The thought of updating your home is really exciting! Whether you’re about to take on a major interior remodel, a kitchen remodel or even a small powder room refresh, the decisions can feel endless and the process can be intimidating, unless you’ve hired an Interior Designer.
I have a simple process which I developed to help my clients make the decisions that need to be made, in the order at which they need to be made! This is important, because each decision in design drives the next decision, and as you continue, your pathway becomes more defined and the options become narrowed. With these simple 5 steps, I have found that I’m able to make the design and decision making process much more enjoyable for my clients.
Step One: Inspiration!
That’s right, my client is my inspiration for their own project. This is huge! As I get to know my clients, I find trends and patterns in things which they’re drawn to, or not drawn to. I pay attention to their habits and take note of what is most important to them in functionality and aesthetics. Once I’ve gotten to know my client, I’m feeling really inspired by their unique personal style and I’m able to start identifying an overall design concept, geared to function in a way that will improve their lifestyle, with ease.
Step Two: Collaborate!
My first presentation to my client is a really exciting one, because this is my opportunity to show them that they have been heard. This presentation is very collaborative because we work together to identify what works and what doesn’t work, to make improvements as we move onto the next steps.
Step Three: Fall in Love!
Once the overall design concept has been agreed upon, it’s time to find the piece that will influence the rest. This could be anything: a faucet, a light fixture or even a color, shape or pattern that may be meaningful to my client. With this item or concept identified, everything else is strategically selected or designed to support it. As it all unfolds, sometimes this piece ends up being the focal, and sometimes it’s simply a backdrop for something greater! Regardless, this is where the pathway becomes evident and the options are less bountiful.
Step Four: Assign & Organize!
A well designed home is simply not just about how well it photographs; functionality is extremely important here! Now that we have the look down, we identify how it’s all going to work and be usable. Kitchen cabinet organization, mudroom and laundry room organization, vanity storage, shower functionality, lighting and electrical, etc… (the list really can go on). It’s important to me that when all is said and done, my client can move into their home knowing where everything goes and we have solved the problems which they experienced in the past.
Step Five: Complete the Puzzle!
At this stage in the design process, we know just about all the ins and outs of the new design. We know what everything we’ve selected looks like, how it works and we’re just ironing out the final details and finalizing those last few (now very easy) decisions. After that, we’re ready to implement!
It’s exciting for me to share this process with you because I have found it so successful with my clients. All designers have their own design processes which they follow, but really good designers build that relationship with their client in Step One and adjust their process to meet their client’s comfort level. Over the years I’ve learned that if the process works well and the experience is enjoyable, the end result will exceed expectations!