Whether you’re planning a renovation or an update to the look and feel of your home – going into the project with a structure to follow can make a lot of difference to the result. Making a plan won’t just help with the interior design, it could also save you money, reduce waste and help everything to run as smoothly as possible.
How Involved Do You Need to Be?
If you’re not hiring a dedicated design company, you could always take care of the process yourself and then work one step at a time. Many interior decorators and designers advise compiling images in the form of blueprints and then using them to help with your overall image as you go. You could save them as PDFs for ease of printing and then combine PDF files into one neat folder so that you can refer to them whenever needed.
The truth is that when it comes to interior design, you can be as involved as you want; from making plans relating to the project, right through to taking a trip to the local DIY store and sourcing the materials directly. The more involved you are, the more of your own personal touches could be included in the interior design project.
Making Sure to Plan Properly
In the past, most people would rely on a pencil and paper to take notes, jot down ideas and draw diagrams. These days, there is a range of advanced tools that can help to streamline the entire design process, which can then be printed for a hard copy or referred to on a phone or tablet.
Planning properly can make a world of difference, no matter how small or large your renovation project might be. Even a tiny bathroom renovation will need to factor things in like the plumbing, pipework, windows and more, so just imagine how elaborate a full-scale interior design project might need to be.
Tips for proper planning
1. Gather your resources
Whatever method you’ve chosen for planning, be it traditional pen and paper or using software on a PC or Mac, get everything that you’ll need for the design phase together to ensure that your planning phase is simple and enjoyable.
2. Collect your tools
Once you know a little bit more about what your project will involve, the next step will be to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. This could be hand tools such as hammers, wrenches and pliers, or you might need mechanical tools and even machinery. Simply make a list of what you will need and feel free to add or take away as you get to grips with your project. If you need machinery however, always consider hiring an expert, as these devices can be dangerous if used by someone without the experience to do so.
3. Prepare the area
Depending on your design project, you might need to remove furniture, or at least cover it to protect it from things like paint or dust that will inevitably accumulate. It’s not just the area to prepare either; in fact, you could also benefit from protective clothing, including dust masks to ensure that whatever your project might be, you’re safe and healthy throughout.
4. Have one final inspection
Before doing anything that will have an impact on the look of your room or office, always sit down and reconsider all of the above points again. You might find that things have changed or that you’d prefer a different technique to the one that you had previously planned. During this final inspection, you’ll have the opportunity to make these necessary changes and then implement them as required.
5. Get to work
With your printed PDF notes available via a tablet to scroll through or even on paper, you’ll be able to get to work. Be sure to follow the structure that you laid out, unless you really have no choice but to change something at the last minute. A good project shouldn’t be rushed and whether you’re decorating a room with a fresh coat of paint, tearing out pipework for a new installation, or anything in between – you’ll now be fully equipped to maximise the result with our quick guide.
Final considerations
Don’t dive in at the deep end and hope that you’ll be able to swim – with careful planning and consideration, even the most demanding interior design project could become simple, easy, and enjoyable. The more effort you make in the planning phase, the quicker and easier things will come together as you proceed, so don’t cut corners (unless it’s needed to install a new shelf).