We had the chance to interview Jackie Kirshman, one of our wonderful selections coordinators! We know that picking the finishes of your new home can be overwhelming. Our selections coordinators are there to walk you through step by step to make it fun and simple, and Jackie gives us a few tips to help you throughout the process!

You often design homes for AVB to sell. How do you start the selections process for these model homes?

We take into account any inventory of homes we have currently built and for sale or in the process. Even if they are in another community, we will take a look at what colors we use in those homes to make sure we don’t have the same color scheme. We also take a look at what colors are trending in the time we are going through the selections process.

For our clients, do you have any tips on making home selections that they will love forever?

It really comes down to likes and dislikes and how they will use the home. Do you love blue? Then, let’s incorporate some of that into your home. If you do use something that’s a trending color or style, incorporate that into something that is easily changed like throw pillows. Those are relatively inexpensive to swap out when that item is no longer “trending” rather than putting it in a cabinet that is expensive to replace down the road.

Do you think it’s wise to stay away from trending colors & finishes?

You don’t necessarily have to stay away, we just advise putting touches of trends into your home rather than making it entirely trendy. Also, if it’s trending and you don’t like it, don’t put the trend in your home!

What is your favorite part of the selections process & why?

Her favorite part is the floorings and the paint colors. The reason is because those items really help put the personal touches on the house. Floors and paint colors can really be used to express personality and also tie into the function of the home.

Where does your design inspiration come from?

As simple as it sounds, she just keeps her eyes open when walking other homes. She also takes a look at catalogs such as CB2 or one of those that stage their products well. Often times from these catalogs, you can get good ideas for fireplace mantels, trim inspiration, or colors that are trending.

How do you help clients find their style & the best design direction for them?

At the beginning of the meetings, we try to sit down for a few minutes and talk about small preferences. Do you prefer stain or painted cabinets? How are you going to use your home? Do you have kids at home or are you empty nesters? Do you have animals? Feel free to come prepared with inspiration! Some clients have notebooks with inspiration photos or others use Pinterest or Houzz and have ideas from those sites.

How does a client know if a trend is right for them?

You just know it in your gut. Look at your clothing and what you tend to wear, what makes you feel good? What speaks to you? The same goes for your new home.

We are so grateful that we could chat with Jackie about designing our home to love for a lifetime. Jackie mentioned one more tip: try to have some fun with designing your home! Some things may feel more overwhelming or intimidating than other times throughout the process; work through it and know you’ll get through that time. With the right partner and selections coordinator, you’ll make great choices for your new home!