S7, E1: Big Dreams, Big Design Decisions

SEASON SEVEN, EPISODE ONE | Podcast Episode TRANSCRIPT

KELLY DAY:
Building a custom home with Hibbs, I had a dream and I had a concept. I feel like that Hibbs helped me bring this to life because obviously we're not in this business of building, but you guided us through, you listened to us, and we now have a fabulous home.

INTRO
Welcome to the Art of Custom from Hibbs Homes. We are back with season seven of the Art of Custom. This season, we're celebrating the 20th anniversary for Hibbs Homes by picking 20 of our favorite builds. We kick it off with Lisa Valenti and her beautiful home in Augusta, Missouri. Then we talk with designer Lydia Huffman and client Kelly Day about her gorgeous vacation home in Park City, Utah. Enjoy.

KIM HIBBS
They say hindsight is 20/20, and after 20 years in business, we have clarity in spades. Our goal with the podcast has always been to share everything we know and learned in the office, in the design studios, and out in the field with people who are considering building a custom home of their own. And this season is a very special one, because we are looking back at 20 years building dreams, one home at a time.

I like that saying because we've never built the same home twice, Melody. And welcome to season number seven. Welcome to our 20th year. This is kind of exciting.

MELODY MEINERS
It has been, with the building dreams one home at a time. I remember back in 2009, you guys were saying that. It's always been kind of a guiding light for the company. And so it's fun to look back at all those dream homes.

KIM (01:43)
And think about it, we've built hundreds of dream homes in 20 years. I don't know the exact number. Sometimes people ask me, so I don't know what the number is, but it's hundreds. And that's the one thing that we're very proud of is we've never built the same home twice. We love working with clients who have their own dreams and want to build their dream home. So this is very appropriate. I was really pleased when you came up with the idea for our 20th anniversary to look back at some of the projects that we've enjoyed the most.

MELODY (02:12)
And we'll have some stories too about homes, it's not just going to be project centric. We're going to have, you know, designers, we're going to have all kinds of people on to talk about the different stories and projects. So you guys are going to hear a lot of really great stuff this season.

KIM (02:26)
And it's always been our goal that this podcast is for those who are interested. We said it in the intro, those who are interested in learning more about building a custom home. This is not about, you know, the vendors. It's not about trades. It's not about, and it's not an industry specific podcast for builders. This truly is for, for those who are interested in learning what is the process and what is it like? And, and what's going to be fun is we're going to get the season rolling. We're going to focus on two projects that are perfect examples of what you can get with the true custom build.

MELODY (02:57)
Yeah, and story number one for our 20 stories from 20 years is really a designer's dream. It's Villa Augusta, which we completed in 2022 right here in St. Louis.

KIM (03:08)
That home is drop dead gorgeous. I know that you will in the show notes have a link to the photos. Man, man, Melody, that home was a labor of love by Lisa Valenti, who worked so closely with Anne Fritz, our designer on that project, and our team, Neil Helfer, the superintendent, Chris Pedigo, our general manager. There was so many people involved in that, and it turned out beautifully. So we look forward to hearing her story.

MELODY (03:16)
Absolutely.

Well, in story number two is a really cool build and it actually just wrapped up a few months ago. Western Home Journal kind of gave me the name for it. It really was inspiring. They called it a "SkyRidge Masterpiece."

It was completed right there in Park City. So from client goals to finding the selections, all of the different pieces for functionality and goals, it's also different.

KIM (03:48)

And they're truly one of a kind, which is very important. And these homes are just brimming with thoughtful touches and the functionality. Sometimes people can feel overwhelmed when trying to pull these homes together. But that's not the case if the builder is organized, has an awesome team, and has an awesome direction. It can be a fun process, and that's what we stress to all of our potential clients.

MELODY (04:20)
Really the push for this episode was to help people who might be a little overwhelmed thinking about the process and kind of see two different stories about how they were able to manage something with so many different details.

KIM (04:33)
And we are going to start with Lisa Valenti, who worked with us to design and build Villa Augusta.

I want to talk about the project itself because the finished product is stunning. The reviews that we keep getting from people who visit is absolutely remarkable. The photos, again, over the top, beautiful. So did the project meet your expectations?

LISA (05:11)
The finished product exceeded my expectations. I've had this concept in my head for a while and I changed some things along the way, but I really just had a vision and I really felt like I looked at that floor plan so long that I could literally walk it with my eyes closed and my husband still didn't know what room he was in when we were building. no, I had exceeded my expectations and you're right, the photos are beautiful. Just the finishing touches on everything.

We're really happy with it and we get so many compliments. mean, people are just blown away.

KIM (05:46)
Part of it's a B&B too. I have to believe that your guests have been thoroughly enjoying it as well.

LISA (05:52)
Yes, and it's an Airbnb because I don't get up and make anybody breakfast.

KIM (05:56)
Okay, so an Airbnb we got to clarify that

LISA (05:59)
Yes, know, Hibbs for the design really helped us through that because there was lots of things to consider when you're doing a house that you want it to look like a house, but you have the ability to have an Airbnb by locked doors and entrances and things like that. We've gotten all five stars, knock on wood. And I've had a couple of people come back through that were doing weddings in the area and they're like, they wanted to see it.

And so they asked if they could see it because you see some pictures on Airbnb and then you get there and it's like, my gosh, this isn't what I signed up for. And every single person was like, my gosh, it's even better in person than it was in the pictures. Huge compliment.

KIM (06:38)
The organization that you brought to the table, you are the most organized client that we've ever had. By nature, that's your personality, that's your background, you have some design background, which obviously was a help. But how much of the success of the project do you think that your organization and your understanding of how the process was going to work, how much of the success is related to that, do you think?

LISA (07:05)
Like organization, use that term and I think it was because I had thought so much about it. Your designer, really helped me stay organized with what I needed to pick out because there is a lot to pick out. But I really thought through some things and we mentioned mood boards. I just had a lot of screenshots of Instagram and everything on my phone and I bought books and I think it was more about really thinking through.

Most of the project, of course, there's things that at the end I didn't think through. like, I didn't think about that. But most of the project I thought through, and I do have a design background, and I do think that helped in a way, but I also sometimes think that you don't need a design background to build a beautiful house. I feel like sometimes I was like, my gosh, I've seen so many things that I like that I don't know which direction. But I think people that I talk to that don't have a design background, they really can hone in. They just need to get more pictures and to think through rooms and to think through rooms that touch each other and that type of thing.

MELODY (08:11)
And if somebody who doesn't have a design background, they just know they want a beautiful home, comes into the process and they're starting to feel overwhelmed, what would be your piece of advice for them as they enter the process and who should they be looking for?

LISA (08:24)
I'm sure everybody that builds a home maybe has some idea as to, I mean, you pick out the floor plan, which sometimes, like my particular home, would look strange inside if I did a different theme than Mediterranean, because definitely it's a Mediterranean style house. As far as what people without a design background can do, I think they need to decide, well, the floor plan, obviously what your family needs. I mean, there's so many resources online now. You just get a picture of what, you know, like a concept.

And then you just kind of build on that. mean, Instagram and Pinterest are very dangerous places, but it's fun. And I think people just need to have fun with it. There is something, you know, especially towards the end of a little bit of decision overload. And there's some decisions that aren't as fun as others. I was also lucky that my husband, he didn't want any saying anything. So I got to do whatever I wanted, but you know, it's just really getting with, you know, who's building and just sit through looking through pictures and then just decide this is the direction.

And then what you have with Hibbs is you've got designers that will really help people hone in on what this type of house that you're building. Let's look at these options. So I think you have to rely on your resources, rely on your pictures, and rely on your gut.

MELODY (09:37)
It's kind of a joke that maybe your husband didn't really care as much, but I wonder if there's something to that is almost having a point person to kind of be the main neck to ring, so to speak, when it comes to decision making. Do you think that that's possible or is it really like, how do you even manage that designing a home with somebody? you think?

LISA (09:58)
Well, for me, obviously, I didn't really have to worry about that. But I've actually heard people say, well, I could never build a house. Like, you know, it's just too much. And I really think that it is a lot, but it's so worth it at the end. Like you have to make it fun and you've got to keep the end in mind. So I would think, I mean, Dan did make help make some decisions. It's just really just sitting down and talking through it with your partner or whoever you're building the house with. But I do think it does help to have a point person that is.

I can't imagine going back and forth between them calling Dan and asking him a question. In fact, even for the more construction-wise things, some people would just tend to go to Dan and he's like, no, you gotta go to my wife. So I think it's important to establish your buckets as to what you're responsible for in the build because sometimes people wanna get more into like, have a say on the plumbing, of course I have a say on the paint color, that kind of thing.

KIM (10:54)
Lisa, did you ever feel like it was decision overload? And if so, give us some thoughts, some suggestions, some recommendations for some of our future clients.

LISA(11:07)
I don't think it's possible not to have some decision overload. I don't think it's, you have to pick out so many things, but you take it in stride and you know, it's not like you throw up a custom home in three months. That's when the organization of your designer helps. It's like, this is what you need to pick out now. This is what you need to pick out now. And they do help with that. It's like, let's not worry about this now, but we need to get this done. Sometimes people are really quick at picking things out.

You know, I was the kind of person that wanted to see more. There is going to be decision overload, but it can be fun. And at the end, it's worth it. So that's what I would say to people. It's like, yeah, but that's all the past now. It's like, you kind of don't remember pain. You only remember pleasure.

KIM (11:49)
And I think you're absolutely right. We've used the word organization during this conversation, which I think is extremely important. One of the things that we really focus on within our team is procedures and processes. And I think that's where Anne, you mentioned her, Anne Fritz, who was your designer on this project and did a wonderful job. mean, she has a great pathway through the decision-making process. And she knows from a construction standpoint,

What's the most important and what decisions have to come in what order? I'm guessing by this conversation that you would tell someone who's working with a builder who might not have an Ann or a Carla or Lydia on their team. Do you think it's necessary to go out and hire a designer to work with?

LISA (12:37)
Gosh, mean, she was so invaluable to me and we had a lot of fun. She would always say like, I'm not going to tell you my opinion. I'm like, yeah, she will because you know, I value. So we had a lot of fun doing everything and that made a difference. mean, it was such a benefit that you had a designer that was part of it. Hiring an interior designer is, very, very expensive. I would say because she was part of your team and it was just.

KIM (12:47)
Yeah.

LISA (13:06)
A total value added service that you provide and you know she is a designer so it's not like you have somebody off the streets trying to help people pick paint colors. I mean she knows

KIM (13:17)
That's her trained background.

LISA (13:19)
Yes, so I think that was crucial. Maybe some people could do it, but I certainly appreciated her help and probably couldn't have done it as well without it.

MELODY (13:29)
I would say that there's not a ton of general contractors that have designers on their team. So if someone is going out and trying to find an Ann, what were the things that you just immediately, when you sat down with her, what were those qualities that you think made it a good experience working with her? And what should people look for when they are bringing somebody in from the outside, in your opinion, that would kind of replicate an Ann and Lisa?

LISA (13:56)
I would say being a good listener. mean, all these designers can do any kind of design. If I would have built a contemporary modern type of house and would have been able to help me, I think it's mainly about that she listened. She knew the style I was going for. She knew the components that would help make that style and the components that wouldn't. She's obviously been in the business. I don't do interior design for a living. So sometimes she'd say, you know what, that's really not true to what you're looking for, but we can do that.

but she just listened and I think that's important. She has the skills, but she also has the listening ability to help me get what I want.

MELODY (14:33)
As a designer coming into the process, then I guess what was your biggest surprise in coming through and completing this project?

LISA (14:41)
I knew going into it that it was going to be a big project. know, it's a lot to think about. So don't know that I was surprised. I mean, there's always, you know, like the hiccups that you run into. You think you're going in one direction and then something might happen. It's like, well, that's really not going to work once you see the build. So you've got to be able to be flexible and sort of reroute when necessary. So those a couple of those things came up when you actually see the space and you actually get in it. You're like,

For instance, the beams on the ceiling, we had a lot of beams up there and it was just gonna be too visually heavy where it looked great on the plan but it wasn't gonna look great. So we just, you you just have to be willing to try plan B. And I will say that there was a lot of things that surprised me about how we're gonna fit this into the budget because I have a lot of things that were gonna be pretty expensive. And I will say that Kim, you helped me so much with the stucco because...

At one point we were leaning against the stucco because it was the cost and you're like, Lisa, I really think you need to do stucco. This is your house. I'm going to keep on working for you and trying to get you a better price. And you did that. And I appreciate that so much. those kind of things come up and you think you're going one direction and you might have to turn a little bit. So I would say you just have to be flexible.

LISA (15:56)
On that stucco comment, I remember that and stucco because of this design and this style, you had to have it. And so we just kept searching for the right contractor and finally we're able to find one that had a really good reputation in town and could do a really good job. So we were thrilled that that worked out. It's interesting because when we go into this process with our clients, we tell them that we want this to be fun. We want them to enjoy it.

there are a lot of decisions, but also be prepared that there will be those hiccups along the way. And you just in building a custom home, a home that's never been built before, you have to go in expecting a few of those hiccups along the way. So did you have a certain way that, well, you said you knew they were coming. So I think that helped you work through them better. But for someone who maybe would not have the experience or be prepared for them.

Give us some advice on how to deal with hiccups.

LISA (16:55)
I just think it's setting expectations with the process. mean, like you just said, going into it, you know, it's not gonna be completely smooth, but if you know that going into it, it can still be completely fun. You you get so tied up in the teeny tiny little things that, you know, sometimes you need to be reminded, and I think Ann did a good job with this, is like in the scheme of things, you're hyper-focused on this one thing, and when you see everything,

it's not even going to come into play. Like you're not ever going to ever even notice that. But you just hyper-focus on some of the things that weren't what you thought. But she was absolutely right in the end. It's like, it's beautiful. And you don't see that little, it was such a big deal at the time when you found out, I couldn't do this. And then all of a sudden it's like, it just works out, you know?

MELODY (17:46)
So Lisa, this is our 20th anniversary. And so what we're doing with the podcast this year is we're highlighting 20 homes. You would be the probably best person because you run it as an Airbnb. If you could give me a 10 second elevator pitch type style about your project and how much fun you had with it, I'd love that.

LISA (18:07)
wow, that's pressure. Okay.

KIM (18:11)
more pressure than building your house.

LISA (18:13)
Right, right. Building a custom home with Hibbs, I had a dream and I had a concept and I feel like that Hibbs helped me bring this to life because obviously we're not in this business of building, but you guided us through, you listened to us and we now have a fabulous home.

KIM (18:34)
And I just want to piggyback off of that saying that this truly has been one of our favorite projects, obviously if it's in the top 20, but it's near the very tippy top because of your organization. love, this is what's so fun about what we do, Lisa, is we've never built the same home twice. And to build a home as unique and beautiful as yours is really what is satisfying to us.

From my perspective, that's one of the reasons, one of the many reasons this is one of our favorite projects. So thanks to you and thanks to Dan and thanks to the Hibbs team for pulling it off because again, it's absolutely gorgeous. The Airbnb is going to be hugely successful for many years and we are just very thrilled for both you and

LISA (19:18)
Well thank you, I appreciate that.

KIM (19:28)
We kind of touched on this a little bit earlier when we made the comment that we've never built the same home twice. That's what's so unique about Lisa and her story. And quite frankly, many of the clients we've worked with and we really are very passionate about this story because Lisa has truly become, you know, kind of a member of the Hibbs Homes team. She's been that important to us.

We're over for warranty. Do some warranty work. She was making soup for everybody.

MELODY (20:00)
Yep, and I think she even still invites Ann to like derby parties and.

KIM (20:05)
She does. And the, I know the most recent Derby party and was over there. I believe she had her, her appropriate attire with the hat and everything. But Lisa's also been wonderful because she will absolutely pick up the phone and talk with anybody that we ask her to for referrals for Hibbs Homes. And that's, that's the thing about a custom builder. And we encourage anybody who's talking with a builder is talk with some of the past clients and what's the builder like.

What's the team like? What are the services they offer? You know, how quickly do they respond if there's an issue or if there's a problem? Do they come with suggestions instead of just here's the problem?

MELODY (20:42)
And that's a good rule when you're sitting down looking at your builders, try to get current clients and see how the process is going. We always give current clients and past clients just so people can see something similar to what you're building as well.

KIM (20:57)
Exactly. Well, story number two on our journey down memory lane takes us to one of the most recent builds in Park City, Utah. And it was one that was recently featured in the Western Home Journal publication.

MELODY (21:09)
It was, and there's a really great story behind the home. And we don't exactly delve into her motivation for building. We didn't get as much of that story when we talked to her. But if you pick up or look at Western Home Journals issue from winter/spring 2025, you can actually hear directly from her why she built too. And it's a great story.

KIM (21:31)
We're talking about Kelly Day. Now, Melody, we have either ongoing or wrapped up 10 projects now in the Sky Ridge Luxury Development, which overlooks the Jordanelle just outside of Park City. And this client just mentioned her name, Kelly Day. And the designer on this project is Lydia Huffman. And they were gracious enough to chat with us during the construction of the home. And we love this client. We love the story. So we really wanted to take this opportunity to share it again.

Kelly and Lydia, thank you so much for joining us. We greatly appreciate it. Kelly, tell me a little bit about why you decided to build in Park City and kind of what prompted the whole thing.

KELLY (22:18)
Yeah, well, I mean, we had been vacationing as a family, my husband and I and our kids really since before we were even married. So we've been going to Park City as a family for about 20 years. We just, you know, love the environment there. We love to ski. We love spending time there in the summer.

And, you know, over the years, as you know, once we got married and had kids and the kids grew up, our ideas about what we would do in terms of real estate in Park City kind of changed over the years. And I think what really prompted us to move forward with building our house was we finally decided that this was the place that we were going to retire. know, obviously we weren't in that mindset 20 years ago when we started the journey.

But you know, after spending all these years there, we just decided that, you know, when we thought about where we wanted to spend the back half of our lives that that was the place for us because, know, great outdoor environment and just really active culture of the community and really, you know, sentimental and kind of special place for us. And so, yeah, once we decided that that's what we wanted to do, then it was like, okay, well, I'm going to build the house that I want to live in for the rest of my life. And so then it became obviously much more personal and more special. Not a custom home, no.

KIM (23:38)
Have you built before?

KELLY (23:41)
We've had two other experiences working with builders, both of which we went in and bought spec homes, but not at the phase where we were buying the land and hiring the architect and things like that. So this was a new experience for us.

KIM (23:57)
So let's bring Lydia into the conversation here and I'll ask you first, Kelly, why did you feel like a designer was important to this particular project?

KELLY (24:05)
Well, think designer is critically important. There's a lot of things that I definitely don't know about designing and building a house. Although Lydia would probably attest that I certainly have a lot of opinions about it, even if I don't always know what the heck I'm doing. Yeah, like we had had, you know, obviously I had a lot of ideas. had Pinterest boards and house boards and ideas that I had for the house.

But I needed a partner who actually knew how to like bring those things to life, right? Like I needed someone who had the experience to be able to take what was my picture on a Pinterest board and actually turn it into reality and kind of guide us through making the choices. So it was great that we got connected actually through you, through Kim, you know, to Lydia. And we've now been working together on this for over a year and it's been a really great rewarding experience.

KIM (25:01)
So Lydia, not only is Kelly building from long distance, but in a way you are too, because you're based in Seattle. Talk a little bit about the importance of a designer from your perspective when working with custom clients.

LYDIA (25:11)
Absolutely, I appreciate that. I loved Kelly's words where she said it's a critical element and so that validates that we're really important. I think where our value is for a builder and a client is truly the systems. And if we don't have systems in place, then it won't be beneficial to anybody else involved.

So I love the fact that Hibbs introduced us to the Day family and then right off the bat, it was builder, client, and design team all moving forward with the day's vision together at the same time in an organized format. So for us, and we love our work outside of the greater Seattle area, it's all about the process, the systems, and probably the fundamental is communication and how that communication takes place and transfers to the builders and your vendors and your trades to make sure their vision happens the way they wish for it to.

KIM (26:17)
And it's interesting you bring up communication because that's one of our core values. That's one of the things that we really strive to provide to our clients. And to take this a little bit more full circle, one of the things that we as builders enjoy about the relationship is when we're putting together a budget, we want to make sure that our budgets are accurate. And if we have the designer working with the client upfront, it helps make sure that when we're populating our budget with the selections, whether it's cabinetry, flooring, whatever, that we're putting in the appropriate numbers.

So Lydia, how do most clients find you when it comes to design? Is it the builder who introduces you or do you have people that find you through your website?

LYDIA (26:57)
It's probably a 50-50 thing. Our referrals from our builders is greatly appreciated and is probably the most efficient because you as a builder already validate to the clients that we are the design team, that we're the best fit for them because you sense that upfront. So we really appreciate that. If and when a client is finding or sourcing us through our website or other social media avenues.

It's still positive, but it just ends up being more of a extensive process as a whole to help make sure that they believe the client we're a good fit along with, then we either help them find a builder or they already kind of have one off in the wings ready to go.

KIM (27:44)
Kelly, I'll ask you the same question. As someone who lives on the East Coast, you're building on the West Coast. How did you start your search for a builder? And then what would you say to people who were looking to find a builder? What are the best ways to get connected?

LYDIA (27:58)
Started our search mostly through our real estate agent So we had actually acquired a piece of land like we knew the community that we wanted to build in which was Sky Ridge at Park City and We had had a real estate agent that we had been working with she was great at like introducing us to different people in Park City and then you know, we kind of complimented that with doing honestly like a lot of online research. Like I tend to follow on Instagram a lot of builders and designers and things like that from around Park City. So I had some sense of like different players in the market and who was doing what. And you know, I would go to my real estate agent and say, have you heard of this person? What do you think of their work, their reputation, things like that. And then finally,

When we were really ready to pull the trigger, we just went out to Park City and like spent a few days meeting people, interviewing people, because, you know, one of the things that I really thought about when we were beginning this process is that I knew that it was going to be like two plus years. Like I just sort of set my expectation up front. Like this is going to take a couple of years. And so this is someone that you're going to have a relationship with for years. Like it's not a transaction.

Like, you know, it's a partnership. Like, you're gonna be in this together for a while. And so it was really important to build a personal connection. Like, you have to get along and, like, build trust and feel like, you know, you have that natural communication because there are bumps along the way. Like, you know, there are things along the way that I think to be expected, you know, it doesn't always go perfectly smoothly and stuff.

And so I think, you know, you really just want to pick partners builder, designer, you know, that you feel like, you know, we can be friends, like, you know, like, because that that's what you're signing up.

KIM (29:57)
And I think trust is another key word. have to pick somebody not only that you can develop a friendship with, but you also have to trust them because it is such a long process. There's so many important decisions and there's a lot of money at stake. So you have to be able to trust the partnership that you're getting involved with. And we tell our clients the same thing. I know Lydia does as well. So this relationship that we've all developed has been really special. I think we all work together exceptionally well. Lydia has an awesome team.

We have an awesome team and I hope that you would agree that it's all going very well. So I want to talk specifically about your home, your original vision. And then as we find ourselves today, we're just about to go to insulation and drywall. Is that vision coming true? Has it changed at all?

KELLY (30:42)
It's actually almost even better than I originally envisioned. Now that I've seen like the windows go in and things like that, it's like, it's actually even better than I thought it was gonna be. So we chose the property based on sort of where it was situated and some of the views that we wanted and things like that. And so I had this idea in my head based on the property that my husband and I could kind of live on the first floor.

And that would sort of be our floor, if you will, with like kitchen, living, dining room. And then the downstairs was really going to be like for all of our guests and our kids are at the point where they're going off to college now and stuff. And so we wanted it to be a place that like everybody would come home for the holidays and, know, we could all be together as a family and invite friends and stuff.

So I had an idea in my head of like, how the house was gonna be laid out and sort of imagining like everyone coming and how we would spend time together like around the table and stuff. now that we're, you know, it looks like a real house now and it has windows and stuff like that. And you can stand in it and see the view and see the rooms and everything. It is even better than I actually thought it was gonna be. Like now I'm so excited for it to actually be done because it just looks amazing.

Speaker 1 (32:02)
Were you concerned about the design process and having to build from afar?

Speaker 2 (32:07)
No, honestly, it didn't even occur to me to be concerned, to be honest. I think because, I mean, we're all kind of digital natives at this point. My job is very online, if you will. And so, you know, I'm used to living my whole life through Zoom and the internet and email and texting and stuff like that. So that kind of communication is extremely natural to me.

So it really didn't worry me at all. I think that the main thing that we were looking for, like I said, mean, trust, like you said, but that really solid communication, I am probably a little bit more of like a type A personality. so I really, I like the details. I like fast answers. like, you know, to like be on top of things and I always want to know like where everything is and like, when's the next thing happening and stuff.

I think having that peace of mind and having the visibility into, here's what's going to come next. Here's how long it's going to take. I actually think it manages expectations better. when I know, that's not going to actually happen until December, then I'm not even thinking about it. It's not even in my head. I'm like, okay, that's not happening until December. So like, I'm just going to worry about the things that need to happen right now. Like what are the decisions that we need to make right now? What are the selections that need to happen?

things that are going to happen in December or January or three or four months from now, I'll cross that bridge when we get to those. So having that schedule and having that communication, I think, is not only good to just maintain the communication flow, but it actually gives you peace of mind so that you don't have to worry about the things that aren't relevant right now.

KIM (33:57)
So Lydia, that's gonna bring you back into the conversation because first of all, Kelly wasn't concerned at all about making selections, which is terrific. You've used the word process a couple of times. I have to believe that your process and your ability to schedule selections really is something that makes or breaks a project like this.

LYDIA (34:17)
Absolutely for us designing remotely is exactly the same the steps that we take with our clients and builders is identical State to state. I mean there is no difference for us and when we vary from that process or that path or that journey That's when things don't go as well.

So when we were hired by Kelly because Hibbs introduced us the first thing we did is know something about Kelly. So we scheduled a vision meeting via that digital native app. And there have been times throughout this process where we're zooming in four different time zones. But every time I would hang up from those zooms, I would go check, done, done. Because Kelly is very clear about her expectations.

and we have a process and hopefully we always meet the expectations of the clients and Hibbs. So for us, there just is no difference. We have a checklist. So once we have that vision meeting with our clients, we then began to schedule appointments in a synchronized format. And for us, it was meeting Kelly in Utah and working with Hibs homes vendors and trades and just going through the steps sequence by sequence.

So that by the time we got to the interiors, Kelly already knew what her plumbing looked like. Kelly already knew what her appliances looked like. I mean, we had things sequentially done and then we just got to dive into the fun stuff. And she has great taste. None of our clients have bad taste. So we love working with Kelly's creative and enthusiastic personality.

And she's very hands on if you've watched any of our social media on Instagram, her time is now her personal showroom of her new home and it's so much fun to see. And I got when Kelly was talking about her home, their home, and that it's actually better than she expected. I got serious goosebumps. Tell how excited Kelly and her family are about her house just when she did her video of her dining room for us to show us all of her parts and pieces.

KIM (36:23)

It's interesting because you mentioned meetings in four time zones. We're recording this right now in three different time zones. So technology isn't as bad as maybe it's made out to be after the pandemic, but Lydia, talk a little bit about what some of the other technology you use to help your clients.

LYDIA (36:50)
Well, Kelly's way ahead of me and I surround myself with really smart people. So it's my team that kind of takes our technology to the next level. It is drawings. Kelly will put together amazing press boards or, team, what do you think of these ideas? And then we gather and think, and then we draw it up for her. Or if she wants to change the hood color or she wants to change her wallpaper. My team, because they're so gosh darn talented, they can immediately put that into a format so Kelly can get a vision. So she can then say, okay, Lydia, done, check, check. We made that decision, move on.

KIM (37:34)
And Kelly, do you believe this technology and some of the visions that Lydia and her team are sharing with you? Can you get the true look and feel of what it's going to look like ultimately?

KELLY (37:45)
Yeah. I mean, you know, they put together really nice presentations where essentially they lay out all the selections room by room and it's all itemized. And once I get that document, it does sort of show a nice board room by room of what everything looks like. And then I just kind of complement that with my own research. So like they'll send a list of you know, what each of the materials are.

And so I will go on the manufacturer's website and look at more detailed pictures. In a lot of cases, Lydia mentioned my dining room is like my design showroom. I've ordered like a zillion samples. So they pick all the hardware selections and the tile and everything. And I basically go and order samples of all of them.

And then I have them sent to the house and then I can look at them in real life and say, okay, this is what this handle looks like on this type of wood and with this fabric, you know, on the drapes, things like that. Or in some cases, you can just go to a local showroom.

KIM (38:48)
Lydia, I know there's a lot of project management software that you guys use and design software you use. We also are using construction software that helps Kelly keep up to date with selections. have her actually, she can go into our software. Once Lydia has turned in a design that is ready to be selected, we have Kelly sign off on it. So we then can send a purchase order to our vendors. So that's very organized. It's a great communication tool. We can record all the communication back and forth.

So if we ever have a question, we can go back and research and look at it. We also shared our construction schedule with Kelly there, so she knows where we are with the project. But project management software and just managing the project is so important, especially at this level, and especially with some of the decisions that have to be made. Lydia, I would have to believe that you and your team also are relying on different software systems that help with all of this.

LYDIA (39:43)
Absolutely, and because of the number of builders that we work with, everybody uses something different. Build a trend, co-construct, whatever. So we don't overthink that, but it is definitely a tool in our box that helps us better manage our time with the clients and for the builders. My favorite thing in the whole wide world is on-site walks. So yes, we travel to Utah. We had a very productive day were with Kelly on the job site and that Hibbs and involved their subs and just kind of this seven hour day on the job sites with all the amazing people and that is how you get the feel of the home and get to where Kelly and Hibbs is today on that project. So if at all possible I prefer to be on the job site versus like digital but at the same time each builder uses a different and I know Co-Construct is accessible to us.

I just try to give it to Hibbs and let Hibbs put it in the right places for our clients.

KIM (40:43)
Kelly, what do you remember about that very busy time when you visited Park City recently and we had all of our trades there and you spent a couple of days on site with the trades and how do you think that relates to the success of a project like this?

KELLY (40:58)
Well, first I would agree that, you know, software like Co-Construct is super helpful. I mean, it's just really easy. You know, you guys put things in, I pull it up super fast, look at it, approve it. So that's been an awesome communication tool. But I do think that when you're building a home from afar, you really have to bake into the schedule certain times when you know you can go and spend time at the house, because it is pretty hard unless you're standing there in the room, you know, looking at things and really get a sense of like proportions and how you think it's going to look. you know, we try to carve out certain trips like every so often so that we make sure during key milestones that we're able to get there. And I think that's really, really important. The last time that we were there was, you know, right after the house was framed.

And so it was really the first time that we could see the proportions of the room and stuff. Like you could really stand in it and get a feel for, this is about how big it's really gonna be. Like you can look at it on the plans, but it's kind of hard to visualize until you stand in it for the first time. It was great. I mean, like as soon as we walked in the door, we just kind of went to, okay, first let's walk through and do this. So we got like a bunch of plumbing decisions made. We got electrical decisions made. We looked at HVAC. We looked at...

And in some cases, we found places where we had to change some things. We had to change some of the measurements on a few of the cabinets. And our cabinet partner was there right on site and was measuring and saying, OK, here's what we can do. And we made just some really quick on the fly decisions about that that I think definitely saved us some headaches later.

There were a couple of places where we had thought we were going to make certain choices. And then we looked at it and said, don't think that's gonna look exactly the way we thought. So like, let's not do that. I thought it was really efficient. Like a lot of things happen in a very short period of time. And you know, we walked away with some really tangible action items. So was good.

KIM (43:04)
Yeah, I think it's key for those building a farter to like you say, bake into your schedule, making sure you're planning three, maybe even four, maybe even more if you need it, trips to the job site to meet with the team and with your designer and with the subcontractors because it's critical that you're there to put your eyes on it. But we talked about technology. If you can't be there, I know, for example, our superintendents try to take photos and videos occasionally and post them so Kelly can see what's going on.

But also I know with some clients as needed, we've also done FaceTime. So you can get real time information on what's going on to make decisions. So just from a technology standpoint, that's something to think about as well. We've talked for a while, greatly appreciated ladies. Maybe a final piece of advice if you're building from afar.

KELLY (43:52)
I think it's being really honest. You have to be not afraid to say, I don't really like that and sort of have that open, honest communication because I think at least from my perspective, it's my home and it's the place that Matt and I are gonna live in and it has to be.

super comfortable for us. We have to feel like it is a big investment, as you say, and it's one that hopefully we're going to live in for a long, long, long time. so every decision that we make feels kind of personal to us. And so I think creating a really open and honest environment, I think, is really, really important. And you guys have enabled that and you guys have created that feedback mechanism. And I know when I say things that you listen.

and you understand and never try to push us into making decisions that we're not comfortable with. When you're building a custom home, is your

KIM (44:54)
Lydia, final word.

LYDIA (44:56)
Well, I have more than one word, but I think that I appreciated again, Kelly saying that having a designer is critical. I think it's absolutely a must for any custom home. And that is not about driving my business. That is in support and respect of first the homeowner and second, the builder. And so so many of us are good at, I love the look at this, but what is the critical path is

How does the builder know how to implement that? What is the specific specification on that piece of tile? And so that's why I believe that designers are incredibly important, especially the process that LA Design has in place, because I know it's going to get implemented correctly because I'm working with Kelly and I'm working with Hibs Home. I know Kelly is going to get the house that she and her family wish for.

KIM (45:56)
That's the ultimate goal by everybody that's involved. Put that team together and build that dream home and make everybody happy.

Kelly and Lydia, cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience and sharing your time because I know you're both extremely busy. Thank you so much to both of you for spending a few minutes with us today. We appreciate it.

Needless to say, Kelly's project turned out just beautifully and they just enjoyed her their first holiday season in the new home. And I remember when we were finishing it, she and her husband, Matt, wanted to spend the entire month of August in the home. And so we were so excited for them because it's a long process when you're designing a home and building a home, especially in the mountains. It can, you can add several months just because of the weather conditions and the terrain, the topography.

So the process from design through construction is like three years. And so you keep thinking about a beautiful new home and I can't wait until we move in and can't wait to bring the family. And she's got two little cats that she brings with her. They got to spend the entire month of August. She came out with some girlfriends in October and just had a ball. And this is the first year they get to spend the holidays there. And I still communicate with Kelly all the time and she's so excited.

MELODY (47:13)
And she's a Christmas nut. Yeah, so being able to spend her first holiday as Christmas in that home.

Speaker 1 (47:15)
Yes, that's right.

Yeah. And it's interesting because when we say we've never built the same home twice, the interesting part about that is even though you might have a design you're building your home off of, just like with Kelly, you know, we kind of really love it when she said that things that weren't in the original plans actually turned out to be some of the favorite parts of her home. And that frequently happens. And that's when you have a good builder.

There's a lot of great builders. We've talked about that for six years. Find one you get along with because I promise you there's things during the process when you see it two dimensionally on a piece of paper, you don't know what it's going to look like until it's actually framed up and you're in the middle of it. And you can really come up with some cool ideas to change things and make the home just exactly the way you want it.

MELODY (48:08)
Right, and they help manage all of those pieces during the build. The little details that might seem overwhelming your designer is really going to have, that's their job. That's what they're thinking about.

KIM (48:19)
Yeah, and it kind of goes to show that you need to trust the process. That's a great question to ask the builder. What is your process? And then when you're comfortable with it, trust the process, trust the designer you're working with. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to give them your opinion because again, this is your home. So, you know, make sure that they're building the home you want. But again, trust that process and trust the designer. really does work.

MELODY (48:44)
Well, and Kelly has opinions, right? She still wanted to have those options. So you may think, I'm very opinionated. This is going to be really hard. But your designer is going to present multiple options and really help you nail down exactly what those opinions are.

KIM (49:02)
And we were building from afar, Kelly and her husband live on the East Coast. I remember talking to her and the designer Lydia would be sending her things to her home on the East Coast. And Kelly would always talk about and laugh about how her dining room table has turned into this great display of what is going to go into her home and what could go into her home. But it was a fun project. She enjoyed it. The result is a beautiful home.

in Sky Ridge, just north of the Jordanelle, a home that Matt, Kelly, the kids, and the cats can enjoy for many years.

MELODY (49:39)
Well, and we're going to link to photos from both of those projects. And we're also going to link to Lisa's Airbnb, because don't forget, you can actually stay the night.

KIM (49:50)
That's right. And Augusta, Missouri is there. There is some comparison to, you know, the Napa Valley on the West Coast. Now, of course, it's not nearly as big. It really is a beautiful area. It's an opportunity for a getaway. And the Airbnb component is absolutely wonderful. And I know that Lisa is a wonderful hostess. She just does a great job. They got a pool, really well landscaped, a really nice swimming pool.

So yeah, if you want to learn more about that too, you can do that in show notes.

MELODY (50:21)
And managing that overwhelm, we wanted to provide a resource as well. And we have our recently updated Dream Home Worksheet that we're going to link to from there. That's a resource that we've talked about before, but we give to our clients so that they can start pinning down ideas and think room by room, square foot by square foot.

KIM (50:38)
I need to compliment you because you spent a lot of hours putting that together and it really makes a big difference and that's something that's available to prospective clients or quite frankly anybody who might find it helpful. You might be building you know on your own somewhere. It's just a great resource and I really do thank you for the wonderful job you did with it.

MELODY (50:58)
as great of a resource as our podcast.

kim(51:00)
As our podcast, exactly. And speaking of podcasts, our next episode, you know what they say about Midwest homes. They're boring. They all look the same. They're older. Yep. Well, on our next episode, we are going to be breaking the Midwestern mold because we are going to be talking about, drum roll please, two award-winning modern homes. Can we build modern homes in St.

melody (51:26)
I mean, according to Reddit, we're one of the most trusted modern home builders here in St. Louis.

KIM (51:32)
True, because we built many of them now.

MELODY (51:34)
Started early and that's one of the stories that we're going to talk about too is what kind of one of those first wave of homes after the Frank Lloyd Wright area down there in Sugarcreek Valley. So if you haven't subscribed, you should do that. We don't want you to miss an episode or lose your place and we always are going to thank you for a review and ask for any questions you might have.

KIM (51:48)
Because I know you frequently get emails from people who are listeners to our podcast and we're happy to answer whatever questions we can. It doesn't matter where you live or we're happy to be a resource, which is what this is all about.

MELODY (52:10)
I even answer the phone and I'll have people say to me. no, I listened to your podcast. I already know all of this.

KIM (52:16)
Well, if you remember, we have a client right now in the St. Louis area. And the first thing she did is she walked in our office for one of our initial meet and greet meetings. And she said, I listen to your podcast all the time. I don't even need to hear your pitch. It was so funny. And we're actually helping her select an architect and we will be getting their project sometime in the, in the middle of 2025. It is a lot of fun. We love doing the podcast.

I know we had a little bit of a break there, but it's been a very busy time for us. We're glad to be back recording. We have a 10 episode season ahead. And again, our next episode, we hope everybody joins us for, we're going to break that Midwestern mold and take a look at some very modern homes. So we hope we see you then.

OUTRO: For more information visit www.artofcustompodcast.com or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn as The Art of Custom. Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes and please rate and review. The Art of Custom is produced by HugMonster sound with original music by Adam Frick-Verdeen. Thanks for listening.