Is there a room in your home that needs a new look? Or do you have grand plans for a major home design project or renovation? Most people love gathering inspiration on Pinterest and dreaming of what their home will look like at the end of their project, but getting started can be VERY overwhelming. Most of our clients ask the same questions, including this one: When is the best time to plan an interior design project? 

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, we have some tips to consider when planning for a home design project. 

Review Your Calendar

The first thing to do is look at your family calendar for the next six months to a year. It is important to block off the time around major events like vacations, weddings, house guests, and even busy times at your work. The first step in a successful home design project is choosing a time that is not filled with other obligations! Imagine starting an interior design or home remodeling project while you are preparing for a family wedding or a big vacation. 

Allow for Planning Time

While the actual design or renovation project will take time, there is also the time needed to plan and secure all the necessary contractors and materials. Don’t forget to pad your timeline with some pre-project planning time. If you are working with a designer (like CoCreative Interiors), they will be able to guide you through the planning process, so you are set up for a successful, efficient, and low-stress project. 

Consider Low Season for Contractors

Depending on the scope of your project, think about when it will be the easiest to get the contractors you will need for the project. For example, finding painters for interior projects may be more challenging in the summer when many painters are busy with exterior painting jobs. As you plan your project, make a list of all the contractors you will need and do a little research to determine what seasons of the year are the most likely to have availability. Not only will booking during their low season be less frustrating to find availability, but you may even avoid peak pricing and save a little money! 

Depending on what the project entails, does the season matter? If you are working on designing outdoor living spaces, you may need to plan around the weather. If you need to complete your project at a certain time of year due to weather, secure your contractors well ahead of time, as they may book out months in advance. 

Supply Chain Delays

At the time of writing this post (February 2021), there are many supply chain issues in almost every area of the home design industry. Whether it is paint samples or a new sofa, things take longer to receive. This means that your project may take longer than you anticipate, or you may have a piece or two at the end that you have to wait for. While supply chain issues are frustrating, it is not a reason to postpone your home design project. There are ways to work around supply issues such as: 

• Buy locally-choose in-stock items that you can purchase on-site
• Treasure hunt in your own home! Often people have items they have stored away that are perfect for their new space. Use what you have before buying! 
• Check out local antique stores, thrift shops, and estate sales for unique items that you can take home the same day
• If you want to put in some sweat equity, you can find some great pieces of furniture on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist and reinvent them with paint, knobs, and anything else you like! All you need is your imagination! 

CoCreative Interior Design Process 

At CoCreative Interiors, we understand that many people cannot complete an entire interior design project in a short period. Whether it is financial or simply not having the time to dedicate to the project, home design projects are a big undertaking. The beauty of our process is that you can work with a professional designer to develop your design plan, but then you can execute on your own time! 

We create a roadmap that you can follow at your own pace. For example, if we create a design plan for a family room, the client may want to get paint and furniture in place ASAP, but they want to wait to invest in custom drapery and accessories. Our designers provide all the information our clients need to create an amazing family room, and they can go step by step as their budget and time frames allow. We want the design process to work with our clients’ lives, not be a source of stress! 

Interior Design Project Planning Checklist

• If you plan to work with a designer, get in touch right at the start of the planning process. They can help you navigate the twists and turns of your interior design project 
• Review your family calendar and determine the chunks of time in the next 6-12 months that you could plan your interior design project
• Is there a specific season that your project must be completed? If so, start looking for your services providers. 
• Work with your designer to create a timeline and a design concept
• If any construction is needed, work to hire those professionals 
• Using your design concept, work on sourcing the items needed to achieve the design
• Pull it all together! This is when you place everything together to execute your design. If you are working with CoCreative Interiors, this is something we can do with you, or you have all of our expertise, and you are doing the installation yourself! 

The biggest obstacle to many people creating the home of their dreams is not knowing where to start. At CoCreative Interiors, we are happy to help you with a perfect plan for you and the vision you have for your home. Book a complimentary discovery call and let’s take the first step toward designing your dream home!