Oh, the renovation possibilities!
Last year, we moved. The year before that, we also moved. It’s been a journey for us, as a family, and for me, as a business. In the middle of a housing market with very little inventory, we finally found a permanent home. We had a wish list, and we managed to snag a house with a number of those must-haves checked off. One of our biggies was a separate space for a home office, where I could work with my team, without having to traipse through our family areas. We found THE house, and the basement was ripe for renovation. Decent ceiling height, dedicated entrance and infinite possibilities.
After settling in as a family upstairs, and temporarily cramming my office into the guest bedroom, it was time to officially tackle the basement. Surprisingly, I had to convince my somewhat leery husband that yes, in fact, I do this for a living day in and day out, and I do, in fact, know what I am doing. As an interior designer, I wanted to go about things in an organized and timely fashion. The reality was that I was juggling several client projects at the same time, and frankly, designing your own space is different than designing and specifying for clients.
the reality
I wish I could tell you that we adhered to our trusted design process, as we typically do for client projects.
I wish I could tell you that all decisions were made in a timely manner.
I wish I could tell you that there were no delays.
I wish I could tell you that we are not scrambling to the finish line.
I can tell you that it will get done, and that it will be a spectacular space.
Now I understand why people hire an interior designer and project manager for their renovation project. Namely, me.
“Thank you to your team for getting the bathroom in working order in time. We’ve received several compliments from our guests...”
Regardless of all the behind-the-scenes chaos, the basics of a smooth-running design project remain the same:
Good planning from the outset is crucial
Regular budget check-ins ensure that spending doesn’t get out of control
Have fixtures and components available and on-site before they are needed, don’t linger on decisions
Be present on-site as much as possible to answer questions and keep the project moving
It’s important to keep your contractor and trades scheduled, motivated and accountable, so that you stay on a reasonable timeline
Everyone likes to get paid on time
Renovations are very complex, with technical aspects, construction lingo and the risk of overwhelm is very real. Trust in people and process is key. Having a calm, organized project manager is your saving grace.