Spending some time researching the style you want to shoot for your home remodel and the functional elements and design you would like to bring into your home is the best place to start. There are some great tools on the web that can help you bring ideas to mind. Pinterest and Houzz are two good examples. Having a few ideas on paper along with images of what you want for your home remodel will make the process with your interior designer a lot easier. They will then help you put together the three basic elements of your home remodel: Design, Functionality and Budget. (Stay tuned to read more about these three elements in a future post.

2. Communication

Keeping the line of communication open at all times with your interior designer will help your project go as smooth as a fresh jar of skippy. Let your interior designer know your preferences as far as space feel, color palette, space lighting, functionality and style. Your interior designer will also ask you questions about how you live in every one of your spaces. Tell them all! It is also very important to communicate your budget. That will help you make sure the amount of money allocated for products, finishes and labor for your project matches the actual costs and/or make adjustments if needed. A thing to remember about budget is that you always want to have a budget reserve just in case something unexpected comes up during construction. Having some extra saved for those instances will give you peace of mind.

3. Let the Pro Take the Lead

To have a successful and enjoyable process, it is important to let your designer guide you along the project. Find out if your designer has a specific process. If so, you know your project is in good hands. Have your interior designer walk you through the process during the first meeting so you know what to expect at every stage of the project.

4. Enjoy the Ride 

During your project, you will experience some ups and downs. There will probably be a couple of situations that won’t come out as planned. Sometimes you will have a finish that will not arrive on time or doesn’t come in the right color. Although disappointments will come up, you are also going to have your small victories to appreciate. Be patient and try to enjoy the process of seeing your home being transformed. Once it is complete, take the time to walk through your home with your interior designer and talk about how you like the functioning and new feeling of your home along with the design elements that you absolutely love.