4 Essential Renovation Tips With Sharp + Grey Interiors

Contrary to popular belief, renovations don’t always have to be daunting! Libby Rawes, owner and lead designer at Sharp + Grey Interiors knows a thing or two about essential renovation steps that will make your next home project a breeze. Whether you work with an interior designer or not, these four essential renovation tips will give insight into the order of operations for achieving refined, live-able, and lasting results without the overwhelm. 

Goal Setting  

At the very beginning of the process, it’s essential to get clear about your ultimate home goals. After all, we can’t get you to your destination if we don’t know what it is. There are two sides to this: the functional aspect of how your home works and aesthetic, the way it looks and feels.

Here are 4 main questions to ask yourself before diving into the first step:

  1. What does your morning routine look like? Is there a better way to streamline the process so that the kids have all of their belongings in one organized area?
  2. Does your family cluster in the kitchen? If so, does the layout seem crowded or awkward?
  3. Are there any rooms that lack purpose or feel like wasted space at the moment?
  4. Is there enough space for comfortably gathering and entertaining guests? What do those special events look like?

Planning Your Home Renovation

The plan should define the scope of your project, project your timeline, understand the trades involved, set your overall investment, and roughly map out how that investment will be allocated to various aspects of the project (permitting, labor, materials, furnishings, etc.). 

Tip: Whether you will be working with an interior designer during your project or not, it is essential that you create a plan for your renovation. Without a solid plan in place, your project can lead to wasted funds, costly mistakes, an unfinished project, or one that doesn’t turn out the way you want it to. I can’t recommend this enough.

Developing the Design 

Once we know your vision and we have an overall renovation plan, it’s time to start the design. This is where your vision begins to come to life… 

  • Start with the furniture layout and floor plan for the home. This is essential to creating a home that fits your lifestyle. Even if your walls will be staying where they are, imagine bringing in your new dining table and then not having electrical wiring for a beautiful chandelier over it! Not ideal. Plan first, whether you’re doing this on your own or with a professional.
  • From there you can dig into the details and start sourcing the exact materials, furnishings, and fixtures that will be going into your home. By creating an intentional plan at the beginning, all of your sourcing choices will be made through the lens of design, producing a cohesive and professional-level end result that is tailored just to you. 

Installation & Reveal

  • You’ve made it to the last and possibly most important part of the process: the furnishings and accessories.The furnishings that really add the finishing touches, bringing the entire space to life. 
  • Don’t skip it, and be sure to plan for it from the beginning so you have it included in your renovation investment. This will be the most fun part where you can piece together everything you ordered, and sure, some of your favorite family pieces too. Style your new space with accessories that make it feel personal, layered, and meaningful! Enjoy the final reveal! 

We hope these renovation tips help you transform your space! Are you looking for even more home inspiration? Check out this Spectacular Bohemian-Meets-Farmhouse Home Tour!

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Interior Designer
Sharp + Grey Interiors