Creating A Model Home!

Construction leaders are interested in driving sales and creating interest from potential homeowners to increase their sales per square foot and produce greater profit.

The persuasive art of creating desire is the key to achieving success in creating interest and driving increased sales at all economic levels.
Special features in interior finishes, such as upgraded custom lighting, designer wall finishes and large scale stone floors help create the livable

and luxurious feel. However this is not the key to “creating desire” from a merchandising standpoint. Builders and developers want to capture the buyers emotions and reach them on a “feeling” level.

So what are some of the tricks of the trade? William Miller Design located in Palm Desert does several model homes a month as well as fully-furnished, turn-key homes throughout the Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs area as well as other Southern California Cities. The photos that accompany this article are of an

award-winning model home project- Brava- in Palm Desert, California, which William Miller Design completed for Family Development.

Creating an ambiance that make prospective buyers “feel at home” is the key to effective merchandising. Here is a short list of key components to effective model home design:

Know who your target market is….Who are you designing for ?

Who is the potential buyer?

Create a scenario (or a theme) that buyers can relate to….

Keep it simple yet well accessorized.

Make things look custom-made but not overdesigned

Select colors that are popular but not over used…

Set a mood that the buyer can visualize themselves in…

Select colors, textures and finishes that are appropriate to the natural setting of the home.

Use interior finishes and details in ways that are unexpected.

The Difference Between Animals and Humans Is Our Ability To Accessorize

Nothing gives our homes more character than the accessories we put within them. These accessories reflect the personalities of the individuals using and living in the space.

Creating compositions with interior accessories is often perceived as an “intuitive” art, but it is also a skill which can be developed. To create compositions, organize what you already have into meaningful collections, which can be showcased in the space. This could be color, or shape.

Artwork, family pictures or even the color of the frame may be that single unifying element. Symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangements can be used in placing accessories. Each of us has our own innate preference for this. If we see an asymmetrical relationship, our brains automatically feel a

need to fill it the negative area. Others find symmetry too predictable and feel comfortable in “skewed” and non-balanced relationships. Variety and height can play an important role. Aligning items in a straight line will have very little interest and not be “readable” as a grouping. Vary heights, place items close to each other and even overlapped them slightly. Creating pleasant, compositions allow “clustering “or groupings of accessories

The brain will fill in what it does not see. Most importantly, leave areas of negative or empty space. By following some of these simple principles to creating compositions for accessories, you can enhance your collections, provide visual interest to your home, and provide those special areas, reflective of all those who live there.

Another accessory you can employ to add character to your interior design scheme is decorative pillows. You can realize a use for pillows in any type of room, in particular bedrooms and living areas. Pillows can be coordinated to your design scheme and may be made in fabrics or patterns which are coordinated but not necessarily identical. There are also so many wonderful trims, cords and fringes available to give your accent pillows character. Incorporating decorative pillows on your sofa or chairs will add color, texture and style to the furniture.

Keep it simple and you're sure not to miss a beat. Here are some simple rules of thumb for interior design that are put to work daily at William Miller Design, and are not only applicable in the Palm Desert and Palm Springs settings, but work anywhere in the world!

Shapes Are Oppositional

If your table is square, put something round or cirular on it. A rectangular tray or a square dish on a round table is interesting and creates contrast.

Stick To Odd Numbers

This works every time: on a side table, place 3 items. Here's one classic solution: a vase, some stacked books and a picture frame with family photos. 3 , 5 , 7 are magic numbers that give the eye a pleasing reaction.. Designate a focal point or two. These will be your “starting points”, from which you can work outward. As you place your items, it is best to keep clusters to odd numbers, namely, three or five items. More than five items will most likely loose the “readability” of the grouping.

Bring In The Outside

Greenery or your favorite flowers add some life and lighten your space. Don’t have a green thumb? Permanent botanicals are now an alternative to a quality look. They can look so real, you have to touch them to know the difference.

Look to materials and contrast of textures

If you have a glass table, put a glass bowl might get lost in the shuffle. A great place to balance materials is with accessories. You can fill in any missing gaps. See if you can get wood, metal, glass and ceramic in the room. Too much of one material, and it wont feel balanced.

Green With Envy!

Recycled materials are much more chic in the design industry than they once were.
William Miller Design recommends this VivaTerra Railroad Tie Coffee table duo.
It has an elegant, rustic quality that would look great in both traditional and modern rooms. Its organic qualities and simple lines make for a great transitional furniture arrangement,
and this grouping can even be used outdoors! The matching railroad tie side tables are also atractive, adding an earthy accent to any interior

and are affordable! These tables are made from reclaimed barn wood.

So what makes this furniture “green”? The wood is actually from reclaimed railroad ties, made out of teak, pine, and other hardwood. VivaTerra has even preserved the weathered look and filled the railroad-track holes. http://www.vivaterra.com/






Another perennial green favorite is Wallteriors wallcovering http://www.wallteriors.com/


This fantastically beautiful wallpaper is produced with recycled paper and hand painted with no toxic dyes and pigments. This wall treatment can be installed in a number of different ways- 18” overlapping squares with torn edges is my favorite. There are many choices of patterns available and Wallteriors is open to custom designs as well. Wallteriors wallcovering is available through William Miller Design.