Joel Tanner
Passionate CEO + Creative DirectorSMPL Design StudioJoel has been running smpl Design Studio for the last 17 years, specializing in new custom homes, cottages, and large-scale additions for clients throughout Canada, the USA, and parts of the Caribbean. SMPL’s specialty and passion is modern design, with each unique project shaped by a thoughtful balance of site, client, and budget specificity.
Under Joel’s leadership, SMPL has developed a reputation for bold, contemporary architecture that blends clean lines with livable warmth. His approach is rooted in clarity and collaboration—ensuring that every design not only reflects a client’s vision, but elevates how they experience their home daily.
With a commitment to quality, innovation, and simplicity, Joel continues to push the boundaries of modern residential design, creating spaces that are timeless, functional, and unmistakably SMPL.
The New Canadian Consumer: Designing Through a More Demanding Economy
No sugarcoating. Just a hard look at the new realities of residential design in Canada and what it now takes to survive and grow.
Design professionals
No sugarcoating. Just a hard look at the new realities of residential design in Canada and what it now takes to survive and grow.
Design professionals no longer sell aspiration alone, they are defending every dollar. Today’s clients are more cautious,
No sugarcoating. Just a hard look at the new realities of residential design in Canada and what it now takes to survive and grow.
Design professionals no longer sell aspiration alone, they are defending every dollar. Today’s clients are more cautious, more informed, and far more demanding. Budgets are scrutinized, projects are slower to move, and firms are being pushed to deliver more while protecting shrinking margins.
This candid conversation unp
No sugarcoating. Just a hard look at the new realities of residential design in Canada and what it now takes to survive and grow.
Design professionals no longer sell aspiration alone, they are defending every dollar. Today’s clients are more cautious, more informed, and far more demanding. Budgets are scrutinized, projects are slower to move, and firms are being pushed to deliver more while protecting shrinking margins.
This candid conversation unpacks what’s really happening behind the scenes: pricing pushback, value engineering battles, longer decision cycles, and rising client expectations. Today’s clients want certainty, speed, customization, and lower costs all at once. Here’s how firms are responding before burnout and bad business decisions take over.
