Navigating the process of a new build home can be daunting with so many decisions to be made even once you have found your piece of land, selected the right project home builder and decided on the house design. There are just so many areas when building that require your input making selections for every aspect of the exterior and interior finished result. This is where, even with a project home, that it can be so beneficial to engage an experienced Interior Designer to help you, so that you don’t end up making costly mistakes or, even worse, end up having to live with colours, fixtures or fittings that you just don’t really love!
New Build Home Case Study
Here is a case study for a client who we assisted with their Project Home build – (Take a look at the finished project: Classic House)
This project is for yet another of our repeat clients, which is always a joy! They are having a large house built by Clarendon Homes in Pitt Town, NSW.
Even though the new build was a project home (albeit a high-end one), they decided it’s was an excellent idea to use the services of a professional interior designer they trusted to achieve the best result possible! One could say my clients have learnt from experience!
I For Style initially worked on their last home in West Pennant Hills in 2006 beginning with a refurbishment of all the bedrooms and their large family room. In 2014 we gutted the kitchen and laundry and lastly worked on the living room and what was then a formal dining room, turning the latter into a stunningly elegant home office.
Here’s an excerpt from a review they wrote: A word of advice to anyone thinking of a new build home, renovation or makeover. You need good advice along the way and Lurleen from I for Style should be top of your list. When it was time for our new kitchen we asked Lurleen to be our advisor and she was involved in all discussions at planning stage and all site meetings during installation. This gave us peace of mind as nothing was overlooked.
If your project home builder will allow you to use an external designer, there’s lots of reasons to do so. Here’s just some of the benefits and things to be mindful of:
- Importantly, your interior designer should be a good listener and take the time to get to know you, learning your likes and dislikes, what sort of ambience you would like for your new home etc. Ultimately you will get more bang for your buck too!
- Your interior designer should also be trained to approach the selections process ensuring there’s a cohesive flow between the exterior and interior of your new home. They want your home to be not only functional but stunning to look at as well.
Here’s how I For Style was involved with their New Build Home:
Selecting exterior and interior materials, colours and finishes, fixtures and fittings:
This is usually done at the beginning of the build and can be a daunting process for clients – with the limited options available to choose from, it’s even more important to get it right the first time!
While it’s true that the staff of project home builders are usually very helpful, they don’t necessarily have the knowledge, expertise and experience of a qualified interior designer who specialises in creating bespoke homes for their clients.
Here’s one example: Because our clients loved the paint colours we specified for their previous home; we were able to match those colours very closely while using Clarendon’s preferred paint suppliers.
Selecting window furnishings, soft furnishings, furniture and feature lighting:
Our client was happy to go with the basic blinds provided by the Clarendon for some rooms but post build, wanted a more bespoke approach for the remainder of the window furnishings. We also provided bespoke soft furnishings, extra furniture items and feature lighting.
Wainscoting to the formal living room:
Post build: Our client wanted something quite special for the formal living room, so I For Style recommended wainscoting, which has added visual interest and upped the elegance factor, setting this room apart from the other living spaces.
If you are looking at starting to explore options for your new build home and would like to engage the help and support of an experienced interior designer, CONTACT Lurleen for an initial consultation to see how she can assist with your new home plans. She will be able to save you time and money with her vast knowledge and wide network of suppliers as well of as bring a curated range of new build design ideas so you are delighted with your finished home.