3 Ways a Designer Will Make Your New Build Process Simple
Faith Led Interior Design Show | Episode 23
Do you know what the ultimate dream team is for a new build?
First, you are starting with your architectural plans. Once they are approved, you take those plans to your contractor. This is also a great time to have your interior designer review the plans too.
Why is an interior designer important in these beginning phases of your project? Keep listening to find out more!
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Be Blessed Verse
Our verse for the week is Hebrews 3:4: For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
I had thought from this verse that if we look at everything in the world, even us. We can trace it all back to something that God made. Think about it, God is the builder of everything essentially.
Photo by Spacejoy on Unsplash
3 Ways a Designer Will Make Your New Build Process Simple
The new build design process always includes an architect for the structural design and a contractor for the building design, but rarely does this team include an interior designer for the interior design plan.
The interior design plan is very important for furniture placement, electrical locations, and window placement (to name a few). I have come into houses that were custom-built where the client had existing furniture that did not fit on the wall and overlapped into the window. This could have easily been prevented in the pre-build design plan phase. A few inches could have made all the difference.
Another big catch pre-build is the electrical outlets that could have worked with the furniture placement, but because there were no exact to-scale furniture placements. the electrical was built in the wrong places. Building a new home can be wrought with decision overload, having to make selections without seeing them and, if done wrong, can result in a home that you don't love.
Building a home can and should be exciting, fun, and filled with the design features of your dreams. Hiring an interior designer helps make the myriad of choices less stressful. Most homeowners do not have the knowledge or know-how to make educated choices and are not secure in the outcome of their selections.
There are many times I have heard clients say that they thought the outcome was going to be beautiful. But what they visualized, without a designer, was not the final result that they got. A professional interior designer can help bring their joy and vision back to the project. A great interior designer can help them realize their lifestyle and design visions. Here are 3 specific ways in which they do that…
1. Providing a Creative Direction You Will Love
Most custom builders have a depth of expertise, but aesthetics and HOW homeowners will use the space are more of a designer's realm. Also, many times builders recommend things that they have done in the past that worked for them and other clients. Unfortunately, these suggestions, many times, really don't fit with the current interior design plan. Your designer can work hand-in-hand with the architect, builder, and you, the homeowner, to help implement a cohesive, functional, safe, and beautiful final design.
The process that I use to work with the new build clients is to first meet with them. I request that they have the preliminary floor plans from the architect. We do an extensive discussion of their dreams and desires for their project. We discuss their lifestyle and how they desire each area of their dream home to function. We work together to define the creative direction of the home.
Then, I return to my office with a copy of the architectural plans and notes from my discussion with the clients. I lay out all the furniture in the home to scale and even start preliminary mood or vision boards for each room. Doing the whole home interior design at one time, pre-build helps secure a complete home design that looks cohesive and is beautifully personal.
We meet again several times to get approvals for each step of the project. Your designer is with you until the final beautiful installments and oftentimes becomes a family friend for life!
Photo by Spacejoy on Unsplash
2. Fostering Vendor Relationships that Make You an Insider
An interior designer works with the resources and vendors available for a new home design on a daily basis. They are up-to-date on the latest and greatest items available. They are versed in the quality and price ranges of most items and can help you stay within your building budget.
Another very important benefit is that the designer has established relationships with the best vendors. The designer can help you gather working samples of the products that are being specified. Many times, design professionals are much more aware of the available products than the clients and can show them items they didn't even know existed.
Many items specified are unique one-of-a-kind items and are found off the beaten path. Clients are greatly relieved that the designer is helping them with the hundreds of decisions that they need to make to realize the home of their dreams. Sound like something that would be helpful to you too?
3. Alleviating Decision Overwhelm for You, the Homeowner
Homeowners, many times, are shocked and very overwhelmed at the number of choices and decisions that they need to make. Each of these decisions not only affects the immediate choice but also many of the other items that are near to them, not to mention the overall interior design plan.
Interior design can have a domino effect. One change can create a chain reaction of changes and most clients may not feel educated and knowledgeable enough to handle this concept.
An interior designer can save their client's design fees many times over, by helping the client not make those very costly design mistakes. Design mistakes are usually not small. These are all decisions that the designer has seen many times before and they can help you with the pros and cons of each major decision.
Designers work diligently with your best interests in mind and hold your desired aesthetics at heart.
The Conclusion
Your Happiest, Most Joyful Result
I highly recommend a full team for any new build project: architect, contractor, and interior designer. Each has its own specialty and each provides its professional touches to the gorgeous final product. This group is the ultimate dream team to solve problems, save time, and ultimately give you, the client, the peace of mind that you desire and deserve during the building process.
I have had great times with my clients working with them on new build projects. The decisions are huge, but with the right help, this project can be one of the most exciting and rewarding times in the client's life.
I love helping my clients not only reach dreams for themselves and their precious families, but I am so excited to help them truly enjoy the journey as well. My goal is for an outcome that is even better than they imagined. It is music to my ears as the clients see and LOVE the final installation. That is so thrilling for all of us!
Need an interior designer on your team? We've got your back! Contact us here and let's chat.
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