When you’re working on a high-end residential project, every detail matters. Just ask designer and builder Damion Qu Smith, who found himself in a design nightmare after learning that his trusted facets rep, Sarah, had gone into labor before processing a critical order for his latest luxury home build.

The missing pieces? None other than a custom set of monogrammed porcelain handles—handcrafted in Italy and painstakingly chosen to complement the project’s sleek, modern aesthetic. With installation deadlines looming, the absence of these bespoke fixtures threatens to delay the entire project. Shipping delays alone could push back the schedule by weeks, if not more. But just when you think things couldn’t get any more complicated, enter the plot twist.

In stepped Tom, the rep temporarily filling in for Sarah. While Damion was already scrambling to find a solution, Tom had the audacity to suggest a quick fix that had the design team collectively gasping: temporary discount fixtures. That’s right—Tom floated the idea of slapping on some low-end alternatives “just to hold us over” until the real pieces arrived.

A source close to the project described the scene as tense, with Damion reportedly giving Tom an icy stare before firmly rejecting the suggestion. “Temporary discount fixtures? For a project of this caliber? You’ve got to be joking,” was all Damion could muster before cutting the conversation short.

Now, with no immediate solution and the clock ticking, the fate of this high-profile project hangs in the balance. Will the monogrammed handles arrive in time, or will Damion’s masterpiece be left in limbo due to shipping delays and a rep’s poorly timed maternity leave?

Stay tuned to DMZ for the latest developments in this unfolding drama. This isn’t just a design hiccup—it’s a race against time, and one misstep could derail everything.