Building a Dream Home with MDW
Building a dream home is more than just constructing walls and choosing finishes; it’s about designing a space that reflects your personality, lifestyle, and aspirations. To do it right, this journey involves thoughtful planning, collaboration, and plenty of creativity! Here at MDW, we take pride in crafting unique homes by blending each client's vision with expert design and construction skills. Here's a glimpse into how we do it:
Getting to Know the Client
At the heart of every dream home is the client. Our house design process begins by asking a lot of questions. What do you love? What makes you laugh? What hobbies and activities do you enjoy? We want to understand your life, your values, and what makes your family unique. These insights become the foundation for creating a home that truly reflects who you are.
We get to know if you need additional bedrooms for regular guests or a family house, or if a simple floor plan will fit your style better. We ask about how you prefer to cook to help design the right kind of kitchen for you (outdoor kitchen anyone?) and craft a unique pantry space. We want to know your hobbies and how you like to entertain in order to craft additional living spaces as needed. Basically, we want to know exactly how you want to live your life so that we can build a dream house that helps you do just that!
We also consider location. Building a home in Minnesota means cold winters, so we’ll ask about family activities and how you might spend a snow day to help us craft a home that meets every need. Whether you’re a bookworm who needs a cozy nook for reading, or an early rise dreaming of a sun-filled room for morning coffee, every decision in the house plans is meant to help you live a life you love.
Designing for Function and Fun
One of the most exciting parts of designing custom dream homes is finding ways to add playful, unique touches. At MDW, we love working with clients who are open to creative ideas. Some of our favorite playful touches have been crafting secret rooms hidden behind bookcases, kids’ lofts tucked above bathrooms or even private spaces like a hidden bunker for your hobbies.
One of our projects involved a client who loved to hunt, but whose wife wanted to keep the gear out of sight. We ended up creating a secure gun room hidden beneath the front stoop, complete with a clamshell door. These personal, unexpected design elements are what help transform a house into a true luxury home (not to mention they’re fun to show off to guests)!
Looking for something fun to add? Check out our blog on custom saunas!
Bringing the Vision to Life
Once we have a clear understanding of your vision, the design process begins. We assemble a team of architects and designers who specialize in your style and preferences. From Scandinavian minimalism (one of our favorites) to modern luxury, each home is tailored to the client and the land. For us in Minnesota, that means designing homes that maximize natural light, integrate the landscape, and reflect the changing seasons.
The timeline for this phase typically ranges from four to eight months, during which we work closely with you to finalize the design and make selections. We believe in making 90-95% of design decisions before construction begins, reducing surprises and change orders during the build.
Communication and Collaboration
Building a home is a highly personal and emotional experience, much like planning a wedding. To ensure a smooth process, we emphasize clear communication. Biweekly meetings allow us to check in regularly, address questions, and keep the project on track. We also provide weekly progress updates through our project management software, so clients can see what’s been completed and what’s ahead. Our communication is something we pride ourselves on! Trust me, we want you to know the updates just as much as you do!
Creating a Space that Feels Like Home
A custom home is more than just a beautiful space; it’s a reflection of the people who live there. Whether it’s incorporating meaningful artwork, using favorite colors, or creating functional spaces for everyday life, we aim to make each home a true extension of our clients’ personalities.
At MDW, we believe in the magic of blending creativity with careful planning, ensuring that every custom home we build feels uniquely yours.
