Design Development: Bringing Your Vision Into Focus
August 27, 2025
At Jaffe Architecture, we often remind our clients: it takes a lot of effort to create an effortless home.
That effort begins in earnest during the Design Development (DD) phase—the critical step where we turn early concepts from Schematic Design (SD) into detailed plans that guide your custom home or renovation forward.
What Happens During Design Development?
By the time we reach this phase, your home’s overall layout, size, and organization have been established. It’s natural for clients to look at the preliminary floor plans and think: “We’ve nailed it! This looks great—what more could there be to do?”
The answer: quite a bit.
While your vision may feel crystal clear, builders need more than a floor plan to bring it to life. They need detailed drawings and specifications—from systems coordination to finish selections.
During Design Development, our team bridges the gap between concept and execution. We clarify decisions so that bids are accurate, expectations are aligned, and the construction team understands precisely what you want.
Refining the Details: From Big Ideas to Real Decisions
This phase is highly collaborative. We guide you through essential design decisions—both aesthetic and functional—while preparing the technical documentation behind the scenes.
Typical tasks include:
Developing interior and exterior elevations
Selecting windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, lighting, appliances, and hardware
Confirming MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) layouts
Coordinating with structural and systems consultants
Finalizing material palettes—brick, wood, metal, stone, and more
Example:
Let’s say your Schematic Design includes a kitchen island with seating and a sink. During DD, we define:
Sink type (single, double, or farmhouse)
Number and location of dishwashers
Trash and recycling integration
Stool height and lighting placement
Cabinet style, finish, and material palette
This process ensures every decision reflects your lifestyle—and is technically feasible.
Behind the Scenes: Systems Coordination
While we guide you through visible design choices, we also collaborate with consultants and engineers to:
Integrate structural systems
Plan HVAC, lighting control, plumbing, and electrical
Incorporate smart home technology and security
Every behind-the-scenes decision supports your home’s performance and long-term comfort.
The Push and Pull of Good Design
Architecture is both art and science. In Design Development, those two disciplines come together.
As materials and systems evolve, we review and refine in close dialogue with you. Whether you’re building a new home in Lake Geneva, renovating a North Shore residence, or creating a Harbor Country retreat, we tailor each decision to how you live now—and how you hope to live in the future.
What You’ll Have at the End of Design Development
Once DD concludes, you’ll walk away with:
Refined floor plans and elevations
Window and door schedules
Preliminary product and materials specifications
Key architectural details for construction
Documents ready for the Construction Documents phase
These drawings form the foundation for pricing, permitting, and construction—ensuring your vision is fully understood and ready to be built.
What’s Next?
In a future post, we’ll explore how we prepare your Construction Documents (CD)—the final technical package required for bidding and building your home. Stay tuned.
And if you’re ready to explore a custom project with a Chicago-based architecture firm known for thoughtful, client-first design, we’d love to start the conversation.