How to work with an interior designer

Getting the Best Out of a Relationship with an Interior Designer

Renovating a home is an exciting but complex journey. It's a little like juggling lots of balls, while trying to see the wood for the trees!


Working with an interior designer can help to ease these stress points, transforming your vision into reality while saving you time and avoiding costly mistakes. 


But how do you ensure a smooth and successful collaboration? 


Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what to expect and how to get the best out of your partnership with an interior designer.


1. The Initial Consultation: Defining Your Vision


Every successful renovation project starts with an in-depth consultation. This is where you and your designer discuss your goals, challenges, style preferences and budget.


Our process begins with understanding not just what you want your home to look like but also how you want it to feel and function. We’ll discuss your lifestyle, inspirations, and any specific needs your space should address. It’s important to be open about your expectations and honest about your budget so we can tailor solutions that work best for you.


2. Developing a Design Brief, Mood Boards and Timelines

Once we’ve established your vision, the next step is to create a detailed design brief. This document serves as a roadmap for the project, outlining key elements like:

  • Space planning and layout
  • Colour schemes and materials
  • Furniture, fixtures, and fittings
  • Lighting and accessories


We’ll also develop mood boards to visually represent the aesthetic direction and ensure we’re aligned before moving forward. Timelines are carefully mapped out to set expectations on project phases, ensuring clear milestones and progress tracking.


3. Handling Challenges: Budgets, Delays and Unforeseen Issues

Renovations often come with unexpected challenges, from budget constraints to supply chain delays or structural surprises hidden behind walls. A good designer anticipates potential pitfalls and has contingency plans in place.

Transparent communication and proactive problem-solving is essential. Whether it’s adjusting material choices to stay within budget or reworking layouts due to unforeseen structural issues, we work closely with contractors and suppliers to find the best solutions. Our goal is to keep the project moving forward without compromising on quality or design integrity.

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4. Success Stories: Bringing Designs to Life

Here are a few examples of how we’ve helped clients achieve their dream spaces:

  • The Shippon Conversion: A Victorian cow barn transformed into a stylish, playful holiday rental, using smart zoning for an open-plan space.
  • Country Manor Restoration: A listed property where modern living seamlessly blends with historic charm, showcasing bold colour choices and luxurious fabrics.
  • Stable Conversion Makeover: A beige developer’s blank canvas reimagined with moody industrial tones, softened by luxe textures for balance.


5. Your Next Step: Start Your Renovation Journey

Working with an interior designer should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. With the right communication, trust and collaboration, your home renovation can be both seamless and inspiring. You should be working with someone you get on with, and have faith in. They should be working in your best interest.


Our Initial Consultation Package

We offer a consultation which offers inspiration and direction. During this 90 minute (or so) meeting, we talk about a whole range of things relating to your project – e.g. scope, lifestyle, functionality, budget, aesthetic and so on. You'll come away with lots of initial ideas and inspiration.

Some people find the initial design consultation is sufficient for what they need and are happy to move forward on their own, while other clients prefer hands-on support for particular elements of their project or a tailored end-to-end service. If you need more support, the cost is deducted from your first design service installment.



Schedule a consultation today and let’s bring your vision to life.

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