I’m often asked where I start with a new client project and what the process is that goes on behind the scenes prior to the big reveal. As we’re currently working on two major home refurbs for different clients these insights will hopefully be helpful when you’re embarking on your own projects at home.

The starting point has to be the function of the space; how you’re going to use it, who will be using it and when. This may sound obvious but this will dictates your furniture choices, these choices and available space will influence your furniture layout which in turn influences where you’ll need power and light and so on and so forth. Also at this stage we’ll be getting to know our clients in terms of how they use the various rooms in their home as well as their ‘taste’ and likes and dislikes.

So next up is space planning, looking at where you’ll put your furniture, making sure it will fit and that there’s plenty of space to move round it. In a large open plan space you’ll need to consider ‘zoning’ for the different functions and this can be achieved effectively with rugs and/or furniture. Unless you’re building an extension and therefore you’ll be able to choose where you want power and light (always add more sockets than you think!) you may need to get an electrician involved in the project to add or move sockets and switches as necessary. Yes this is extra work but there’s nothing more frustrating than dreaming up a gorgeous console table with a beautiful lamp and then having to plug said lamp in!

At this stage it’s also important to look at how the rooms/spaces will flow between one another so looking at what’s beyond the room you’re working on and how it will work in the space as a whole. On a recent project we’ve re-positioned the door into cloakroom so that it can be accessed from the hallway rather then having to walk through the kitchen and utility room to get there and in the same property we’ve also opened up the space between the breakfast room and conservatory to allow for a larger, more sociable entertaining space.

Once you’ve done all this you can then start looking at details such as hardware choices, colours, window dressings and the like. So you may now be thinking about clashing a few colours and plumping the odd scatter cushion but there’s a whole stack of behind the scenes planning to be done before you get to this point.


Want us to help you get to the colour-clashing, cushion-plumping stage?! Check out our Work With Me section here on the website to find out more!

Take a look at our Portfolio to see some of the project’s we’ve worked on recently!