PLANNING

The planning stage of any project can be quite daunting. That’s because we don’t really know what we have to do or in which order! Planning a renovation is no exception; that’s why the design and planning stages are so important. 

DESIGN

To me, Design is the research of the best solution to a “problem” - it doesn’t have to be a first world problem: maybe you bought a new home and the storage available isn’t adapted to your needs or maybe your existing kitchen needs to be updated!

In researching the “best” solution (economically, aesthetically, ergonomically, etc.) we can narrow down the possible options for your new space. It allows you to make an educated decision on exactly what you want to build.

ADAPTED

In order to find a design that is 100% adapted to you, I look at your wants, understand your needs and will ask for your budget (if known). These are key to create a design that will work for you. 

In the same space I would probably design something quite different depending on the space being used by you, by me or someone else!  We are all a little different about how we cook or organise our busy lives so it’s important that I understand how you use your space and what you will ask of it.

EDUCATED DECISION

With this information in mind, I draw in 3D your existing space and start creating different options that could fit your brief. Once I have a few options, we organise a meeting and I present them to you. We can discuss the different designs’ strengths and weaknesses and I can understand how to update the design for our next meeting. After a few updates, we will have discovered exactly what you want and have plans of a space that is made to suit your needs.

I believe that being European allows me to see some aspects of living and architecture in a different way, which can be a real game changer with some designs. Having a different perspective on some constraints we might face and having a broad mind are very important to create a successful design. For example, with Danika and Ron’s design, we decided to go for what we called a “European Laundry”; a space off the Kitchen which perfectly

FINISHES AND FIXTURES

We have now undergone the hardest part of the project, being the creation of a tailor-made, highly functional space. From there, we can look at the finishes, fixtures and materials. We can tweak sizes so we get the best yield out of the materials sheet size (especially important with stone!*). We create a schedule of finishes and appliances (if applicable) and look at every aspect and details of your project.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Only then we can come up with a strong plan on how to tackle your project. 

And that’s where I offer to take you: to a point where you know what you want to build and how you are going to do it. From there you can chose to project manage yourself or engage someone to do it (it is a service I offer to my Modern Nova Clients in exchange to a project management fee)

Then… we line up our tradies and make it happen!

But remember! “You need to know what you’re making!”

*I have worked for 4 years in the stone industry (estimation and drafting) and currently working with Solid Surfaces (Corian). For this reason, I can knowledgeably advise you on ways to keep costs down and/or pick the right materials for your project.