When is the best time to engage an Interior Designer?
Updated: Oct 23
"Work is starting on our kitchen in the summer. When's the best time to come and have a look?"
I hear some version of that question almost every week, and it's one of the most useful things a homeowner can ask. The honest answer is earlier than most people expect: ideally before the architect is appointed, and well before anyone picks up a hammer.
What an interior designer actually does
It helps to be clear about the role first. An interior designer creates scale drawings, 3D visuals and layouts, and thinks about how the whole space flows and feels. We make sure the lighting suits how you live, source furniture that works as well as it looks, and develop a colour scheme and soft furnishings that tie everything together.
That level of detail needs time, so the earlier we start, the more room we have to get it right.
Start before the architect
If your project needs an architect, bring in your interior designer first. This sounds backwards, but it's the single most useful thing you can do.
Before any drawings are finalised, I spend time with you and your household. We talk about how the space really works: where the morning rush happens, which room you retreat to at the end of the week, the compromises you put up with every day. That conversation shapes the brief, and the architect can then design around how you actually live rather than the other way round.
Once the brief is clear, your architect and designer can work together. The aim is a design that meets your brief while meeting every regulation and safety standard the project needs.
Plan the furniture before the walls are finished
Once the plans are drawn, the next step is the furniture layout. This is where the detail that matters most gets decided.
If you know where the sofa, dining table and bed will sit, you know where the lamps, sockets and switches need to go. Without that layout, you're guessing. And nothing is more frustrating than finishing the decorating only to discover there's nowhere to plug in a lamp.
That's why we start at the end. You begin with the finished room in mind and work backwards to the structure. It feels like a detour, but it's the route to the result you're picturing.
"It may seem a backwards way of working, but in order to get the final look you dream of, you have to start at the end."
The details are what make it yours
Many people assume the finishing touches can wait until the end. In my experience, those are the details that make a project feel unique to you. Choosing a lighting scheme, a colour palette or a piece of joinery early means you can build the whole room around it, rather than squeezing it in at the last minute.
Leaving these decisions late has a cost. Towards the end of a project, the questions come thick and fast. If you haven't already worked out the details, it's easy to feel rushed into accepting something you don't love. Starting early also means you get clear costings and lead times before any work begins, so there are fewer surprises.
So, when should you get in touch?
The right time is when you first know you want to change something, even if you haven't booked the builder yet. Getting involved early gives you more options, a clearer budget and far less stress.
If you're not sure what kind of help you need, there are a few easy ways to start:
A home design consultation is a relaxed first conversation about your home, your vision and where you're stuck.
A designer half-day consultation gives you focused, practical direction for one room or a small project.
A full interior design service takes care of the whole project, from first ideas through to the final cushion.
A colour consultation is ideal if colour is the only thing holding you back, and you can book it from anywhere.
I work with homeowners across Bristol, Bath and Gloucestershire, as well as the villages around Frampton Cotterell. You can see every area I cover on the areas we cover page.
If you're at the "worth doing once, doing right" stage, the next step is a discovery call. It's a relaxed chat about your home, your vision and whether we're a good fit. No obligation and no sales pitch.
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