Born and raised in Belize, Juline Smith grew up in a small community that emphasized helping and serving others. In high school, Smith began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, building homes in her community. She also developed a passion for art and creating beautiful things.
When Smith first came to America in pursuit of a college education, she continued volunteering for Habitat for Humanity while working towards the goal of becoming a plastic surgeon to help burn victims. While in college, she learned about the world of interior design and decided to earn her degree in that field. On the surface, the two may seem unrelated, but Smith discovered they both have one important characteristic in common.
“I was working with a life coach and she pointed out that all the different things I’d loved for my whole life were about transformation,” Smith shared. “She said it was never just about construction, plastic surgery, or even interior design, but that every single connection in my life had been about transformation. It’s what I’m passionate about and why I find what I do to be so rewarding.”
Several years ago, merging her passion for transformation and her extensive experience in construction, Smith founded Amira and Co. Remodel, a full-service design and remodeling firm that specializes in kitchen, bathroom, and entire home remodels.
“I truly enjoy the excitement of working with people while transforming their spaces,” she said. “For me, it is about improving someone's life and having an impact on them.”
Smith begins the design method by having clients complete a questionnaire to get an idea of the scope of the project. This is followed by an in-person consultation to discuss more specific details. With all the information, Smith develops a design plan with 3D renderings, which help clients visualize how the different pieces of the plan will culminate in the end result. Once the design plan is finalized, supplies are ordered, and a renovation schedule is set.
To ensure a seamless and time efficient renovation, Smith and her team manage the construction work for each project and wait to begin demolition until all the supplies are delivered.
Throughout the entire process, Smith works with transparency and integrity, which provides an extra level of accountability for her team and reassurance for the client.
“When you work with many different companies and you see the back end of it, you start understanding why the industry has such a horrible reputation because there are so many things about the way people do construction and renovation that lends itself to a bad result,” she explained. “My whole concept is implementing systems that alleviate every single one of those pressure points.”
Keeping clients well informed, especially concerning the financial aspect of a project, is important to Smith. At the design presentation, she provides a spreadsheet that includes the cost associated with each line item related to the project, which helps clients understand exactly where and how the budget is allocated. Then, every Wednesday, she sends clients an updated budget, along with a disbursement sheet, that shows how much of the budget has been used in as well as details of expenses and outstanding costs.
Additionally, Smith follows a payment system that does not require a large up-front deposit, but instead allows the homeowner to pay in installments throughout the process.
With all her projects, Smith insists on using high quality products and highly skilled, reliable contractors to complete the work.
“I know I'm not the cheapest option and I'm okay with that because I put my name on each project so I will not sacrifice quality,” she shared. “I’ve been working with my team of contractors for years. They are reliable and talented in each of their particular trades and skills. They will show up when they say they are going to show up, they do the high-quality work I expect, and if something goes wrong, they fix it.”
In the end, Smith wants each client to have a positive experience and enjoy the process as well as the finished result in their home.
“I want our clients to leave feeling our company is different than every other company out there,” she said. “What I really want is to change the way the design construction world works by doing design and construction differently. We want to walk with our clients through the whole process because it should be easy, fun, and painless.”
For more information and to begin the journey of home transformation, visit www.amiraandcoremodel.com or call 817-808-0448. Also follow Amira and Co. Remodel on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for ideas and to see completed projects.
“What I really want is to change the way the design construction world works by doing design and construction differently."
“I truly enjoy the excitement of working with people while transforming their spaces. For me, it is about improving someone's life and having an impact on them.”