How Residential Designed Solutions Collaborates with Our Design Partner, Anne Rogers
Curious about how collaboration works between RDS and our design partners? In this post, we’ll give you an inside look at the creative process through the perspective of one of our talented interior design collaborators, Anne Rogers, of Anne Rogers Interiors. Discover how we work together to bring each unique vision to life, blending expertise and inspiration every step of the way.
What led you to start working on this specific project with RDS?
A long-time client of mine recently bought property and wanted to build a custom-designed house for it. I reached out to Jim and asked if he’d be interested in working together on the design for this home. Jim and I have a long working history together, and I truly appreciate his team’s approach and creativity. They work with me on the team as the designer. I respect them and I trust them to bring the vision to life.
How did you and RDS collaborate throughout the project?
We’re still in the design phase, but we’ve already had several meetings with the clients and visited the site to get a feel for the property. I’ve had excellent communication with Joshua, and we keep the lines open. That’s been key to ensuring a cohesive vision.
What were your primary design goals for this project?
My clients want a modern mountain home style, even though the property isn’t in the mountains. The goal is to design a home that works with the natural topography and maximizes the views, with porches off the back and side and large windows. We’re focused on ensuring great flow, creating a spacious gym, golf simulator, large office, and making sure their existing furniture can be seamlessly integrated into the design.
What style or theme is this project and how was that theme chosen?
We originally had two themes, but we narrowed it down to one for Jim and his team. To refine the vision, the client and I visited Colorado for the Parade of Homes, which showcased mountain-style homes. This helped us solidify what “mountain style” features we wanted to incorporate.
Have there been any challenges with this project and if so, how were they resolved?
The initial design came in over budget, so we are currently redesigning it. We’re moving from a two-story design to a ranch style, which has helped us align with the client’s budget. So far, that’s been the main challenge, and we’re working through it to ensure the final design is exactly what the client wants.
How will your team ensure that the interior design complements the overall architectural design?
We are creating the space with a great deal of research. We went to Colorado and went through all the homes, discussing what elements were consistent in them:
steel beams
wood
and natural products
This helped us determine which of these were important to her and what she ultimately wants in their home. We created a checklist of desired features, which has guided our design selections.
During client presentations, we share the chosen direction and then refine our selections, from lighting to plumbing and materials, based on client feedback. We’ve selected the stone and some of the other materials that align with the style she envisions. Ensuring our clients’ vision is well represented is at the heart of what we do.
How do you think the collaboration will enhance the final outcome?
Our collaboration with Jim and his team has been invaluable. Jim and Joshua know the products they are using in the design.
For example, the doors and windows aren’t what is normally used here in Ohio. They share their knowledge, and we can get their thoughts for specific products we want to use in the home.
We can openly discuss how the roof lines in the interior will work and how we can bring it all together.
Or the double islands that weren’t where I thought they would be, but after listening to Joshua and then doing research we presented it to the client, and they liked where the islands were planned to be.
We are taking the design one room at a time with our team each week and then talking with the client for their input. We take that conversation and inspiration to Jim and Josh to help them create the spaces. Then we can add or make changes to each room and give them helpful feedback!
What lessons will you take away from this collaboration that you can apply to future projects?
One thing we feel as a team is especially important is to visually show clients the inspirations for the direction a client wants us to take. Doing that research, whether it’s through Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram, and being able to communicate that or even put it in a 3d presentation that visually we can share has immensely helped this client. We will implement more of that as we move forward.
I like these projects because I get to be involved from the very start, working closely with the architect and making selections together. Introducing my clients to an architect that I know and trust has fostered a great relationship, and now they trust RDS as much as I do. My clients now call RDS on their own to suggest design changes. That level of trust and communication makes the process rewarding for everyone. It’s always important to have a strong, cohesive team!