RENOVATE | Checklist for DIY interior design
DIY RENOVATION TIPS
Over the last few months I have had quite a few people telling me about their DIY renos. Being able to buy something that needs a little work and to physically create a new home for yourself or family or even to create a property to sell for profit is an exciting but daunting project to tackle.
Mainly I’m asked about choosing paint colours, hard materials like flooring and tiles and what is the best layout or style for furniture. Without hiring an interior designer it is still possible to decipher your own interior style and do it yourself… it will just take a little more research and planning.
1. Planning - By now I am sure you have read a million renovation checklists online and know that you need to understand your numbers before you start swinging a hammer. Once you’ve got a good handle of how your project is going to work it is equally important to make a plan from the design point of view so you don’t make costly mistakes by having to make decisions on the fly.
Ideally you will have decided the layout of your project and made your material selections before you engage your builder or at least well before it is all due to be installed. Sure you can make your selections as your builder asks for them but being reactive like this means you will be choosing with time pressures and may not get the overall finish you want.
2. Floor plans - Even if you are a novice at floor plans, make sure you have someone draw up scale drawings even if they are rough so you can spatially plan your spaces. You want to check the flow of your house and check that you will be able to fit what you think you will. Download my floor planning checklist here.
3. Suppliers + trades - Your new best friends during your renovation should be your tradies AND your suppliers. They are a wealth of knowledge, you just need to ask!
Having trouble choosing tiles for your bathroom? Once you have an idea of your layout, your suppliers will be your best port of call to make your final decisions. Suppliers like Byzantine Designs (Melbourne), Tile Cloud (online) and Art of Tiles (Sydney) live and breathe their products and will help choose tiles specific to your project.
I strongly recommend starting a (nerd alert) spreadsheet of potential suppliers and even better subscribe to their newsletter so you will be alerted of any sale events or information they might have.
Tip! I would always suggest going to your suppliers with a rough floor plan, photos if you have them and a general idea of what your concept or style will be to avoid overwhelm.
4. Second hand - As you are (most likely) working on one project at a time you will have the luxury to be able to source some great second hand products that you know will fit your project. I have been having great luck on Facebook Marketplace with some furniture pieces that cost next to nothing and just need a little love. You would be surprised what someone else might be throwing out during their own renovation that is valuable to you. Waste not, want not!
5. Make a statement - Materials can be expensive I get that, but there are some brilliant products out there that are very cost effective that can be balanced with a splash of something more expensive. For example, you might have a very small splash back area in your bathroom where you can use a more expensive feature tile that will offset a cheaper white, black or grey tile choice in the rest of the space. Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean you can’t use it.
To tread the fine line between having an interior designer put your scheme together and pulling your hair out trying to know whether you have everything you need in your floor plan, I have a Floor Plan Review service that will give you an overall plan to work towards as well as access to 1:1 consultations throughout your project.
Download my free floor planning checklist to see what you need to consider before you start to build.