Dave and Rio came to us with a need for a modest condominium renovation to suit their taste, values and needs. They are music enthusiasts and especially wanted to showcase their love for music while also looking for a place of zen that hits home. At MKDB we are home ecologists and offer an integrated systemic approach to aligning your values with an ideal home for each and every homeowner. This is our unique and revolutionary DESIGN BUILD PROCESS based on our home ecology philosophy.

BIG PICTURE Consultation

It all begins with a thorough investigation and consultation of your home. We presented Dave and Rio a welcome letter with a quick overview of our values and the appropriate revolutionary DESIGN PROGRAMMING questionnaires which help us better understand their values and needs. This step helped us to align all our decisions from here on with their values and needs.

The questionnaires are meant to be fun and more importantly start a conversation with you and your family so you can begin to imagine how your new home will feel and support you. For Dave and Rio Space planning was a large part in this design. They felt that the living room had too much space while the office had too little.

We then schedule A BIG PICTURE CONSULTATION and took a grand tour of the home, pointing out what was working and what’s not. We sat down together to review Dave and Rio’s questionnaires and listened to their frustrations, hopes and concerns about their current home.

We then send a written BIG PICTURE ANALYSIS including a current snap shot of their home, a description of the problem and our vision of potential solutions in keeping with the core values that are identified in our “What Really Matters” questionnaire. Included where appropriate will be a potential timeline.

We then have the opportunity to send a detailed DESIGN AGREEMENT with a clear scope of work and wishlist, (a list of things that would like to incorporated into the new home.)

Sign Development Agreement

Phase 1: Design Agreement

We then set up an appointment to visit Dave and Rio’s home to document the existing house for an AS IS drawing & at this time all zoning and city requirements will be investigated.

Phase 2: Concepts

We designed six resolved Preliminary Concepts and presented them to Dave and Rio within 3 weeks of the site visit, (We sometimes like to get them done sooner – we love this part and are always eager to get started.)

At this stage we work mostly with floor plans and include potential furniture layouts so you can really see how things work. We can also provide a few 3 dimensional views if needed but this stage is mostly about space planning and floor plans work best.

Phase 3: Feasibility Study and Budget Discussion

We provide budget costing at this stage to ensure that the concept that are being focused in on is viable. Based on Dave and Rio’s feedback on the concepts we revised and presented Final Concepts.

Dave and Rio ended up picking their favorite one to take to the next stage. We find this step essential in understanding what your home values and needs are. We are invested in creating a paradigm of values where the sum is truly greater than its parts and we are able to realize this through our philosophy of homecology, which focuses on harmony and systems thinking. Everything will involve compromise and that’s actually a good thing, there is an art to it that we are attuned to.

At this phase we will do our best all along to educate you about the value and cost of each option and encourage you to turn back to the values you identified in our first exercise together to lead you home. We will hold our vision and make sure everything comes together into a harmonious home ideal for you.

Phase 4: Design Development

The selected concept will be fleshed out and detailed project scope will be refined based on your feedback. Budget discussions continue as information becomes available. We will share a Selections Chart that will be used to keep track of all your furniture, finishes, fixtures and appliances.

Phase 5: Finishes & Specifications

We will present selections for your review and may take you on a sourcing trip to pick out a few things and or ask you to visit a few shops. We finalize all selections like windows, doors, lights, paint, flooring, hardware and plumbing fixtures.

Dave and Rio needed a lot of custom cabinetry designed for their albums and showpieces.  With storage, a balance between function and style became possible.

Phase 6: Construction Drawings

Sign Construction Agreement

Finally, A BUILD AGREEMENT  was presented including a potential timeline for construction. Dave and Rio’s condominium Build Process went smoothly and the design and functionality really came through in the end. Click  here to learn more about what you need to know as a homeowner throughout the build phase of your renovation.

The neutral colours of this kitchen create a calm and relaxing environment to cook up a storm in. Having glass faced cabinets provide a showcase area for some of their kitchen cookware.

Purposely placed built-in cabinetry was a great feature to add to a design for the avid music aficionado and  little pop of colour from the couch creates a harmonized design in the living space. White built-ins are a great idea for featuring their movie, book and music collection in and for the bedroom, an elegant headboard and simple layout finished the look every master bedroom needs.