Artisan Home Tour

Exceptional Design, Masterfully Crafted

Four generations of homebuilding contribute to Accent Homes’ solid reputation for beautifully designed custom-built homes. This small, design-centric company has built homes across the metro since 1975. Bud Dropps, President, grew up in the business that his grandfather started, and his sons, Ed and Jim, head sales. With designer Jim Kuiken, Jim Kuiken Designs, the company has collected a number of prestigious BATC home design awards since 2006.

Both Kuiken and Bud Dropps describe Accents’ hallmarks as highly personalized design and truly custom building. “We give people exactly what they want,” said Dropps. “We want you to say, ‘This is everything I asked for’ – and more, with other great features we help clients realize, too. To achieve this makes us proud and happy. We work as a team.” “My background is carpentry, so I know the nuts-and-bolts job site. Jim Kuiken is a fabulous designer who is an integral part of our team. He visits the client’s current home and learns how they want to live in a house. He develops a design, and I’ll figure out the logistics and engineering process to build it. Part of the genius of Jim’s design is his space planning, which makes this a seamless process.”

Jim Kuiken has an uncanny ability to design a home that beautifully interprets the owners’ personalities and wants. His own signature style is showcased in Accent models, and is influenced by the clean lines of Prairie style, with warmth, natural light and flexible functionality. Homes are always designed for the landscape.

Accent is loyal to its select group of craftspeople. “We have developed a great group of people who work with us,” said Dropps. “We have high expectations, and we’re all comfortable with each other. We treat everyone with the same high level of respect; we pay promptly and demonstrate that we want them on a job.”

A testament to Accent’s reputation is repeat generational business. Recently a young woman choose Accent to build a home for her husband, two children and his father, because Accent had built her parent’s favorite house.

Homeowners know what the budget, finishes and timeframe are going to be before building. Pricing per square foot is completed based on a level of finishes that the client can explore before the building process begins.

Kuiken says he enjoys every aspect of the building process, especially putting it altogether in a cohesive plan that comes alive and expresses the clients’ vision. “Our building engineering process is multi-faceted and organized. We are in close communication with the client all the way through,” he said. “We want this experience to be a really good one for them.” That excellent experience and resulting home is what has built Accent’s strong referral business.