Arnprior

Before meeting Design Valley, we really didn’t understand what an architectural designer could do for us. We assumed designers were only for the wealthy and thought interior design was mostly about finishes and colour—not about the structural or functional aspects of a home.

But within minutes of our first meeting with Brian Levesque and Peter Valiquet, our perspective completely changed. We started learning about traffic flow, the importance of lighting design, and how to improve the functionality of our main living areas—without blowing our budget.

Brian and Peter design with the individual user in mind. They helped us see the hidden potential in our home that we could never have imagined on our own. We’ve now worked with them on two projects: first, a complete redevelopment of our main floor in Arnprior, and now we’re finishing up work on our cottage on White Lake in Lanark County.

My husband, Peter Dodge, says:

“Now I get it! I’m telling all my friends about the benefits of working with designers. A friend of mine has a saying: the first custom house you build is for your enemy, the second for your friend, and the third for yourself. But with Brian and Peter, you skip straight to the third house and get it right the first time—you don’t end up living with your own mistakes.”

Design Valley has added so much value to both of our projects. Maybe not all designers do, but Brian and Peter have left a lasting impression. For example, during our kitchen renovation, Brian advised us against a trendy feature that would quickly date the space. Instead, he designed a kitchen that will still feel current 15 years from now—that kind of foresight has been invaluable throughout our projects.

The design process with Brian and Peter has always been collaborative. Often, we trusted their recommendations based on their experience. At times, we’d push back, and it would lead to great discussions where we’d arrive at solutions, we all loved. One example: we initially wanted an appliance garage in our kitchen, but as we worked through the layouts, we realized we didn’t have enough counter space. Brian suggested a pull-out drawer for the Vitamix instead, and it works beautifully.

Peter Dodge also shared:

“I told our drywaller that whenever I asked Brian a question, he always had an answer—with at least one reason, and usually two or three. My drywaller said: That’s because he’s always thinking about your job.”

Design Valley cares about our projects as much as we do.

One last point from Peter:

“My wife and I work together on our home and cottage projects, and we often disagree. Brian and Peter have helped us resolve many of our differences—honestly, they were better than marriage counselling!”