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Have a Decorator
Review Remodeling or Building Plans
Plus Tips to Avoid Costly Mistakes
by Lee Mink, ASID
(Pasadena, California) — Before you sign off on the construction plans, it might be smart to invest a few dollars more to have an interior designer look them over first.
Committing to costly construction should be done only when you have a 20/20 view of what the ultimate furnishings and decor of the home is to be. It’s a wise, money-saving move to enlist
the advice of an interior decorator beforehand to see if the blueprints jive with the decor and furnishings you have in mind, either those you have or plan to buy. Such advance planning avoids
expensive change orders and delays, along with the aggravations they bring.
To start, have a furniture plan created. That will determine how furniture will interact with electric, heating and plumbing locations. A sharp-eyed decorator’s review, especially one
accustomed to reading plans, can detect errors that will become all too apparent, either during construction or after the workmen have left, leaving the homeowner with an awkward traffic flow,
misplaced windows and inadequate outlets. Pre-construction planning is the time to think about all the decor pieces -- before budgets are set for construction. You don’t want to have to
live with mistakes.
Although a designer’s review on specific insights are valuable, these general steps can get the process started for you.
Plan furniture arrangements to establish the location and approximate size of each piece that would make for comfortable, inviting rooms. Your arrangements will affect the placement
of lighting fixtures, outlets, windows, pianos, televisions, computers, stereos, bookshelves and heirloom pieces.
Check number and location of outlets for electrical/telephone/Internet connection, even wireless routers -- to ensure wiring is adequate and well placed. Any recessed lighting
should also be planned to work with furniture arrangement and traffic flow.
Consider flooring to make sure hard surfaces and carpeting work with the decor plans. Planning should take the different thicknesses of floors into account – so the various
levels don’t become a tripping hazard.
Inventory existing furniture and beds to see what is useable in the new spaces and room arrangements, being mindful of pieces that would work if they were refinished and/or
recovered. Sometimes an item that you have always used in one room could make a perfect transition to another use in a different location. An outside, fresh pair of eyes can often recognize such
possibilities easier than a homeowner who is accustomed to seeing a piece a certain way.
Pick color schemes to establish your theme.
Choose and order fabrics for draperies, chairs, sofas, etc. Often a desired, (even critical) pattern is discontinued long before it’s ordered and no similar replacement
fabrics are available. This happens frequently, resulting in disappointment and ruined plans. Therefore, it’s wise to start those orders 60 to 90 days before estimated completion of your
construction or remodeling project.
Now you are ready to look at those plans with a clear vision, knowing there’s not going to be a window where you'd like to place your TV and that you have the flexibility to substitute
a lower price tile in one spot so you can afford a higher price marble in another.
Actually buying furniture and fabrics is not the focus of this initial planning stage. Rather, the goal is to make sure the blueprints, the budget and the decor all work together to achieve
a satisfying result that will be a joy to live in for years to come.
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