Your first design appointment at a Utah design center is a guided, one-to-two-session walkthrough where you choose the finishes for your new home: flooring, cabinets, countertops, tile, fixtures, paint, and more. The best way to prepare is to know three things before you walk in: what's already included in your price, what a realistic selections budget looks like for your plan, and whether you want a designer-curated palette or open-ended choice. Get those three right and the appointment goes from overwhelming to genuinely fun.
We'll walk you through all of it. (Yes, it's fun. We promise.)
What Happens at a Builder Design Studio
A builder design studio is a showroom, usually with sample boards, tile walls, cabinet doors, flooring planks, and countertop slabs, where you turn a floor plan into your home. At Narwhal Homes, you're not designing from a blank sheet. You're choosing within a framework our designers have already pulled together so the pieces work with each other.
A typical first appointment covers:
- Review of your contract and what's included. Your standard features list is the starting line.
- Structural and layout options. These are often decided first because they affect permits and framing (think extra windows, a bigger patio, or a finished basement).
- Interior finishes. Flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and paint.
- Pricing for every upgrade, so you can see the total as you go.
Appointments can run a few hours. Bring snacks. Seriously.
Move-in-ready homes work differently
If you're buying one of our move-in-ready (quick-move-in) homes, the finishes are already installed. You may not have a design appointment at all, and that's a real advantage if your timeline is tight or decision-making isn't your favorite hobby. If a home is early enough in construction, some selections may still be open, so ask your sales team what's possible on that specific address.
Standard vs. Upgrade: Know Your Starting Line
The single most useful thing you can do before your appointment is get your list of standard inclusions and read it closely. Here's the plain-English difference:
- Standard: Included in your base price. Every buyer of that plan gets these, and you still choose from a set of options within them (for example, a few flooring colors or cabinet styles).
- Upgrade: Anything that costs extra on top of the base price, such as a higher-grade countertop, larger-format tile, a different cabinet style, upgraded lighting, or additional flooring coverage.
Standard doesn't mean bad. Good production builders choose standard finishes that look great and hold up. Upgrades are about preference, not necessity.
Common places upgrades appear
| Area | Often standard | Common upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen countertops | Entry-level quartz or laminate-style surface | Premium quartz, larger islands, waterfall edges |
| Flooring | Carpet in bedrooms, durable plank or vinyl in main areas | Hard-surface flooring throughout, upgraded carpet pad |
| Cabinets | Selection of door styles and colors | Different door profile, added hardware, extra uppers |
| Bathrooms | Tile surround, standard fixtures | Frameless shower glass, tile to ceiling, soaking tub |
| Lighting | Basic fixtures and selected recessed lights | Added can lights, pendants, specialty fixtures |
Treat that table as a general guide. Your actual inclusions depend on your plan and community, so ask for the written list.
Questions to ask before you choose anything
- What is included in my base price for this floor plan?
- Which choices are pre-priced upgrades, and which are quoted individually?
- Are there selections with deadlines tied to construction?
- Which upgrades are easy to add later, and which only make sense during the build?
That last one matters most.
What's Worth Doing Now vs. Later
Some upgrades are cheap to do while the house is being built and pricey or messy afterward. Others you can easily add on your own schedule.
Prioritize during the build:
- Structural items: window additions, ceiling heights, electrical placement, extra outlets
- Flooring in main living areas (swapping later means moving furniture and paying for demo)
- Plumbing rough-ins, such as a basement bathroom or gas line to the patio
- Cabinet layout and counter materials, because replacing them later is a remodel
Fine to do later:
- Light fixtures (a weekend swap)
- Window coverings
- Paint colors in low-traffic rooms
- Landscaping and many outdoor upgrades
- Decorative hardware
A good rule: if it's behind a wall, under a floor, or bolted to the foundation, decide now. If you can do it with a screwdriver, it can wait.
How to Set a Selections Budget
A selections budget is the amount you've set aside, beyond your base price, for finishes and upgrades. Setting it before your appointment is the best defense against the "ooh, that's gorgeous" spiral. No judgment here. Every budget is a good budget.
Step 1: Decide how you'll pay for upgrades
Ask your lender early whether upgrades can be rolled into your loan or must be paid separately, and how that interacts with appraisal. Policies vary by lender and loan type, so get specifics rather than assuming.
Step 2: Pick a number and split it up
Many buyers find it helpful to set a total and then divide it into rough categories. For example:
- 50% Kitchen and main living areas: where you spend the most time
- 25% Flooring: high impact, hard to change later
- 15% Bathrooms
- 10% Flex fund: because you will find something you love
Your percentages might look different. A home chef may put 70% in the kitchen. Someone with kids and a dog may lean toward durable flooring. Make the split match your life.
Step 3: Rank "must have," "nice to have," and "not now"
Write three lists before you go. When something on the "nice to have" list exceeds your budget, you already know what to trade. This keeps the decision about priorities, not pressure.
Step 4: Keep a running total
Ask your designer to tally as you go. Seeing the total change in real time prevents surprises at the end.
A quick note on resale
If you're a first-time or second-time buyer who may move in several years, put money where future buyers look: kitchen, flooring, and neutral finishes. If this is your final-time home, spend on what you'll enjoy every morning. Either approach is smart.
Curated Palettes vs. Open-Ended Choice
This is the big one. Many design centers offer some mix of two approaches, and understanding the tradeoff will shape how you spend your appointment.
Designer-curated design palettes
A design palette is a pre-coordinated package of finishes (flooring, cabinets, counters, tile, paint, and fixtures) chosen by designers to work together. At Narwhal Homes, this is the heart of "a custom feel without the headache."
Why people love them:
- Faster decisions. Dozens of choices collapse into a handful of cohesive looks.
- Cohesion built in. Colors and textures already play nicely.
- Predictable cost. Palettes are usually priced as packages, which makes budgeting easier.
- Less regret. Designers have already filtered out combinations that clash.
Tradeoffs:
- Less room for unusual combinations
- You may want one element from a different palette
Open-ended choice
Open selection means picking each finish individually from a wide range.
Why people love it:
- Maximum personalization
- Freedom to mix a bold backsplash with classic cabinets
Tradeoffs:
- More decisions, which means more fatigue
- Higher risk of mismatched undertones (a cool gray floor and a warm white cabinet can fight each other)
- Costs can climb quickly because each choice is priced separately
Which should you choose?
| If you… | Lean toward |
|---|---|
| Have never bought new construction | Curated palette |
| Feel decision fatigue easily | Curated palette |
| Have a very specific vision or inspiration photo | Palette as a base, with a few swaps |
| Want a tight, predictable budget | Curated palette |
| Love the design process | More open-ended choice, within guardrails |
For most buyers, the sweet spot is starting with a palette and customizing two or three items that matter most to you. Think of it like ordering a great meal and swapping the side dish.
How to Prepare: A Checklist
Two weeks before
- Get your standard inclusions list and your floor plan
- Confirm your lender's rules on upgrades
- Set your selections budget
One week before
- Build a simple inspiration folder (10–15 photos, not 200)
- Notice patterns: warm or cool? Light or dark? Matte or glossy?
- Write your must-have, nice-to-have, and not-now lists
Day before
- Measure your furniture, or at least know what's large (a sectional, a dining table)
- Think about lifestyle: pets, kids, cooking habits, hosting
- Get some sleep
At the appointment
- Bring your partner or co-decider (decisions go smoother together)
- Bring your inspiration photos and budget
- Take photos of every sample and combination
- Ask to see finishes in natural light, since showroom lighting can mislead
- Don't rush. Ask whether you can take a night to think on bigger choices, if the schedule allows
Common First-Timer Mistakes
- Going in without a budget. Upgrades add up one reasonable-sounding choice at a time.
- Choosing from tiny samples only. A 4-inch tile looks different across a whole wall. Ask for larger samples or photos of finished installs.
- Ignoring undertones. Hold samples side by side.
- Over-trendy picks. A bold look is great if you love it. Just know it can feel dated faster.
- Skipping the "behind the wall" items. Outlets and lighting placement matter more than people expect.
Your Home, Your Narwhal
Here's the part we love most. When you buy a Narwhal home, we adopt a narwhal in your honor through the World Wildlife Fund. A portion of every home supports conservation, so every finish you pick is part of something bigger than square footage. You get the home. A narwhal gets a little help. Seems fair.
Pretty cool thing you're doing. 🐋
FAQ
How long does a design center appointment take?
Plan for a few hours for a first appointment. Some buyers need a second visit for finishing touches, especially for larger homes or when exploring many upgrades.
What's the difference between standard features and upgrades?
Standard features are included in your base price. Upgrades cost extra and typically involve higher-grade materials, added features, or different styles than the included options.
How much should I budget for upgrades?
There's no single right number. Set one based on your finances, your lender's guidance, and your priorities. Then split it across kitchen, flooring, bathrooms, and a small flex fund.
Can I add upgrades after the home is built?
Many cosmetic items, like light fixtures and window coverings, can be done later. Structural, plumbing, and flooring choices are far easier and often cheaper during construction.
Are design palettes limiting?
They narrow the field, but in a helpful way. Palettes give you a cohesive look quickly, and most buyers can still swap a few elements to personalize.
Do move-in-ready homes include a design appointment?
Typically the finishes are already installed, so selections aren't needed. Ask your sales team whether any choices remain open on a specific home.
Where can I see Narwhal Homes communities?
We build in Eagle Mountain (Eagle Point and Eagle Village), American Fork (Mitchell Farms), Herriman (South Hills), Woodland Hills (Bell View Estates), and Hurricane (Black Ridge). Visit narwhalhomes.com to explore floor plans and available move-in-ready homes.