If you've ever considered hiring a designer to help renovate your home or development, or even if you're just a bit curious, I wanted to give a quick insight into how it works and what to expect from the process.
What to look for
When researching, the most important aspect in the client-designer relationship is trust. You want to know that you can be open and honest with each other as design is a collaborative process. This works both ways - sometimes things you want might not be feasible with the given space or budget so a designer will suggest alternatives, but equally you want to feel comfortable voicing your opinion so you end up with a finished result you are 100% happy with, it's your home after all. Communication is key throughout the whole process so if you're not happy having a chat with them, then maybe it's worth shopping around.
Most designers are able to adapt to lots of different styles but take the time to look at their previous work, see if it's a good match to your style and get a sense of the way they work so you know exactly what to expect. The creative journey is different for everyone and can be frustrating for people on the outside (as well as the designer themselves at times believe me!) as it's not always a linear process, but having someone that you want to go on that journey with is key.
The Consultation
If you're thinking of getting a designer involved it's always a case of the earlier the better. If you're doing a larger scale renovation they can help with light placement and finishes that will need to be undertaken at first fix stage that can change the whole feel of a room. In an initial consultation they'll go through your brief, how you live in the space, budget and any inspiration you might already have. This is the most critical stage and it's really for you to do all the talking, getting as much information to your designer as possible so they can start creating your scheme. This is personally my favourite bit as you can really get into the problems people find with their current space and how they want it to feel at the end of it. We offer a free initial consultation to anyone thinking we can help with their reno - contact us!
Top tip: Any inspiration is helpful! It doesn't need to be interior related it could be a flower that you love the colouring of, or an image you just like the feeling of, anything and everything is useful.
As far as our process goes (some may do this differently) once the initial consultation is done we will go away and work our magic, working out the best use of space and curating a moodboard to curate all the inspiration that was in your head. The moodboard is not final choices, but it's a good indication of what we feel matches up to your brief and it should get you excited for your room transformation. If it doesn't this is when you need to speak up and make sure the designer is listening! This is accompanied by a floorplan to show the flow of the room, that can then be updated when final selections are made.
Once you're happy with the mood and the floorplans then we get to work sourcing and translating it into real-life items within budget. It's all very well finding a beautiful picture on Pinterest or Instagram, it's a whole different ball game making that dream come to life! So whether it's tiles, paint, flooring, sofas, lighting or kitchen cabinets, we start sourcing products that will create the space you're dreaming of and produce a product board similar to the one above or a visual of the entire space depending on what you need. Then we either package it all up so you can shop everything yourself (online design) or coordinate orders to be delivered (hands-on service). We always provide a couple of options on each piece to ensure you're completely happy with everything, and there's always the opportunity to feedback.
We're also absolutely here to help along the way if anything unexpected turns up during the renovation, if you've read our Renovation Top Tips you'll know we always expect the unexpected!
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