Bigger, Brighter, Better: Design House reimagines home remodeling

Fifteen years ago, Jennifer and Ty Homeyer were the proverbial little guys in the flooring and home remodeling space. Neither had a background in the industry; Jennifer was a registered nurse, and Ty was a national sales director for a large DFW-based company. They also didn't have any long-term partnerships with major brands, and their staff consisted of Jennifer and one employee.

To make matters more intriguing, whether or not they’d ultimately sink or swim hung on their decision to buy an existing store in Denton with a limited following and forgettable showroom. Even the name on the front of the building left something to be desired.

"There was no order," Jennifer laughed. "Wood samples were next to carpet, and tile was mixed in somewhere. It wasn't shoppable."

But like any big project, the Homeyers saw potential — in themselves and their vision for what the store could be one day.

Fast forward to today, and the Design House (renamed from Carpets Plus in 2018) has quickly become everyone's transformation specialist, with loyal customers ranging from everyday homeowners who need design ideas to house flippers who rely on proven general contractors. Their catalog has it all, including the best in quality wood flooring and granite countertops, carpet, tile, window coverings, cabinets, fixtures, porcelain, and more. And they can tackle as little or as much of a project as needed.

Whether it's a minor bathroom upgrade, one room of carpet, or gutting everything and starting anew, they have the in-house designers, project managers, installation and building service professionals, and licensed plumbers and electricians to get it done.

And because of that commitment to being the best in the industry, the Homeyers are excited to announce they are taking loyal customers along for the ride on the next step in their ongoing evolution. Over the next few months, they’ll continue a massive interior transformation that highlights expanded relationships with some of the top brands in the industry while also improving the way customers find what they need, when they need it, and at a price that even the big-box stores struggle to beat.

"We’ve spent 15 years getting this place looking how we want — doing a little here and there. But we always felt like there was more to do that we couldn't quite get to," Jennifer said. "I feel like we’ve finally gone from one end of the pendulum to the other."

She added, "The goal is to make it more shoppable and gallery-like for our customers."

So what's changing? In a word — everything. Rather than having to navigate a complicated showroom with various products sharing the same general space, they’ve created dedicated showrooms for specific items and brands. The back of the building now has a Graber window treatment room and separate gallery rooms for tile and mosaic tiles. Design House has been a long-time partner with Daltile but is now one of only seven Daltile Statements Dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area because of this expansion.

For the customer, this means special pricing and access to high-quality samples that they can easily use to compare colors and styles. To improve the customer experience, the Homeyers are also adding full-scale bathroom and kitchen vignettes throughout the store and a dedicated design consultation area to give customers visual examples of how their products might look in their homes.

With so many options, it's no wonder why having a local resource like the Design House is a breath of fresh air for Denton County homeowners. Eager homeowners have many questions about the renovation process, pricing, and what materials they need, and the Design House caters to all that and more.

"Our suppliers also supply Nebraska Furniture Mart, Home Depot, and Lowe's, and we are typically beating them on price and availability," Ty said. "If someone needs something, and it's not on our shelf, the odds are high that we can get it for them faster."

Jennifer agreed, adding that everything they do is focused on what makes the most sense for every customer that walks in the door.

"Even on the design side, the customers can see what we are designing, which is important because it can often be hard to visualize how something might look before you buy," Jennifer said. "And because we have dedicated spaces separate from the main area, we can limit distractions. We gutted the back area of the store and have been working hard to organize everything while at the same time making everything accessible and shoppable for the customer. Before, I felt like everything was scattered."

If those changes weren't enough, Design House recently inked a new semi-exclusive partnership with Porcelanosa, a Spanish company known in the United States for its durable, high-end porcelain tile perfect for accent walls, fireplaces, and interior walls. They’ll soon have an entire section in the front of the store dedicated to this brand.

"We are building our entire store around these expanded relationships with our brands," Jennifer said of their ongoing store remodel. The hope is that everything will be complete by the end of the summer. "We’re doing so much right now, and the overall look will change. But that doesn't mean we’ve changed who we are. We want everyone to feel like they can come see us, regardless of how big or small their project is and what their budget may be."

To learn more about the Design House, its ever-evolving 10,000 square-foot showroom, and its commitment to personalized service, visit thedesignhousedfw.com or visit them at 2303 Colorado Blvd. in Denton.

(Sponsored content)