By Mitchell Construction

Custom Homes
Commercial
Waterfront Lots & Villas
Articles
Gallery
Let's Talk

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before We Meet

Whether you’re planning a new luxury home or a major renovation, it helps to arrive at our first meeting with a little clarity. Rather than diving straight into floor plans or materials, this list of ten thoughtful questions invites you to explore what truly matters.

Print out these prompts and jot down your thoughts, or keep them in mind as you browse inspiration boards. The goal isn’t to provide fixed answers, it’s to uncover your needs, your mood, your desires, and help plan for your future. Because once you understand those, we can help translate them into architecture, finishes, and details that feel unmistakably yours.

As you go through the questions, keep a few things in mind:

Give qualitative (not just quantitative) information, such as how you feel, what you love, what you avoid.
We want you to ask questions, not solve problems. Your desires matter more than your solutions at this stage.
If opinions differ across your household, note ALL of them. It’s important that every voice is heard in your build.
Don’t be afraid to imagine your “perfect world”. Your dream informs what we aim for.
Think ahead, both for today and for years to come. Future-proofing matters.
And finally: skip any question that doesn’t apply. There’s no need to force answers!

James Mitchell holding blueprints overlooking Kentucky Lake

Here Are Ten Questions To Spark That Exploration:

1. What daily or leisure-time activities drive your home?

Do you cook together? Host dinner parties? Have children, pets, an art studio, or homeschool room? Consider not just the room but the activity and what it needs. For example: a large island with prep space, an adjacent play zone, plenty of natural light, or an outdoor kitchen that lives at the edge of the house.

2. What work or “career-at-home” activities matter?

Perhaps you have a home office, a remote-collaboration studio, an on-site workshop, or simply quiet space for reading and focus. Think about whether it needs to feel separate from the rest of the home, or whether you’d rather it sit within the flow. What technology or acoustics does it require?

3. Which special-purpose activities or shared household priorities matter?

Beyond work and play, what else matters? Entertaining? Worship or meditation? Long-term care for aging parents? Guest suites? Outdoor living? These are the “other” everyday activities that shape how your home can be molded to function and flex.

Floor plan for the 2025 Paducah St. Jude Dream Home

4. What mood or feeling do you want each major space to convey?

Would the master suite feel calm and restorative? Would the kitchen feel lively and energetic? Do you want the living room serene and formal, or casual and comfortable? Try to describe each space and how you envision the feeling for each.

5. What style, material and finish sensibilities do you gravitate toward?

Are you drawn to modern minimalism, timeless traditional, chic contemporary, rustic country, or a layered mix of styles? Do you prefer natural materials (stone, wood, leather) or polished synthetics? Do you want wall-to-wall carpet, area rugs on hard surfaces, or fully hard surfaces? Choose style cues and specify materials you love or want to avoid.

6. What furniture, art, or equipment do you already own (or plan to acquire) that must fit into the plan?

If you have a beloved sculpture, a piano, a family heirloom, or oversized furniture, let us know. Early awareness helps us size rooms, set ceiling heights, and plan lighting, circulation, or dedicated architectural features around your existing pieces.

7. How do you anticipate the home’s lifecycle – both your own and the building’s?

Is this your forever home? A second home? Do you plan to spend winters here or host adult children and grandchildren later? Will you ever rent it out, transition to resale, or age-in-place? Thinking ahead helps shape durability, circulation, flexible rooms, and long-term adaptability.

8. How often and in what way do you entertain?

Is entertaining an occasional dinner with close friends, a full-scale annual party, or something in between? Do you need a formal dining room or multiple gathering zones (indoor/outdoor, lounge/bar, casual drop-in)? Does cooking become a performance or remain a quiet everyday ritual?

9. What media, audio-visual or smart-home experiences do you want?

Do you envision a high-end home-theater, large-screen immersive living room, surround sound throughout, or streaming in hidden form? Is TV central, occasional, or not important? Is music a background hum or a focal conversation piece? Do you need built-in speakers, integrated lighting control, or hidden wiring?

10. What is the one thing you would absolutely not compromise on?

Consider this your non-negotiable: maybe it’s a cathedral ceiling in the great room, a giant picture window, a heated stone floor, or seamless indoor/outdoor flow. Knowing this early helps us anchor the design around what you truly cannot live without, rather than forcing it later.

Want to go further in-depth?

Drop us a line and we’ll send you our full Pre-Idea Session Questionnaire. Add your thoughts to the list to bring to our first meeting. We’ll review your responses together, explore images and ideas, and begin shaping the concept that reflects your lifestyle, tastes, and future aspirations.

Let’s get started.

November 21, 2025

Share the Post

Related Posts

What Ages Well: Home Investments Worth Splurging On

January 15, 2026

The Importance of Proper Home Insulation

December 11, 2025

Hardwood Vs LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planks)

October 10, 2025

Halbamaier Home

What to Know Before You Buy A Lot to Build On

September 11, 2025

Search

Blog Categories

About MC Homes (5)
All (33)
Design (20)
Eagle Landing (6)
Helpful Tips (11)

Main Office

7309 Benton Road
Paducah, KY 42003

Get in Touch

270-898-0790
James@MCHomesKY.com

Linkedin Facebook Instagram Youtube Houzz Yelp Map-marker-alt

Reflecting You in Every Build

© 2026 All Rights Reserved.

Home Builders In Paducah, Kentucky
Eagle Landing Kentucky Lake
Privacy Policy