Understanding the thought process of any creative type is fascinating. When walking through a museum or gallery, it’s captivating to think about the steps an artist takes to build an idea or a masterpiece out of thin air.

I was recently asked to write about the process of how my team and I work together creatively to build what we do everyday for the portfolio of properties we work on. So I wanted to take a step back and share our process of how it begins, how it evolves, and how it ends.

From the moment I step on site, my first exercise is to pinpoint what isn’t necessary, what needs to go, and mentally stripping off all the flim-flam that isn’t as fabulous so I can see a propertie’s most natural state for rebuilding. Once I can visualize the bone structure, I look for the potential and imagine the beauty that can be built from there such as kitchens, flooring, and bathrooms.

For me the most important part of the process is picking a design direction and committing. Once that happens, the wheels get in motion, materials are purchased, contractors are hired, and everything becomes second nature for us.

When the vision becomes a reality from all the hard work and grind we’ve put in, my favorite moment is to stand back in that very same place I first came to onsite. It’s a magical feeling to see a building the way it was intended to be.