Planning to do up your interior for your new apartment or newly built home? Or just looking to renovate your existing space? Here is a step-by-step guide on how to get started!
Before you move into your new place, you should start with some research and planning.
Decide your style preference
Contemporary, rustic, earthy. shabby chic? There are a lot of styles that a home can reflect. You don’t want your home to be an amalgamation of different styles, so pick the one that resonates the most with you. #ProTip: Multiple members of the family will have multiple opinions. Don’t let that turn your home into a khichdi of styles.
Look online and offline for design ideas
Whether you need help decoding different design styles or need references, you can look at online sources for ideas. Houzify too has a large catalogue of designs that you can filter by styles, spaces and even colours. Download the app here.
While you research online, it is always good to collect ideas from the world around you. Homes of friends, cafes, restaurants, stores; any place you visit can give you inspiration for your own home. So always be on the lookout.
Come up with a tentative budget
Deciding how much spend is difficult if you have never gone through an interior design process. Turn to friends who have gone through the process recently for advice.
One-Time vs. Phase-Wise
Depending on how much you are ready to spend and how much time you have in hand, you can either do up your space completely in one go or divide the process and style different parts of your home in phases.
Turnkey vs. Design Consulting
“Turnkey” is a common term used by designers where your home design project is taken care of end-to-end by a team of professionals – this includes both the design as well as the execution. If you already know a good contractor for execution, then just go for design consulting and let your contractor do the rest.
With so many styles, so many ideas and so many options to choose from, it is natural that you can end up confused. It is okay to help from a professional who understands the process and will help you translate your wants and likes into a beautiful home. Gone are the days when the only way to find the perfect design professional was through references and word-of-mouth. Today, online platforms like Houzify have simplified the process of hiring a right professional for your home. Here is how you can find a right professional through Houzify:
Finding the right professional is no longer through references and word-of-mouth. Online platforms like ours are simplifying this process to match you with the right designer for your dream home. Here is how we can help:
Share your requirements here
Let Houzify match you with 3 of the best home design experts in your city
The experts will connect with you over the phone within 48 hours to discuss your project requirement and set up a meeting in person
Once you have found some home design experts, it is critical for you to meet with them in person to check whether they match your style and budget preferences. Good meeting places could be the project site or the professional’s workplace. At this stage, you can share a detailed list of requirements, the scope of work and any other preferences you may have. Remember to set a deadline for the professional to share the project proposal and quotation.
Some important questions to ask while evaluating a professional:
• Is the proposed cost matching my budget?
• Is the designer’s fees (what they charge on top of the cost of material and labour costs) included in the quotation?
• Most importantly, do I like this person? Am I comfortable working with the designer’s team?
Once you select your home design expert, you are expected to pay up to a 15% advance for the work to get started.
For the work to get started, your home needs to be measured. Some professionals may instead work with the floor plan provided by the builder or the civil contractor.
Depending on the amount of work and the size of your home, a professional may take 2 to 8 weeks to provide you with the complete design. This can include material selection and 3D visualisation of your space.
Once you are okay with the design, the professional will work on creating drawings for his contractors/carpenters who will then execute your project under the supervision of your designer.
During the execution of your project, check periodically to make sure that your hired professional is overseeing the execution and making regular site visits. Also, check that all contractors are using the same material as mentioned in the proposal and in the same amounts. It is always good to double check!
When the project is nearing completion, you can do a final check on the work with your professional to see if everything is fine and make any adjustments that are required.
On ‘Handover Day’, your home should have been vacated and cleaned. Do a complete check before signing the ‘project closure form’. You may also be asked to share your feedback on the entire process.
Designing a home is an exciting, albeit complex process and a hired designer or professional is someone you are going to spend a lot of time with. Make sure to find someone who understands your needs, tastes and opinions and is able to brainstorm and come up with ideas to accommodate all of them!
Whether you are a professional looking for projects or a homeowner looking for a professional, sign up on Houzify today and we will help you get started!