There are two emotions I often talk about with my clients. The first is confusion. That is where to start with a home project? Any home renovation or refurbishment project is multifaceted. With many layers and stages and knowing where to start is a common question. The second emotion is overwhelm. Mainly due to the sheer number of options available to every home renovator. So how do you deal with an overwhelm of choice in a home project?
Interior Style and Colour Scheme
While there are many different types of home renovation projects from a kitchen renovation to an extension or a style refresh, a good place to start is to define your interior style goal and colour scheme.
This is how I start all my projects no matter how big or small they are. The reason I start all my project with understanding the client’s interior style goal or aesthetic vision and their colour scheme is because knowing the end goal helps you make decisions along the way easier.
Each piece you have to decide on will lend itself to a particular style more than another piece you might be considering. For example in the projects I worked on below, you will see that the interior style goal and colour scheme is different.
On the left the interior style goal is Mid-Century Modern with a mustard and olive colour scheme and on the right the interior style goal was a contemporary India hotel with a blue and grey colour palette.
Each piece I specified fit the client’s defined design strategy we agreed on at the brief stage of the project. And for me a design strategy is knowing the client’s interior style goal and colour scheme.
Limit your supplier list
Once you know your interior design strategy search for suppliers that specialise in that style. For example if your design strategy is Mid-Century Modern (MCM) then focus your shopping on retailers that sell pieces with a MCM look, for example Castlery. This is true for fittings and fixtures as well as furniture and furnishings. Don’t just look to well know retailers such as Reece.
With a limited supplier list you will limit your overwhelm of choices basically because your choices will be restricted to what the suppliers offer, therefore making decisions easier.
It’s easy to think there is a better or cheaper option elsewhere which means you keep looking. But you’re ongoing search will just increase you’re overwhelm, stress you out and waste time. And in my experience things always balance out with your budget.
Forget the Jones’
Another way to overcome overwhelm is to ignore whatever everyone else is doing. It’s one thing to spend time flipping through magazines or saving inspo pics from various social media platforms but continually looking at what everyone else is doing will confuse you.
So to recap, knowing your interior style goal, your colour scheme, limiting your suppliers, and knowing your budget will help you deal with an overwhelm of choice in a home project. And if you’re still stuck reach out to a local interior designer you’d be surprised how valuable just a one off paid consultation could be to confirm your design strategy.
