The Impact of Design in Residential Construction.
We had the privilege of meeting Marie-Andrée Cyr, one of the co-founders of K&M Design, who shared with us her extensive experience and passion for residential interior design. In this article, she reveals how the collaboration between designers and builders such as Harmonie Construction brings benefits to all parties involved, particularly the client. What is the impact of design in residential construction? Discover this exciting creative world where the art of designing spaces comes to life.
Could You Tell Us about your Professional Journey as an Interior Designer?
I studied business administration and management. Today, these skills play a crucial role in my entrepreneurial role. I have successfully combined this background with my passion for interior design. For a decade, I was a stay-at-home mother, but during that time, I undertook a complete career change and committed myself to living my passion. The result is that today, in collaboration with my partner Karine, I am an entrepreneur leading a wonderful multidisciplinary team where everyone contributes their strengths.
The harmonious fusion between my administrative and artistic sides is essential. In the field of interior design, some designers are heavily focused on technical aspects, while others prioritize the artistic side. For my part, I have chosen to surround myself with an exceptional team, which I consider one of the best. At K&M Design, we highlight everyone’s strengths, as it is quite realistic to acknowledge that no one can excel in all areas. Interior design is an act of creation.
What are the Main Values and Design Philosophies that Guide your Work at K&M Design?
The values and principles that guide our work at K&M Design are deeply rooted in our commitment to our clients. We truly emphasize listening to our clients, as we believe it is essential to creating spaces that reflect who they are. Interior design is often perceived as a luxury, especially nowadays, but we have chosen to change that perception.
When Karine and I created K&M Design, our goal was to make our services accessible to everyone. We believe that everyone has the right to live in a space that reflects their personality and lifestyle. We do not believe in systematically imposing current trends, as that does not suit everyone. Instead, we believe in a collaborative approach where we listen to our clients, understand what makes them comfortable, and what atmosphere they wish to live in.
Finally, we attach great importance to the creative process. We understand that every project is important to our clients, regardless of its scope. We treat our clients the way we would like to be treated. This means we take the necessary time for each client, fully committing to their project and ensuring they are satisfied with every step of the process.
What are the key stages of carrying out a project with an interior designer?
Collaborating with an interior designer offers many advantages for creating a space that perfectly reflects your tastes and needs. Here are the 5 main steps of our creative process:
Establishing Trust
Our creative process begins with an initial client contact, via our website or by phone. During the first phone call, we aim to establish a personal connection with our clients and make them feel comfortable. We also ask them to send us a video of the space to be designed. When recording the video, we encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas.
Understanding the Style
We generally ask our clients to send us a maximum of 3 images and explain their interpretation of the style presented. It is common for couples to have different interpretations of the style they desire, and it is common to hear clients describe their style, for example, by saying they prefer a “modern-urban” design.
Upon receiving these videos, we often realize that the term or style may not be perfectly defined, but we always manage to capture the essence of what our clients are trying to express. We succeed in understanding their unique “vibe” (ambiance), thereby eliminating potential conflicts related to style interpretation.
Planning
Once the preliminary discussions are complete, we develop a service offer that details the project steps.
Two designers then meet the client at home to discuss the project in depth, taking care to ask enough questions to delve into their personal space and truly understand their needs and preferences. We then proceed with official measurements of the space and take photos, after which we conduct a space study.
Execution
Back at the office, we proceed with 3D modeling, creating a plan book, selecting materials, and developing the project’s final look. Some of these steps can be optional, which allows us to remain accessible and flexible.
Presentation
Finally, we present the overall project to the clients.
What is the Impact of Design on New Residential Construction?
At K&M Design, we have been offering a support service for new residential construction projects for several years. Although the world of new homes may seem simple on the surface, it is actually quite complex, especially for those not involved in this field.
The impact of design on residential construction is enormous, and our support service therefore offers significant advantages, both for the client and for the contractor in charge of construction. The contractor is responsible for building the client’s home, which is already a considerable task. However, when it comes to choosing details such as floor color or ceramic tiles, this may seem less crucial to them. Often, contractors direct their clients directly to suppliers to make these selections, which can quickly become a tedious task.
As interior designers, we are responsible for ensuring that every element harmonizes perfectly. This may seem insignificant, but the color of a gray tile can vary considerably. To the client, it is gray, but in reality, it has a hue that can lean towards pink, or even blue. When choosing cabinets, this can clash. Our role is therefore to manage every micro-detail and ensure the cohesion of the entire project.
What are the Main Design Challenges in a New Residential Construction Project?
With new construction contractors, we do not encounter as many challenges as in other contexts, because the plans are generally well-established. When clients purchase a new home, many architectural questions, such as window orientation, roof pitches, columns, and soffits, have already been discussed and resolved beforehand.
Our support service becomes an enjoyable part of the process. There are many decisions for our clients to make, but they are made in a pleasant atmosphere and without the major challenges we might face in other situations.
Why work with Harmonie Construction, what do you particularly like about this residential construction contractor?
What particularly delights me about Harmonie Construction is their client approach. From their very first meetings, they organize what they call the “Harmonie Tour,” a project site visit in nature, to explain in detail all aspects of the project, from the foundations to the smallest detail of the land. They explain why the entrance is positioned in a certain way, why a plot of land is leveled in this manner, and so on.
As interior designers, we intervene more towards the end of the project. However, thanks to this experience, I myself had the opportunity to understand how they manage aspects such as excavated soil recycling and land characteristics. This can be particularly enriching for clients looking for a property in the countryside.
This participatory approach creates an engaging experience for the client, who feels truly involved in the creation of their future home.
Last question, “We call, we lunch, we design” – where does that come from?
We collaborated with a local company in the region on our brand image. It started with a simple phone call, and we immediately felt excellent synergy. We enjoyed discussing our projects over a cup of coffee, and within 15 minutes, she had grasped the essence of our company.
Our approach is simple: we call, we lunch, and we design together.
We do not seek to project an image of luxury, austerity, or inaccessibility. Instead, we focus on warmth, friendliness, and closeness with our clients. Ultimately, the difference lies in our ability to remain within the bounds of accessibility and to create a warm experience while designing magnificent spaces.
