What happens when a new house becomes part of a home show? For the homeowners, it was a time to fasten their seat belts.
Story by Carol McGarvey
Photography by JAKE BOYD Photo, courtesy of K&V Homes
Featured in September/October 2020
For Danielle and Matt Haindfield, building their new home three years ago took on whirlwind proportions. First off, the dream lot they wanted in the far western part of Clive was not available from the developer. So they looked for another one.
Then the dream lot became available with a proviso. Building there meant being part of the 2018 HomeShowExpo. Simply put, it was part of the deal. “We sort of knew what we wanted for the home’s interior, but we had no ideas on the exterior,” Danielle says.
Their initial stop was to work with Kevin Riesberg, director of design for Plum Design Services in Waukee, a Gilcrest/Jewett Company, to create an exterior look, floor plan, and details so that the builder, K&V Homes, could get started. Time was critical. The couple purchased the lot in October, the home show would be in July, and winter was at hand.
Blessing and curse
“The timing was a blessing and a curse,” Matt explains. “It forced us to make decisions on big and small details and not to dawdle.” It turns out there was an issue with grading, which would require a retaining wall and lots of grading if the house was placed as expected. A bike path between this property and the next had to be considered.
“Amazingly, Kevin flipped the plan, which would avoid the problem, and it worked. Actually, it worked better,” Matt says.
“People are all over the place when it comes to planning their homes,” Riesberg explains. “Some know exactly what they want; others have no idea. For Matt and Danielle, we really had to fast-track the operation. Winter was coming, and so was the home show. We really had to move forward as quickly as possible.”
The couple also had design help from interior designer Jillian Lare. “She really helped finalize details of the home, from planning elevations to finishes and numerous details,” Riesberg says. “She really was most helpful.”
Riesberg is one of seven designers at Plum Design. He says the design team can have 20 or 30 homes in various stages of planning at one time. Some move very quickly; others take six to nine months.
When someone wants a home designed, the design team at Plum helps in determining the budget and the time frame for the project. The type of layout, number of stories, and various features of the rooms all play into the design.
Must-have details
In establishing the plan, the couple, both attorneys in private practice, had must-have details. Danielle wanted a loft area on the second floor for their children, Taylor, 15, and Brooke, 9. She wanted a big kitchen and a living area that could “stay nice,” other areas for relaxing and family activities, along with a huge closet in the master suite. “Plus, I know these days that lots of new homes don’t have formal dining rooms. I knew, however, that I wanted one. I grew up with one and treasure memories of family dinners, especially during the holidays. I wanted that for my children.”
Matt wanted four garages—two straight in from the driveway and two side-entry ones. He also wanted a covered deck, complete with an outdoor television and fireplace, where he could relax and a large wall of windows in the main living area to bring in natural light.
“Plus, I know these days that lots of new homes don’t have formal dining rooms. I knew, however, that I wanted one. I grew up with one and treasure memories of family dinners, especially during the holidays.”
Danielle Haindfield, homeowner
Plus, they wanted a main-floor master suite for aging in place in the future.
Dean Vogel of K&V Homes also had to hustle. “We didn’t break ground until late January, so we had absolutely no time to have problems. We, along with Matt and Danielle, had to stay focused. I feel it really helped when the home plan had to be flipped. The home works better that way. It was a good decision.”
The Haindfields and K&V worked well together. And, parenthetically, there’s a bit of family history between them. One time, when Matt’s parents were visiting from northwest Iowa, they went to a home show in the Des Moines area. It turns out they especially liked one home on the tour and modeled their own home on it. It turns out it was one of K&V’s homes.
Organization helped
“Matt and Dean are both so organized, which helped immensely,” Danielle says. “Both are early risers and handle details easily and early. We were lucky, too, that Matt and I have very similar tastes when it comes to design and finishes, so there were no disagreements or delays when making decisions.”
The family had to move to a rental home for a time before the home show. They moved some of their own furnishings into the new home. Then, when the show was over, they finished moving in.
“I would call our style transitional,” Danielle says. “We like a clean, crisp look, with lots of white and silver. You will not find any bright colors in our home, just neutrals, with nothing flashy or trendy. It’s really a timeless look.”
They are private people, too. “We didn’t tell many friends or even some family that our home would be in the home show that year,” Matt says. “Of course, they ultimately found out when they came to the show.”
The public and building peers loved the home, too. It won many awards at the 2018 home show: Best in Show; Craftsmanship, first place; Kitchen, first place; Master Suite, first place; Livability, first place (tie); Outdoor Living and Landscape, second place; Curb Appeal, second place (3-way tie); and Entertainment Room, third place.
“You know what I love about that?” asks Danielle. “That Dean was over-the-moon excited about the Craftsmanship award. That tells you what good builders they are. That’s what’s important, and it’s the people they are.”
Interior designer
From the beginning, the Haindfields worked with interior designer Jillian Lare. “I worked with them on their previous home with a cosmetic makeover,” she says. “When they decided to sell that house, they asked me to go with them to look at another one. We decided that one didn’t have what they needed for their family. I was absolutely thrilled when they asked me to work with them on the new home and be part of the HomeShowExpo.”
She worked with Plum Design on the home’s layout and details and helped select finishes, lighting, and furnishings for the home. “To work in everything they wanted, it was so important to spend quality time on the front end of the project,” Lare says.
“Jillian really helped us with all the details,” Danielle says. “She showed us options, which really helped us save time.”
The Haindfields wanted a home that would evolve with their family over the years. With two years since the home show experience, they know they have it. •
Resources
- Home Builder K&V Homes
- Interior Design Jillian Lare Interior Design
- Architect Plum Building Services
