Most professionals who are involved in the planning, design and construction of premium homes understand that value invested is value returned. That’s just as true for the emotional side of the equation as it is for the financial. Virginia Hoffman, from interior design firm, Casa Bella DESIGN + Interiors, highlights the importance of value in designing a home’s interior.
Question (Q): Virginia, you and your team aren’t limited to just designing for homeowners in Park City or even Summit County, correct?
Virginia Hoffman (VH): Certainly not. We have clients in New York City, Washington, D.C., the San Francisco Bay Area, and many other locales. While it is true that many of them were introduced to Casa Bella and our work because they have a home here in Park City, they have chosen to use our services to help design their primary residences, summer homes and urban dwellings.
Q: So yours is a very upscale clientele?
VH: To a large extent. However, we have many, many faithful clients who live in Park City, Summit County, and along the Wasatch Front. I would say the common denominator is not their personal fortune, but their attitude toward “value.”
Q: Please explain.
VH: While a lot of our clients are second and third homeowners, just as many own one home. Regardless, each possesses a sophisticated outlook on life, personal self-expression, and the importance of a home environment that supports who they are and how they live. Our clients aren’t afraid to invest in what they believe will add value to the financial base of their homes, as well as to the quality, richness, and excitement of their lives. Without exception, our customers are committed to quality of life, and they see a vibrant, efficient, nurturing interior environment as a solid foundation for achieving that goal.
Q: So what do you believe sets Casa Bella apart from the many fine interior design firms around here?
VH: Great question. We recently conducted research with a group of our customers, some of whom live here, and some of whom live elsewhere. Most say the personality or chemistry between themselves and the individual designer is of primary importance. That, followed by price and, lastly, by style. The message here is that any competent designer is capable of creating a perfectly acceptable interior environment. When you look deeper, it is the relationship we establish that’s of utmost importance: trust, empathy, ability to listen and, ultimately, to articulate the client’s most personal ideas for living in beautiful, functional living spaces. What sets us apart at Casa Bella, is that we believe it’s our client’s dream home, not ours. Through the interview process, we get to thoroughly understand their family’s lifestyle, and how they’ll spend their time there.
With that in mind, as professionals, we lead our clients through a process that helps them clarify the direction they wish to go with their home. Our job is to keep them on path within the process, building the design one step at a time. We look for a cohesive thread, and work to connect all the dots. There’s always the client who says, “ I have no idea what I want.” But that’s very unusual.
Q: So it’s obvious you’re not interested in imposing any particular “style.” But that brings up another question: “Does Casa Bella have a ‘style?’”
VH: We have a broad range of styles, if you must use that term. Having said that, I believe our designers work with a different palette than do interior designers in other parts of the country. Not better, not worse, but different. Still, it all begins with the client. The reason they come to Park City is that they’re typically outdoorsy people. They like to take that part of themselves back to where they spend most of their time. We can take what we do here, and move it to any corner of the world. This experience gives us a palette that may be broader than other designers possess. I like to say, “we’re not leaving our signature, but we are leaving our mark.”
Q: You also have by far the largest showroom of any interior design firm in the area. What function does the showroom serve?
VH: Clients often start with a wish book. We encourage them to build it using pictures as a point of reference. Then we help them bring those ideas to life using the showroom, which helps them to determine their tastes and preferences and to begin to narrow their focus. The showroom is a way to put things in front of them in order to get them talking. At this phase it’s just as important to get their dislikes as well as their likes.. Our showroom allows us to present the tactile part of design: sit on a sofa, open a drawer, talk about the layers… Our showroom gives us a tremendous advantage in that regard.
Please call 435.658.2244 or visit www. casabellapc.com
