Renovations and refurbishment projects are extremely expensive endeavours. Most probably it will be the biggest chunk of money you will ever spend, beside actually buying a house. So if not for any other reason than cost, you should take this task seriously.
I hope you have got your VISION BOARD ready or that it is at least a work in progress. If not, then take a step back and read this instead. You cannot afford to miss this step.
Before you start writing your design brief, have a quiet walk through your house. Stand outside and start at the front door.
Make a mental note about how is the house making you feel from the moment you enter. Try to focus, notice what works and what doesn’t.
To be able to write a meaningful brief, you need to have a conversation with your house. Let your house talk, listen quietly, what do you hear, what do you see. Go through each and every room from ground up.
Think about parts of your house that you wish to change. Your list should include short term changes and long term changes.
List the problems you feel need solving. Once you list them, analyse them. What is their cause? Don’t worry about the solutions, focus solely on the problem.
Is your space practical? Is it functional? Is it light? Is it dark? Is it warm? Cold? Too small? Too large? Too messy, too busy? Is it connecting or is it isolating. How are the zones and spaces within it interacting? Is it supportive of your life?
Observe your behaviours in the space you are living in. Observe other peoples behaviour who live in the same space with you. If you want to achieve best results you need to truly know yourself. What is your routine? Are you happy with it? What would you like to change about your own behaviours? Well arranged space can really help you to facilitate this change.
Once you listed problems, move on to positives. What works, what brings you joy, what brings you peace? Which parts of it you absolutely love. Why did you choose this house over any of the others on the market?
This will not be an easy exercise. It requires you to be fully conscious and fully present. But I promise you, it will be absolutely worth it.
If you need more structure to start, here is our Meaningful Design Brief Worksheet, you can download it for free.
If you are struggling with your home making, and need more guidance, feel free to reach out.
Or if you know of someone who would benefit from reading this post, share it. Because SHARING is CARING