There are so many things to consider when designing a room-much less an entire home. How to navigate through that process is the subject of this article.
It is always good to understand and acknowledge as completely as possible what you have to work with–for better and for worse. This should be done through photography and with detailed as-built drawings. These drawings will show the dimensions of the rooms in question, window and door placements, electrical outlets, and switching. Do not forget to indicate door swings. Any overhead lighting should also be located as well.
The next step is to decide where the furniture should be placed and what size each of the pieces should be. If you run into problems, then you may want to consider removing doors, changing door swings, or even removing walls.Don’t think about colors and styles yet. I know that is a tall order, but do not.
Now create a comprehensive list of all of the items you will need to purchase. Next draw up a budget for each item, from a “low of this” to a “high of that”. Since it is unlikely that you will have a realistic idea of what these items currently cost, go shopping. Do not select pieces, just see what is the least amount of money it will take to satisfy you, as well as what the best pieces might cost. Do not guess at prices–go see for yourself.”
Now you are ready to shop more logically and less emotionally. When you find something you like, you can first ask yourself if it is the correct size and where it fits in your budget spectrum.
It is always best to seek professional help because an experienced designer will help guide you through decisions to propel you in the right direction.
One final caveat. If you are 50/50 about two options–let’s say that one fabric is better on the chair and the other fabric is better in the room–always go with the fabric that is better on the chair. After all, the chair may move, but you won’t separate the fabric from the chair without guilt and extra cost.
-MICHAEL M. MERRILL ASID, NKBA, CID
Michael Merrill Design Blog 