GUIDES
How to start an interior design project
Before choosing a sofa or a paint colour, a good project starts with four decisions. Here is how to make them.
1. Start with how you live, not how it should look
List the things you do in each room and at what time of day. Who cooks, who works from home, where the children play, where guests sit. The plan you need follows from these routines, and a plan built on habits will outlast any trend.
2. Decide what the project is
A project can be a single room, a renovation, or an entire home. Being clear about the boundary — and what is not included — prevents the most common cause of overspending.
3. Set a realistic budget range
Include design fees, construction, furniture, lighting, and a contingency (10–15% is a sensible reserve when building work is involved). A range is more useful than a single number, because it lets your designer show you where money changes the result most.
4. Gather references — then look for what they share
Collect images you love, then look for the common thread: is it the light, the materials, the sense of calm? The thread, not the individual pictures, is your real brief.
5. Choose the right kind of help
If you are unsure where to begin, look at finished rooms for the feeling you want — the projects here are a good start — and read about our approach, which keeps every decision connected.
A simple starting checklist
- Plans or measurements of the space
- A list of routines and problems to solve
- A budget range and a rough timeline
- Ten images you love, and three things you dislike
Want to see the result of these decisions? Browse the projects.
