About the project

My clients initially contacted me during the 2021 COVID-19 lockdown. They had owned their home for a number of years and had lived there comfortably until the arrival of twin girls.  Now the downstairs living space felt cramped, but they were reluctant to move and sought another solution. After presenting rough sketches over Zoom, fast-forward to October/November 2022.

Started Small but it Grew: When my clients contacted me again in later October 2022, they had already engaged an architect, structural engineer and builder, with construction set to begin in December 2022, but, they still grappled with the Interior Design and internal layout. Another Zoom consultation discussed the project, a full width, single storey rear extension which they hoped to house a brand new kitchen diner. However after the first onsite meeting it became apparent that my client wanted to have their whole home re-designed!

Quick Turnaround:  I finally began working on this project in January 2023—which was a few weeks after the builder had started. I quickly set about reimagining every room, providing material samples, room layouts and shopping guidance as well as overseeing implementation of my designs whilst the building work was taking place. Using a shared Pinterest allowed me to incorporate the clients' "wants" into my designs and also amend the designs when the clients changed their minds, with Pinterest updates.

Budget Challenges: The client faced rising material costs due to COVID-19 Pandemic, which impacted their overall budget, sourcing more cost-effective materials and prioritising the must-haves became paramount.

Evolving Clients Needs: As this was dynamic project, I was able to adapt my original designs throughout which allowed my clients to finally realise their dream.

Key Lesson: Clients should prioritise interior design before construction begins, allowing at least three months grace. Whilst adjustments can happen during the build, builders prefer a plan for early final fixes (electrics, water, gas, lighting etc.). Clients who delay design decisions may feel pressured into making the "easy” choices builders suggest, which may not always be the best interior design choices.

As an Interior Designer, designing on the fly was challenging and not cost effective but we managed to produce a beautifully designed home.

Note: These images are the original 3D realistic generated designs by SJD and not the finished project.