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Expert advice: how to plan your next interior design project

April 20, 2021 1 Comment

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Starting an interior design project can be both an exciting and an overwhelming venture. You have an array of ideas and want your design to come together, and you risk jumping in head first before you even have a plan.

To help Aussies looking to transform a space, Luke Davidson, interior designer and co-founder of online interior design platform Inscene, shares his top tips to translate your design dreams into reality.

1. Discover your personal style

The process of interior design is deeply personal. Not all design styles will work for everyone, so it is up to you to decide how you want the space to feel. One way to help figure this out is to look at your closet. You can spot the colours and patterns that work best for you, giving you an indicator as to what you should look for when designing.

2. Determine what you donโ€™t like

It may go without saying, but another tip to help you find out what styles you like is to eradicate everything you donโ€™t like! This can narrow your options considerably, giving you a smaller pool of design styles to choose from and keep you from being paralysed by having too many choices.

3. Understand your needs

Be sure to focus on the practicality of each space of your home. Youโ€™ll want to consider the location and surroundings of your property. This will help you figure out the appropriate styles and materials for your interior design. Additionally, accurate room measurements are vital to ensuring that what you buy fits in your space. Measuring each room ahead of time will prevent purchases being disproportionate to your design or the room itself.

Before and after of an Inscene project

4. Create a mood board and sample everything

Crafting a mood board can help you visualise what your space will look like and is a valuable resource in planning that can help you avoid costly design mistakes. It is also best to sample materials such as paint, flooring, and surfaces. Observing the paint in natural light both in the morning and at night can help you determine how the paint makes you feel when itโ€™s on your walls and not on a little swatch. The same can be said for flooring and surface samples.

5. Quality doesnโ€™t always mean expensive

Quality is always essential, especially when it comes to building materials. Skimping out by going with the cheapest option may save you money upfront, but it will cost you more in the long run when you need to redo or replace it. In saying this, though, quality doesnโ€™t always translate to the most expensive. You can find durable materials that mimic the aesthetic of more expensive ones at a fraction of the cost. Donโ€™t be afraid to mix high and low-price points, either. Filling the space with affordable and practical pieces can allow you to splurge on one or two hero items that will stand out even more. 

6. Plan rooms one at a time

Breaking down your interior design process by planning one room at a time can help a larger project become more manageable. This can also help you focus on the individual room and its unique needs. For those worried about the final design not being cohesive or rooms clashing, donโ€™t be. If you have a plan, you can keep on top of this. For those with an interior stylist, they will ensure everything looks seamless when the project is finished.

7. Hire a professional

We all appreciate input from our family and friends, but too many opinions can be overwhelming and confusing. By hiring a professional, you get the expert opinion and help of one qualified individual. You can avoid common interior design mistakes and be confident that the end result will match your original design dream, if not better.

For more information.

AFTER kitchen
Before & after: 90’s kitchen renovated on a budget using DIY
Originally built in the 90โ€™s, this homeโ€™s original kitchen was in dire need of some love when Melbourneโ€™s Haus of Cruze design studio began overhauling it recently. Completed as part…
Before & after: A fabulous $550 DIY bathroom makeover in Adelaide
When writer, stylist and former magazine editor Alexis Teasdale bought her 1920โ€™s Tudor-style home in Adelaide a few years ago it was with a view to renovating it. But with…

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Want to try a different tipple this weekend? Toda Want to try a different tipple this weekend?

Today's #iafoodiefriday recipe is a lemon and pink peppercorn spritz by our friends at @thewholefoodsrefillery ๐Ÿธ 

They'll give you 20% off your first order with our code. Find everything you need on the blog now via link in bio.

Cheers! 

#pinkpeppercorn #spritzlife
Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! 

@kethy.australia, whose cabinet hardware I've used in my own kitchen, laundry and on my recent sideboard glow up, are passionate about bringing you the latest design and finishes from around the world!ย 

Their stunning timber knobs and handles from Denmark add texture, warmth and an organic feel to yourย projectsย that can only be achieved by using natural materials.

Whether you're embarking on a new build, renovating an existing kitchen, bathroom or laundry or updating a piece of furniture, Kethy have something for you in their huge range.

See it all online and find your local re-seller at their website via link in @kethy.australia bio.

#timberhandles #timberknobs #cabinethardware #cabinethandles #finishingtouches #drawerpulls #kitchenhandles #kitchenpulls #kitchenknobs #kitchendrawer #kitchendrawers #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #theinteriorsaddict #homerenovations #interiordesignaustralia #interiordesigninspo #transformyourhome #housemakeover #designinspiration #trusttheprocess #designwork #beautifulhomes #dreamhouse #homestylingsydney #beforeandafterrenovation #creatingbeautifulspaces #kitchentrends2022 #kitchenglowup
Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping ALL the character!

What a great example this is by @huntingforgeorge 

See all the details, and the laundry, on the blog now, via link in bio.
The patient has very much bounced back! Letterbox The patient has very much bounced back!

Letterbox kinder egg deliveries from a friend, dressing changes without a flinch and refusing to nap despite all the bribes (check the face on him in pic 3!).

Thanks for all your care and messages/comments for this tired and shaken up mama! Now very relieved and grateful ๐Ÿ™
Before & after It's not just the award winning de Before & after

It's not just the award winning designer houses that get us excited here. It's also the beloved family homes which are renovated and extended to make them fit for purpose so people can continue to live where they love ๐Ÿค—

@inspiredspacesaus helped her clients with teenage kids transform this house in Sydney's Hills District inside and out, making it their forever home. 

Due to the nature of the block they could only extend sideways and then gave it street appeal with render, new windows and doors.

See inside on the blog now, via link in bio. It was completely overhauled!
Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into tiled steps ๐Ÿค•

Oh what a night. Thankfully Hornsby Hospital were as amazing as always and we avoided stitches. All taped and glued  back together and now to keep him calm for the next few days (๐Ÿคช) and watch for signs of concussion. 

Bravest little patient ever. Yes I've had a ๐Ÿท

Funny how we go into super organised mama mode in times like these. Grabbed dinosaurs, textas and scrapbook on the way out in case we had a long wait!

UPDATE: thanks for all the love! Charlie is so well this morning after a big sleep!
Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop
#creatingbeautifulspaces #homestylingdesign
#designbywomen #homestylingtips #sydneycreatives
#homestylingsydney #interiorstyling #interiordesignsydney
#everydaydesign #interiortrends #renovationinspiration
#homedesigninspo #lovemyhome #stylingdetails
#loveinteriors #homeimprovements #interiordesignaustralia
#dreamhomeinspiration #homemakeover #personaldesign
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#creativehomes #housestyling #sydneyhomes
#interiorinspiration #myhomedesign
I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers๐Ÿ™

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

#madeinaustralia #australianmade #aussiemade #aussiedesign
Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
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About Caoimhe Hanrahan-Lawrence

Caoimhe is interning at Interiors Addict as part of their degree studies at the University of New South Wales

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  1. AvatarAdam the builder says

    June 20, 2022 at 6:17 am

    Every ideas lookore interesting if the column รฒf sample any design provide slighly a few spec like -material,placing,budget, avantages,disavantages,optional choice etc

    Reply

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