Getting The Design You Want Starts With Why
Your home is a reflection of your personality, your values, your emotional well-being, your personal tastes, and your priorities. Great design—when done well—enhances your life by making it more efficient and organized, solving problems, and being aesthetically stunning, all at once. The highest compliment to great design is when you can feel it and sense its impact without it overpowering what truly matters: the people living in it.
Too often, the reasons why people are renovating—and what they hope to gain from the change—are either not asked or not asked in the right way. Asking the right why questions is critical to unlocking the true benefits of the design process. It’s the first step in clearly identifying which needs must be met and how best to address them.
More than 60–70% of our time is spent in our living environments, and just like in the workplace, the value of great design lies in creating spaces that maximize functional efficiency and support the organization of daily tasks.
When engaging an architect or interior designer, the first step is to clearly define your motivations for the renovation. This includes creating a detailed list of what you like and dislike, outlining your priorities for each space, setting a realistic budget, and establishing a project timeline. This crucial phase is known as programming. Taking the time to do this upfront helps prevent costly changes later and sets the foundation for a successful, well-executed design.
Take time to write down what you like and dislike about your spaces.
What were your family’s priorities for your childhood home?
Without internet surfing or the benefit of visual tools can you visualize what you want your finished space to look like including colors, textures, smells, and finishes?
What would you want to incorporate from your existing space and what do you want to avoid doing in the space?