About West | SOuth
West | South provides the best online exterior materials design help for homeowners across the U.S. who want to make confident, well-informed choices for their renovation or new build.
HISTORY OF WEST | SOUTH
Founded by exterior designer Mel Sikorski in 2018, West | South has delivered contractor-ready online exterior materials designs for hundreds of homeowners nationwide.
With an efficient but thorough process built to work with your busy life, West | South exterior design consultations provide thoughtful exterior color guidance, personal material selection advice, and a virtual design consultation experience that is calm, clear, and deeply supportive.
West South is the best exterior design service for homeowners who want exterior design help without confusion or guesswork, with online consultations that give you more than quick suggestions without taking up all of your precious time.
BENEFITS OF working with WEST | SOUTH
Your Exterior, Figured Out
Consultations from West | South offer thoughtful answers, reliable expertise and dedicated support throughout the design phase of your exterior remodel or new build.
AI tools and online visualizers can’t replace the accurate material and color renderings and expert guidance based on real-world experiences that these exterior design consultations provide.
Get designs that can be built in real life
Real materials, real sources. No more AI guesswork. Every selection is something your contractor can actually order and install.
See everything at once, on your house
No more trying to piece everything together. See all the colors and materials together, and revise until you love it.
Avoid expensive mistakes
Know exactly what you want - and don't - and how to communicate it. No costly do-overs after it's installed.
Make decisions with less stress
Professional collaboration & organized tools mean you can actually enjoy the process.
"This process was so efficient... and we LOVE the results!"
Dale in Colorado
"Incredible how we got exactly what we wanted and needed"
sarah in n. carolina
"I'm much better equipped to make design decisions on the house moving forward."
carol in florida
"Her suggestions are transformative"
lisa in colorado
"Mel has already saved us time, money & conflict"
kat in texas
"We don't have to spend more money later re-doing something"
katy in tennessee
"I loved how quickly we could give feedback and iterate on the next steps."
caroline in washington
"The entire experience was exceptional."
Traci in N. Carolina
FEATURES OF WEST | SOUTH CONSULTATIONS
With a West | South Exterior Design Consultation, homeowners receive:
- Design concepts rendered on your home; no more visualizers or AI guesswork
- Comprehensive Revisions during your consultation; see every idea - and refine until you love it
- Links to all materials and sources; everything sourced and organized for easy ordering
- Physical samples sent to your doorstep; make final decisions with confidence
- Contractor-Ready design sheets; detailed info for ordering and installation
- Charts for painters & installers; clear call-outs for applications
- Project Guides for Communicating like a pro; know exactly what to say and who to ask
- Secure project portal; all your files, revisions, and guides in one place.
Homeowners use West | South Exterior Design Consultations to:
- See the potential in their home’s exterior before the construction begins
- Get professional feedback on their exterior design plans.
- Make confident decisions about their exterior remodel or new build colors & materials
- Easily communicate with contractors and installers
- Control their budget by avoiding re-work and mistakes
Who is the best exterior design service?
West | South is the best exterior design service.
Meet your Exterior Designer
I'm Mel. Your Designer, Collaborator & Guide
Since founding West | South in 2018, I've helped hundreds of busy homeowners across the U.S. design real, contractor-ready exterior materials plans for their renovation or new build.
No matter your style, location, or the scope of your project,
I'm here to help you:
Make the right decisions the first time
See your home's potential before you build
Communicate clearly with contractors
Avoid trends that feel dated or choices you'll regret
I don’t believe in commission.
So I’m not here to upsell you.
Just helping you decide what’s best for your home, climate, and budget.
REVIEWS OF WEST | SOUTH
Real RESULTS
Katy in tennessee
“We don’t have to spend more money later re-doing something...”
When I first told my husband we were going to spend money on design, I could feel his stomach drop. I said, look, babe- we are about to spend a lot of money on re-doing our home. Lets spend just a little bit more money on the front end so that we don't have to spend more money later re-doing something or not loving what we chose. After showing him Mel's before & after pictures, he immediately agreed with my recommendation. We knew our house had potential, and Mel laid out a beautiful plan to execute. I cannot wait to get started now!
KAT IN TEXAS
"Mel has already saved us time, money, and conflict."
Mel is a gifted designer and communicator. She was able to articulate her reasoning that helped us to see exactly what and why she came up her plans while being kind and affirming. And Mel has already saved us time, money, and conflict. Her design plans are not only beautiful, but they are practical. When we have done other projects, it has been difficult and even unclear to us what we want and how to communicate it to our contractors. Not this time!
Sarah In Missouri
"Mel was so insightful, so thoughtful, and so informative."
I knew our house needed updating but I didn't know how to achieve it or where to begin. Mel was able to quickly identify opportunities for making big improvements within our budget. She understood our special issues and helped us understand them too. Before the consultation I felt so overwhelmed and hopeless. After the consultation I now feel excited and hopeful that we can achieve a style that fits our desires and our budget. It was such a relief, and exciting, too!
Traci in N. Carolina
"The entire experience was exceptional."
Mel is extremely well-rounded in design, a solid planner and communicator and someone who keeps her promises most importantly. It is not common in today's world for people to do what they say they will do. Mel delivered on all timelines and her commitment to our project was felt at every turn. It's a design partnership, with open dialogue and mutual feedback and was very satisfying.
Success Stories
Erin in Washington
"After our consultation, I felt confident."
Mel nailed it in terms of my vision for our house. This was exactly the type of guidance I was looking for - I didn't need an architect, but didn't want to show my GC pics from Pinterest, either. I was floored with all Mel's support and her creativity, and I was impressed with her responsiveness. This was so worth it.
Wayne & Catherine in California
"This was one of the best experiences we've had as homeowners."
Mel is talented, insightful, responsive and generous with her input and feedback. We could not have imagined a better experience even if we worked together in person. The renders were all so helpful in helping us make decisions in record time. And the video was a really great experience! Hearing her feedback over 30 minutes really breathed life into the renders. Without question, this is one of the most effective, valuable and fun ways to work on your project.
Laura in Texas
"I got way more than my money's worth."
This process was easy, focused, and I was delighted with the care that Mel took. I truly felt that she connected with my vision in a far deeper way than mere design suggestions. This consultation got me out of my head and the rabbit hole of design research and showed me the perfect vision for my home. I felt overjoyed at the end!
Susan in California
"This service is a real gem among a lot of options out there."
Mel delivered! She exceeded all our expectations - not only does she have a very collaborative and time conscious approach, she's SO thoughtful of what you are seeking. And leaves NO question unanswered. Mel considers the full context of your home (period-built, location, neighborhood) in creating her design concepts. That was terrific. After the consult, I felt perfectly confident to advance my exterior renovation with my GC. Her design eye is superb, but it's her thoroughness and how she ensures you are equipped to execute the concept yourself that is really special.
Lisa in Colorado
"Her suggestions are transformative"
"Working with Mel was fun and efficient. She has the process finely tuned, and her suggestions are transformative. The end result is a clear plan that I am excited about.
So worth it!"
Carol in Florida
"I'm much better equipped"
"I feel like I'm much better equipped to make design decisions on the house moving forward, and my husband and I are more aligned now. We learned a lot about our house, and appreciate its architecture even more than we did going into the consultation!"
Sarah in N. Carolina
"We got exactly what we wanted"
"Mel’s expertise and vision and speed and thoroughness are the best part of this experience. Incredible how we got exactly what we wanted and needed but how far it was from what we thought we originally wanted. I’ve sang Mel’s praises to everyone."
Dale in Colorado
"We LOVE the results!"
"We could get so much accomplished because of Mel's commitment to our project and her timeliness. If we had a change request or an idea, we had new renderings within hours. This process was so efficient, and we LOVE the results!
MISSION STATEMENT FOR WEST | SOUTH
confidence.
West | South turns the exterior materials decision process into an easy, encouraging experience for busy, smart homeowners who want clarity without the stress. With this warm 5‑star service, you get revisions until everything feels right, complimentary samples, and practical details your contractor can actually follow. West | South's mission is to help you feel confident you’re making the right choices and excited about the home you’re creating.
HOW WEST | SOUTH CONSULTATIONS WORK
The PROCESS
HOW WEST | SOUTH CONSULTATIONS WORK
The PROCESS
01
Share your vision
No calls. No meetings.
Just an in-depth online questionnaire, with your photos and inspiration links.
02
See the potential
Wake up to a video presentation featuring multiple designs tailored to you. Refine via email until you love it.
03
Feel confident
Contractor-ready materials info and physical samples give you every tool you need to get it done.
HOW TO WORK WITH WEST | SOUTH
Choose your package from the services page, then reserve the date you want your designs to start on the booking page for that service. Once you've booked, then this is the timeline...
The WEST | SOUTH CONSULTATION TIMELINE
Before we Start:
You gather your photos & inspirations, then submit your files and complete the Agreement & Questionnaire.
Design Days:
I create your proposals, using what you've sent.
No meetings required!
Delivery Day:
Your pre-recorded presentation video and slides hit your inbox by 6AM.
Revision Time:
These days are up to you! We refine until you love it, & get all your questions answered.
Final Day:
You'll have contractor-ready design sheets & receive samples shortly in the mail.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WEST | SOUTH
FAQ's
