3 Things To Know Before You Renovate Your Home
Believe it or not, interior designers do much more than select furniture and decorate shelves! As an experienced designer, my preference is to be on your project from the very beginning. Whether you're building new or renovating your home, there are important decisions to make all along the way, all of which impact how you will live in your home for years to come. As an example, I have had 2 projects in the last year where I came on after the final design plans were set in stone. Unfortunately no thought was given by the architect for furniture placement, and neither primary bedroom could accommodate a king sized bed and nightstands on the same wall.
These initial design decisions impact more than just furniture placement, however. If you're not working closely with the framer or the plumber, for example, your beautiful primary shower may end up with no shelf for your shampoo.
So, what are the three most important things to pay attention to when renovating your home?
Think about furniture placement from the beginning. If you have a King size bed or an L shaped sofa, make sure you have walls in the appropriate place, unobstructed by windows or doors, to accommodate!
Be in constant contact with your contractors. Daily check-ins in the beginning and weekly moving forward are essential. Make sure your GC knows your wishlist for things like built-ins, shower size (including shelf placement), and materials. This way, when a question on something comes up, they will remember to contact you to be involved in the decision making. Better yet...hire a designer to do this work so you can sit back and relax ;) Designers - when brought in at the right time - often supply contractors with full house plans and wishlists ahead of time, so there are no questions, surprises or mistakes!
Inform the floor installer of your materials well ahead of time. Along the same lines as above, the last thing you want in your brand new house is unsightly thresholds. These happen when floor materials are different heights, and the installer doesn't plan ahead. If they know what materials they are going to be installing ahead of time, they can plan accordingly and ensure a smooth transition between different types of flooring (tile to wood floors, for example).
And if this all sounds like WAY TOO MUCH to handle, you're not alone. Make sure it's done right and hire a designer :)