Imagine yourself in a space that looks great, feels good, and is your own. This home will be the envy of all your friends and family, and it’s the ideal place to host holiday parties or relax for the evening.

Imagine the benefits of 20 years of experience in professional design and decorating. This will give you the confidence to create a space, knowing that an experienced expert vets your ideas.

Here are 7 things to do before starting your home renovation, design, or decorating project.

Know your goals

Are you looking to make this your family’s dream house for the next 20+ years? Or are you planning to fix it up and sell it next year?

It is important to know your goals to get the best advice. We might recommend generic, affordable, and cost-effective solutions if you’re looking to fix up a property for quick sale. We will recommend more customized, high-quality solutions that will last for many years if you’re designing a home your family will love.

Set your budget

It is essential to know how much you can afford and what you feel comfortable spending. This information will help you navigate this process.

Also, consider what you will do if your budget is not sufficient to complete the project. Do you want to compromise on the overall design? Or would you instead do it in stages?

A professional can advise you on the best way to proceed and provide feedback about your budget.

Take a look at how you live in this space.

You may have heard the expression “Form follows Function,” which means how you use a space affects its design.

If your living room is a formal reception area, it will look very different from the space where you gather with family to watch TV.

Be upfront and specific about your needs.

Carpets should be able to hide dirt from your dog’s sheds. We also need to know if the cleaning lady is only available twice per month. We don’t judge, and we can help you enjoy your home to its fullest.

Make sure you have all materials available for consideration.

The Design Discovery Session is a meeting where we bring our professional experience, fresh eyes, a tape measure, and samples of paint.

We need to see any materials or other on-site items to consider when giving you advice.

We need to see the antique chair of your great aunt in person if you would like our opinion.

Discover Your Likes and Dislikes

One picture is worth 1000 words. That’s why we asked you to create a Houzz Ideabook or a Pinterest Board where you collect half a dozen photos of rooms you love. This allows you to reflect on what you love and dislike without worrying about how to describe your style in words.

These images are shared with us to see what you like about each space. We often see a pattern that helps us to define our preferences.

Identify the decision makers.

You should involve as many family members or partners as you can in your project’s success.

They should work together in the pre-work, including weighing in on the budget and compiling images to demonstrate their preferences. We insist that all decision-makers participate in the presentation meeting, where the major decisions will be made.