Embarking on your home renovation journey should be an exciting and empowering experience. But reviving dysfunctional floor plans and dated interiors requires much more than removing walls and selecting new finishes. Creating a space that authentically reflects who you are and how you want to live requires months of planning.
Fortunately, planning for a life-changing renovation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right approach, foreknowledge, and team by your side, we will work together to transform your home into a sanctuary that supports and inspires you to live out your story.
My primary goal as a designer is to remove the overwhelm and guide you on this journey long before your project begins. So, if you’re considering a home renovation, here is the best place to start…
Step 1. Visualize & Prepare
As a designer, I will guide you making important decisions for your home. However, the vision for what you love and how you want to live starts with you. Start dreaming about how you want to live by considering these foundational areas:
Functionally: Identify any problem areas you may be facing within your home. Are too many people using one bathroom? Does your living area lack adequate lighting? Do you have unused rooms? Or perhaps you are like most people and lack essential storage? Remember, as you work through these pain points, it’s also important to allow yourself space to reflect on what you love about your home and why.
Stylistically: Using your goals and lifestyle as inspiration, identify the must-have features on your wish list. Do you spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen? Perhaps you prefer a 48” range or top-of-the-line appliances? Or maybe stunning tile that reminds you of our beautiful Victoria coast?
Tip: If you aren’t sure yet, that’s okay! I recommend searching for inspiration online, in magazines, or in other homes you have visited. Take notes and bring them when meeting with your designer.
Priorities: After understanding your wish list, prioritize items into “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Getting this list organized now will guide your conversation with your designer and simplify the decision-making process when we look at your investment.
The Investment: Decide what you are comfortable investing in your entire project. Of course, we will help refine that number as we get deeper into the design process, but it’s a great starting point. It’s also a good idea to have an expert estimate the value of your home compared to similarly renovated homes in your area. This will inform you of the reasonable amount you could recoup if you ever sell.
Step 2. Assemble Your Team
A successful renovation involves a collaboration of several professionals to achieve your unique vision. Most projects will require an interior designer and a contractor. Additional trades like an architect, electricians, cabinet makers, and plumbers may also be needed, depending on the scope of your project.
However, it is to your advantage to make your first hire an interior designer. Why?
- We bring beauty and functionality to your lifestyle, which must be planned for from the start
- We guide you through the entire journey for a stress-free experience
- We help you develop a smart scope of work, budget, and timeline based on many years of experience
- We help you avoid common mistakes before construction begins
- We can refer you to contractors and other team members we know and trust, if needed
- We are involved in the entire project from start to finish, taking the burden off of you!
Meeting with your designer first also allows us to review your wish list, inspiration photos, and goals to understand how to best collaborate with your builder and achieve your dream results. Always a great place to start.
Step 3. Define Your Project’s Scope
After discussing your project vision with your design and construction team, you will dive deeper into detailing the scope of the project, including the work to be done, features to be added, desired quality level, and more.
Of course, this conversation always coincides with discussing your projected investment. For example, for most kitchen and bathroom renovations, clients would like to move a sink, toilet, or shower. While these things can always be done, the investment will always increase when plumbing lines need to be moved.
When working with a designer, you will discover whether your desired updates fit into your budget, as well as receive alternative ideas and creative solutions. We could, for instance, develop a plan to reconfigure your space and achieve your goals without moving plumbing lines. It all depends on your space.
Then, once the design plan is created, your contractor will be able to provide an accurate estimate. Again, it’s important to do this step first with a designer so that your contractor’s estimates MATCH what you’re looking to achieve… rather than getting an estimate and trying to fit your wishes into their allowances.
Step 4. Plan Your Timeline
Although we will certainly discuss your timeline before finalizing the design plan, this is the moment when we really break it down into actionable steps. The length of your project will always depend on the scope of your project, the availability of trades, lead times for materials, inclement weather, and more.
Generally speaking, the design planning process alone can take 3-4 months to complete, so if you’re just getting started, it’s essential to factor this into your overall timeline. Most full-home renovations can take 1 year or more from conception to completion… but it’s worth it!
Lastly, as you consider your timeline, decide whether any accommodations will need to be made during the process. For example, kitchen renovations are best completed during the summer months when you can utilize the grill for outdoor meals. If you can plan an extended vacation or live in a second home during your renovation, that’s even better. It can get noisy!
Step 5. Trust Your Team
This is the moment when your project has been planned and you’re ready to renovate. If you have hired a great team, you can sit back and relax while we do the work for you, keep you updated, and design everything according to the plan inspired by you.
That said, no matter how well you prepare for your renovation, there is always bound to be some surprises… and a bit of endurance required. Trust us to bring you smart solutions and keep that finish line in mind. We are taking you to a whole new place — a collected and soulful home that tells your story — and we are confident you will love it.
Ready to learn more or get started? I’d love to help. Reach out to me here, and let’s create a place that feels like coming home to yourself.
Warmly,
Lorri