"I feel under pressure to make decisions!" one of my clients said to me a few days ago; indeed there was nothing we could do to postpone her deadlines, and all the decisions had to be made! The building of her beautiful new home is to start soon, meaning there are choices that must be made before the building begins, including some important ones that affect the concrete slab. Floor-plan changes, kitchen & bathroom plumbing locations, doors' heights & locations, electrical points, staircases... the list goes on. It's a sad reality that some people spend more time planning a night out than they do in considering the finishes, layout and design of their new home. Crazy, right?
Of course, to help you through your decisions the help of an Interior Designer will be invaluable, as his/her knowledge will also help suggest products and solutions you may not know of. More importantly, he/she will be able to take you directly to solutions more suited to your family's needs, as well as the house's design and its location. But to make this possible, they need to have clear information about your needs, taste and budget... even the best designer available will not be able to direct your choices if you have not prepared your directives before the day those decisions are to be made.
So, if you're undertaking a New Build, Renovation or Addition, chances are you too will feel the pressure of choosing the best solutions and finishes among the many options available on the market. Your choices will set the mood and 'look' of your home, but also determine how effectively it will satisfy your needs. Because I've seen my good share of nightmares, if you are in the process of making building or renovating decisions, I want to give you one, but very important tip: You Must Do Your Homework!!
So, to make the selections' process successful, and as stress-free as possible, here is my 'homework checklist' you must do BEFORE meeting with the Builder and the Interior Designer:
Take photos of homes you like, based on its architectural style or external colours and finishes,
Visit a brickyard & explore the options, take photos or better, pick up a sample of your favourites,
Visit a well furnished flooring showroom, discuss your options, once again take photos and if possible collect samples,
Visit bathroom & kitchen showrooms, see what you like or don't and take photos - these are important rooms to get right!
When you see something you like in a magazine, post-note it or rip and collect pages & images
Collect photos/samples of fabrics you love, also samples for benchtop or cabinetry materials as well as colour swatches from a hardware store...
Bring all this to your selections' appointments as it ALL HELPS to better explain what you like & what you don't.
Take pictures to explain what you find beautiful:
Building or renovating takes focus, money and time, and once the process starts, you will be asked to make relevant choices to achieve the home that best suits you. To face this process unprepared will end with non-satisfying results and costly mistakes or worse, costly changes! Both the Builder and the Designer want to provide the best possible house for you and your family, but this can only result in a Home if it satisfies your wishes and needs. Only by thoughtfully discerning your preferences BEFORE the day that decisions are to be made, will you achieve the ideal Home you wish for and deserve. Now, get that camera out and start snapping ... and believe me, the home selection process can be fun!
The 19th of July 2019 I'll be in Melbourne to present an interactive workshop on "Interiors & Exterior Finishes Selections". If you want to know how I help my clients through these important decisions, starting from black & white house plans, to the front facade & right throughout the home, click here to book your seat now through DECOR + DESIGN webpage.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to homes through clever design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.
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