If you’re planning a renovation, here’s how to approach it the right way so you can avoid stress, stay on budget, and create a home you’ll love for years to come.

Pinterest is addictive, isn’t it? One minute you’re searching for “Dopamine Decor”, and the next you’ve fallen into a rabbit hole of rustic barn conversions in the Cotswolds, chic Parisian apartments, and glossy kitchen islands the size of your entire downstairs. It’s fun. It’s inspiring. But here’s the truth that most people only realise halfway through their renovation: pinning dream homes doesn’t get you any closer to living in one. In fact, it often does the opposite.

I was brought on board at the very start of this office-to-apartment conversion project, when my clients were still using the space for work but dreaming of transforming it into their home. They wanted somewhere warm, full of character, and perfectly suited to their lifestyle now and into the future. Having never designed an office conversion before, the prospect was both new and exciting. Of course, it came with challenges: the property sat on light industrial land, so we n