Invest in the Right Design

KNOW WHERE THOUGHTFUL DESIGN CAN MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE

A renovation or new build is a significant investment, so it is completely understandable that you want to spend your money wisely.

There will always be things you would love to have, but the most successful homes are not necessarily the ones where the most money has been spent. They are the ones where the important decisions have been thought through properly and the investment has been directed towards what will make the greatest difference to the way the home looks, feels and functions.

Where should I spend my renovation budget?

There is no universal answer to this because every home and every family is different.

For one family, improving the kitchen layout might completely change how they use their home. For another, the biggest difference might come from better storage, improving a difficult room or creating a stronger connection between the inside and outside spaces.

I would start by thinking about the things that frustrate you about your current home and the things you most want to improve. Then consider which changes will have the greatest impact on your everyday life.

It is also worth giving particular thought to the things that will be difficult or expensive to change later.

Moving furniture is relatively straightforward. Moving a wall, changing plumbing or replacing newly installed flooring is obviously a different proposition.

This is one of the reasons I believe good design can be such a worthwhile investment. It is not necessarily about adding more to the budget. It is about making sure the money you are already spending is being used to create the home you actually want.

Is an interior designer worth it for a renovation?

That really depends on the project and on how much support you need.

If you are confident with layouts, sourcing, materials and making decisions yourself, you may not need a full interior design service.

But if you are dealing with a significant renovation, several rooms, structural changes or simply finding yourself overwhelmed by the number of decisions, having someone experienced to guide the design can make a considerable difference.

An interior designer can help you look at the project as a whole rather than making hundreds of individual decisions. They can spot relationships between things that are easy to overlook, help you visualise the finished spaces and give you a clear direction to work from.

There is also the practical benefit of having someone to question a decision before you commit to it.

I think the value is less about being given the “right” answer and more about having someone who can help you understand the options, consider the implications and arrive at a decision you feel confident about.

That can be particularly valuable when you are spending a significant amount of money on your home.

Do I need to know my interior style before hiring an interior designer?

Absolutely not.

I would actually much rather you came with a collection of things you love than a perfectly defined interior style.

You might describe yourself as contemporary, traditional, minimalist or something else entirely, but those labels do not necessarily tell me how you want your home to feel or how you want to live in it.

Perhaps you love contemporary furniture but live in an older property. Perhaps you want a calm, neutral home but still want it to have warmth and character. Perhaps you have saved completely different looking rooms but can see something in all of them that feels like you.

Those are all useful starting points.

My job is not to take your ideas away and impose a style on your home. It is to understand what you are drawn to, what matters to you and how you want the finished space to feel, then bring those things together into a design that works for your home and your life.

You really do not need to have all the answers before you begin.

Where LABODE can help

LABODE offers different levels of design support depending on what you need.

Perhaps you simply need help resolving a difficult layout. Perhaps you have the layout but need a clear design direction. Or perhaps you want someone to take the project further and bring the whole interior together through design development and visualisation.

The important thing is that you do not have to commit to more design support than your project actually needs.

You can explore the different options on the LABODE Services page or, if you are at the earlier planning stage, request the Home Investment Guide to understand the different services and typical investment.