Summary

• Qualico’s newest designQ studio recently welcomed its first homeowners in Calgary, providing homebuyers with a centralized location for interior design selections.
• The new studio builds on lessons learned from designQ centres in Winnipeg and Edmonton.
• At designQ, homeowners work with design consultants to make selections in a curated, guided environment designed to simplify the homebuilding journey.

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Calgary, AB – For decades, Calgary homeowners building with Qualico homebuilders typically visited multiple suppliers to choose everything from cabinets and flooring to plumbing fixtures and countertops.

Today, those decisions can be made in one place.

The newly launched designQ Calgary recently welcomed its first homeowners, offering customers of Sterling Homes, NuVista Homes, Broadview Homes, and StreetSide a centralized location to make interior design selections with guidance from professional Qualico design consultants.

“The goal of designQ is to provide an exceptional customer experience in selecting finishings for their new home while providing access to the best products available on the market through Qualico’s extensive supplier network,” said Claudio Palumbo, Regional Vice-President, Qualico Southern Alberta Region. “Buying a new home is daunting enough, so having experts available to assist buyers through their selections journey ease the burden.”

A more seamless design journey

At designQ Calgary, homeowners move through a curated selection process designed to make what can often be an overwhelming stage of homebuilding feel more approachable and enjoyable.

The newly built studio, available by appointment only, has been thoughtfully laid out to guide customers through each design category in sequence, while displays showcase complete design concepts rather than rows of individual products.

“Our studio has been intentionally designed to create a warm, welcoming, and inspiring environment,” said Lindsay Saelzer, Director, designQ Calgary. “Every display has been carefully curated to showcase complete design concepts rather than overwhelming homeowners with endless products.”

The experience is designed to help homeowners visualize how finishes, fixtures, and materials work together before construction begins. Design consultants guide customers through each decision, helping them create a home that reflects their lifestyle and preferences.

“Building a home involves countless decisions, and our role is to make that process feel inspiring and enjoyable,” added Lindsay.

By offering curated collections and advice, the team helps homeowners make design decisions with confidence.

Collaboration creates new opportunities

While the customer experience is front and centre, designQ Calgary also represents a significant collaborative effort across multiple Qualico business units and teams.

The studio was developed with input from homebuilding, sales, marketing, estimating, purchasing, and design teams all working toward a shared goal of creating a consistent experience for homeowners.

“The Calgary designQ centre was created to work closely with Qualico’s builders, providing a consistent, best-in-class customer selections process while improving coordination among design, construction, and sales teams,” said Alphonse Pilon, Sr. Vice-President, Single-Family Homes, Qualico.

The collaborative approach extends to supplier relationships and business processes as well. Bringing multiple builders together within a shared design model has helped create efficiencies while allowing each builder to maintain its unique product offerings and customer experience.

At the same time, sales teams can focus on selling homes while designQ manages the interior selections process, creating a more streamlined experience for both customers and employees.

“By offering our new advanced design centre, professional guidance, and modern visualization tools, designQ helps create a premium customer experience that can distinguish Qualico and our builders from the competition,” added Alphonse.

Building on a proven model

Although designQ in Calgary is new, the concept is not.

The studio builds on the success of established designQ locations in Winnipeg and Edmonton, with teams across all three markets sharing knowledge and lessons learned throughout development.

Angie Walker, Sr. Business Analyst, Continuous Improvement, Qualico, said that collaboration between existing designQ teams was instrumental in helping Calgary tailor the model to local market conditions while building on proven practices from other regions.

“Winnipeg and Edmonton helped immensely with sharing lessons learned, what works, and what hasn’t worked in their markets,” said Angie. “We took those valuable lessons and built a studio that aligns builders, homeowners, and processes.”

Calgary’s studio also introduces features tailored to local needs, including private design studios where homeowners can review selections, meet with design consultants, and visualize their choices in a comfortable setting.

For Lindsay, welcoming the first homeowners into the space marked the culmination of months of planning, collaboration, and preparation.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see this vision come to life,” said Lindsay. “This studio represents collaboration, thoughtful planning, and a shared commitment to elevating the homeowner experience in Calgary.”