiming a tight turn around is possible during a busy time of year then get a second or third bid.
Only listening to someone telling you what you want to hear might not be the best way to approach an expensive renovation project.
Tip No 3. Maybe…
Start your project after the holiday season.
Enjoy your holiday entertaining without that major project affecting your style during it. Remember construction times can change at the drop of a hat especially when there are hidden surprises. Choose to implement your demolition and construction after the holidays when you are not competing with every trade professional for your project.
Conclusion
We at Articulated Design Studio plan our projects out in detail no matter whether it is the end of January or beginning of September. These four months leading up to the end of the year normally provide a number of phone calls to our studio. They are from potential clients looking to re-envision or create new spaces in time for their holiday celebrations. It all depends upon what you want done and the time window we have been provided to accomplish the work. Our tips are to be taken as free advice with a few unvarnished reasons to be helpful to a client’s journey.
This can take time out of a pre-scheduled meeting for education and less about discovery. To take in a client’s vision, in order to provide follow up information and outline how our services could best be used. Which is why I decided to create this article in the first place for our blog in the One Room Challenge, so we also have a helpful evergreen client resource to reference without talking about Christmas in July.
Follow along with us during the One Room Challenge of our home workspace and dining room.