My first full renovation clients wrote to me to say thank you… “You literally changed our lives for the better!” They had been wanting to do a renovation for a while and I helped get their transformation off the ground. But it got me thinking… it wasn’t just the service of interior design that I provided and the process that I guided them through, I have made an impact on their life. The funny thing is that I thought I would feel that more in my previous career in teaching!
So, how have I made an impact? What was it in their life that has changed?
In my work the first thing I do is listen. Really listen. I try to understand the clients’ habits, how they use their space, how they use their kitchen, and I ask teasing information to then understand how much storage they need. How big a pantry? Would they benefit from better work from home space? How could we better organise the laundry space?
And then my mind starts to work on design…
What if we switch the shower and sink unit? That would also make a much bigger shower.
We could make a concealed charging station for all their devices.
The client would really benefit from a vegetable drawer in a cabinet and not have lots of baskets on valuable kitchen workspace.
Where can we find a space for a coat and bag closet?
The family love to read, where could we store all their books and where do they need reading task-light? …and so on.
Then the real work (fun) begins and all these practical design ideas get translated into furniture plans, electricity plans, plumbing plans, carpentry plans, kitchen plans etc. for submission to contractors and vendors.
The design continues into selections.
What kitchen door front is easier for my client to keep clean? What handles would work better in the kitchen?
What fabrics work well for a family with three young children in their living room? And they need a hard-wearing surface for their dining table. Every detail is planned with the client in mind.
We then get to the final stage, which is the build – liaising with vendors and working with the builders to help the client with decisions and oversee of design aspects of the renovation.
Whilst the overseeing and implementation stage is important for a successful renovation, the planning stage is where the real impact is made!
I look forward to hopefully touching more clients’ lives in the work I do and the designs I create.
Visit my page on Instagram @designby_efrat.