Our Commercial Seven Step Process
We believe designing your commercial place should be a positive experience.
After 18 years in the Calgary market, here’s what sets Decca apart:
Personal, dedicated, one-on-one service + exceptional communication
- You’ll work directly with one of Decca’s creative lead and one additional team member. These same individuals are with you for your entire design and build journey.
- We focus on building a relationship with our clients based on trust. We take the time to get to know you, know your lifestyle, and understand the “why” behind your wants and needs.
- Our close-knit team stays in constant contact — both with you and all team members. Messages are returned the same day.
- You’ll speak with someone knowledgeable about your project each time you contact us.
- We believe in complete transparency. You’ll be part of every decision, each step of the way.
- We deliberately manage our project load and only agree to work with a manageable number of clients at any one time. Your project will never be lost in the shuffle or put on hold for other work.
Client-Driven Design
- We don’t have a “signature” design style. Your space is YOUR space and should reflect you.
- We pride ourselves on always delivering a design that’s tailored to suit your unique needs and lifestyle, NOT the designer’s ego.
- The greatest compliment we hear is when one of your friends exclaims: “This house is so ‘you’!” “I love your new space.”
- We thrive on the creative challenges each new project brings.
- Looking out for your best interests is our main priority throughout the design process. It’s why we’re committed to discovering firsthand how you work so together we can design a space that is uniquely tailored to you.
Our Exacting Project Control System
- Our final 5-inch-thick design finishing binder captures absolutely every decision and instruction for completing your project. You’ll save money by avoiding budget overruns, and gather accurate, reliable bids during the tender process.
- We maintain a comprehensive samples library with over 20,000 materials, finishes, and products. Everything is at your fingertips. True one-stop-shopping to save you time and your sanity. Learn more about our samples library by clicking here.
- Every meeting deliberately planned to focus on a specific objective. Your time is never wasted or taken for granted. All we need is 60 to 90 minutes of your time each week.
- We work continuously to streamline our processes and improve productivity.
Full range of service, from concept to completion
- From the initial ideas to the final finished product, we are with you every step of the way. We have the in-house expertise to handle all facets of your interior design.
- We offer dedicated project management to oversee the construction process.
- Jennifer Brown is an accredited LEED professional who lends her training in sustainable building practices to each project.
- Our staff all have a minimum of 10 years in the construction industry.
1. Initial Consultation and Expectations
You call us and we briefly talk about your needs and expectations. If we both agree to proceed to the next step, we schedule a time to sit down and talk about your project in detail.
There’s no charge for this introductory meeting. We want to learn about you and what’s behind your decision to start the design process.
You’ll share what you need from your space (or what is currently not working). Together, we explore how your dream space looks, feels, smells, sounds. We want to understand how your space impacts every aspect of your business.
And of course, we talk about your expectations, timeline and budget.
If we’re on the same page regarding budget and outcomes, we prepare a formal proposal outlining the phases for the project. Once you agree to the proposal, we’re off and running!
2. Site Survey
Our first project meeting is usually at your space (assuming you already have a location selected for your new space).
This is when we discover firsthand how you work so we can design a space uniquely suited to you.
- What is your work flow process
- How do your teams interact
- What is your client experience
- How do your spaces interact
- How do you convey your brand
We pay attention to those things you don’t even notice anymore. By asking lots of questions and looking for connections, we zero in on the features and custom touches that make your office not just functional but remarkable.
3. Envisioning the Concept
The first step in this process is learning what you like — and don’t like. Using magazine photos, Pinterest boards, or Houzz digital ideabooks, you share photos of what you like and we help identify the common elements in each photo to get a sense of your overall style preferences.
We also set the ground work for our initial concepts by identifying the site conditions and/or limitations, applicable regulations, and site measurements.
Armed with this info, we go to work on our initial hand-drawn sketches of your office. As these concepts are refined, they evolve into computerized conceptual drawings. 3D drawings are used to visualize the overall space and dimensions.
By the time you’re ready to apply for permits and tender bids, you’ll have all the required information in a full set of drawings, including:
- site plans
- floor plans
- elevations
- perspectives
- sections details
4. Planning Every Detail
Regular weekly meetings are key to our Exacting Project Control System. Each week we take 60-90 minutes to focus on a specific stage or area of the project. Over the course of eight to 10 weeks, we’ll guide you through up to 1,500 decisions, covering every facet of your interior design.
Decisions can include:
- Exterior Finishes
- Plumbing & Appliance Schedules
- Millwork
- Door and Trim Schedules
- Finishing Schedules
- Paint & Flooring
- Electrical and Lighting
We strive to do what is best for our clients. We never waste time driving from supplier to supplier — it’s one-stop shopping directly in our office.
You can also rely on our experience and know-how to debate the pros and cons of each decision, plus the cost implications. By working through each decision in order and in stages, we keep you from getting overwhelmed, frustrated or burnt out.
It’s your dream space so let us help you stay excited about your project every step of the way!
The Design Finishing Binder
Every decision is documented, in detail, in your design finishing binder. It includes all of the building and product specifications and interior finishes, right down to appliance installation guides. The design finishing binder is the key to preparing a detailed budget and ensuring the stress-free execution of your project.
We can also compile a colour board to help you visualize all of the finish components of your space and how they relate to each other.
Copies of the binder and colour board live on-site during the build so that every tradesperson can see the final design plan and has all of the information they need to build and install every aspect of your commercial space.
Learn more about how we complete your interior design for commercial office space.
5. Execution
Our job doesn’t end once the design and planning are completed. We remain an active participant in the construction phase to ensure accuracy, overcome obstacles as they arise, and assist in modifications or product substitutions, if necessary.
Even at the build stage there can be design challenges – but on-demand access to our accumulated knowledge of your overall vision makes this potential obstacle minor.
If you choose to tender bids for construction, your chosen builder or general contractor is free to call us at any time for clarification on the specifications in our Exacting Project Control System. We can also do regular site visits to assist with your project construction.
If you’d like us to be more actively involved, we can also act as your Project Manager.
Instead of accepting a flat fee bid from a general contractor, we use our Exacting Project Control System to solicit bids and assemble a team of carefully vetted, qualified tradespeople.
We make sure your exact materials and finishes are ordered well in advance so you don’t have to worry about out-of-stock or slow-to-ship product holding up construction.
And we do frequent site visits to make sure everything stays on schedule and on budget, and aligns to our (and your) high standards.
Learn more about how we project manage construction for commercial office space.
6. Furniture and Furnishings
We start working on your interior decorating and stylizing during the construction stage so that your office is ready to move in quickly once construction is complete.
After studying your tastes, preferences and overall style, we present an overall concept for your furniture and furnishings, including sketches, fabrics, and a colour board.
Armed with these reference tools, we source all of the furniture, window treatments, artwork, and accessories to bring your space to life.
We can coordinate logo, vinyl and signage designs.
We are here to be of service to you and help to complete your space to reflect your brand and enhance your client experience.
7. Celebrate
Our clients become like family so it’s never really goodbye. After the build is done and you’ve moved in, you’re free to phone us anytime if you have a question or concern.
Your design finishing binder transforms into your maintenance manual, complete with:
- Finish schedules for everything that went into your space (paint colours, appliance models, etc.)
- Copies of all contracts, correspondence and design decisions
- Photographs
Working with Decca Design Inc. is a life-changing experience. Our every interaction is warm, supportive, and helpful. We enable our clients to create a space that goes beyond their expectations.