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STEP ELEVEN: SUCCESS Congratulations! You have successfully completed your project. I'm sure it has gone smoothly and you are happy with the results! A few things to know: 1. The builders should perform what we call "a builders clean" for you. 2. You will need to organise, or your designer will organise a professional clean. There will most probably be lots of dust! 3. Full testing of all fixtures and fittings (if applicable) should have taken place before handover. 4. The designer or contract professional should have drawn up a snagging list. This is a list of any items that might require further attention; perhaps something has not been painted to satisfaction or grout in the bathroom is a bit wonky. A sum will be withheld until all items on the list have been completed. 5. For larger projects there may be retention held for a longer period of time to allow the work to 'settle', the contractor will then return after 6 months to rectify the works and the final sum is released. (depends on contracts terms) 6. A Practical Completion certificate will be issued, just after the final works have finished. This allows the builder to be paid, as long as the contract administrator, the principal designer, and the client is happy. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer then, just contact me here. #practicalcompletion #project #completion #interiors #refurbishment #homedesign #sustainable

STEP TEN I will only work with two building contractors that I trust. Unfortunately, I have had too many bad experiences using builders nominated by other parties and the project has turned into a highly stressful experience. This results in lost time and money, and trust from the client. It's just not worth it. If your project goes out to Tender (construction package) and three costs come back, automatically choosing the lower price might not be the right way to go even though you may be tempted. Hiring a contractor based on references, seeing examples of their work and their overall professionalism is essential. You want your project to be executed with care and to a high standard. I would therefore not be tempted to try to push the price down unless you see a valid reason to do so. The main points to consider when choosing a builder: Make sure they have excellent references You have seen examples of their work You have the correct contract in place either a JCT Minor Works or FMB Plain English, or one that is applicable to your project. The designer or architect can advise. They have both public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Do not pay in full before the snagging has been completed. Hold back 10% minimum. If it's a large project, there may be a retention of monies for 6 months for the rectification of settling plasterwork or paintwork, plumbing issues, etc. The contractor should be available to come back up to a year after the completion of their work if anything should go wrong. It is normal for builders to purchase all construction materials, plasterboard, timber, adhesives, cabling, pipework, flooring, etc, any specialist materials or works may be handled by the design firm you are working with. The builder will always want to use the standard suppliers they have accounts with to ensure competitive discounts are made available to them (not passed onto the client). Some design firms act as the main contractor if they are paid by the client and then hold monies to disperse to the builder and sub-contractor. If they are acting as the main contractor this then makes them wholly responsible for any of the works on site. If the client pays the contractors directly, it is then the builder that is responsible for and guarantees the work. I do hope this helps you understand the building process a little better. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me here #builders #construction #contractors #interiors #professional #homedesign #sustainability

STEP ONE: WHAT YOU WANT If you have not used an interior designer before, it can be somewhat daunting to know what to expect. Whether you agreed to work with them on the basis of a straightforward consultancy or a full-service design it's important for you to be clear on what you would like to achieve. Design is a profession which requires excellent communication skills. It is essential that the designer is capable of translating ideas onto paper through drawings and specifications, and that he or she is competent enough to instruct and manage builders and craftsmen. Years ago we asked our clients to flick through design magazines and tear pages out! we didn't have the internet then - gosh that makes me sound SO old - so they could get a clearer idea of their favourite design styles. SEEKING INSPIRATION: PINTEREST Nowadays, I would encourage you to hop on over to Pinterest as this is one of the best ways to collate visuals on what you like and would like to create; there are thousands of images to choose from. If you don't already have an account, your designer can send you an invite to join, alternatively, you can create one yourself by connecting your Facebook account or entering your email address. Then create a board or boards, call it the name of the room or area of the home you are having designed, and start pinning. These boards can then be shared with your designer or whomever else you would like. The 'boards' you create can also be made private and only viewed between the chosen few. This will help you and your designer see the direction you would like to take your project. This is a starting point for discussion and will most probably evolve, as your designer will also have ideas, that you may or may not wish to take on board. Make a Design Goals & Wish List What problems would you like to solve or as I like to call it, a 'wish list'. Are there any specific issues that are driving you crazy, perhaps how you use the space, or maybe you just want a colour change, new furniture or incorporating the latest energy-saving lighting or heating system? A budget It is essential to know how much you would like to spend and to let your designer know, they can then source and specify correctly without wasting your time and theirs. A timescale This depends if you have selected, say, a 2-hour consultation or full-service design, every designer is different in what they offer and what they price for. Personally speaking, as a design practise, we prefer to be fully transparent about our costs so there are no surprises for either side. If you are engaging in full-service design, perhaps, for a bathroom, then an open discussion about how long it will take and who will be doing the work is important, but, your designer should advise you on this aspect depending on their level of involvement. Your designer will then interpret your brief into a design scheme that answers your problems and creates a healthy, happy space you truly love, a sanctuary for you, your family and friends to enjoy. I hope this helps and answers any questions you might have about the interior design process. We'd love to hear from you with any further questions you might have, here. Feel free to get in touch. x #interiors #design #designprocess #designbrief #pinterest #designbudgets #clients #designproblemssolved

Can you believe we spend around 98% of our time in our homes and workplace! The buildings we create and spend much of our time should provide the harmony, balance and peace we all crave. Our home really is our sanctuary and can give us the key to serenity, harmony and well being. Vastu Shastra is the ancient Indian principle for the study of architecture, it’s meaning is literally, the science of architecture. Pre-dating Feng Shui, Vastu is an ancient set of principles dating back to around 6000 B.C created to bring together the relationship between nature and architecture into all of our buildings. It is a spiritual practise as well as one based in science. Due to the recent pandemic, some of us are fortunate enough to have had time to hit the pause button and reflect on what truly matters. We are all deeply connected with nature and need to respect and honour it as nature allows us to create calm out of chaos. Our modern lives are stressed, create adrenal overload and burnout. We need the benefits of Vastu Shastra now more than ever. It is an antidote to the fear based society and beliefs many of us have adopted in our society. We have become disconnected from our natural environment. I am not saying we all should start camping out, far from it, but consider that perhaps we have been chasing things that do not nourish our souls. We can design our homes with careful thought about the location of certain rooms to gain the maximum benefit, with beautiful objects, fine furniture and the latest smart technology, but we can also make considered and informed choices, choosing natural fabrics that remind us of nature; linens, and silks, sustainable woods and stone, and surrounding ourselves with objects that have a personal perhaps even intimate connection to. These powerful connections can remind us of our relationship with nature. The benefits of this will protect our health and well being. Our homes tell a story about who we are and how we like to live our lives. Surrounding ourselves with objects that we have an intimate connection to, the use of colours that can calm or stimulate us and change our moods, show people who we are, and there is nothing more relaxing and welcoming than to feel this when you walk into a room. Our homes can still be beautiful, luxurious and glamorous but we can make them work for us. This is where the principles of Vastu come into play. I’d like to share the three basic principles with you to create your sanctuary and a more balanced home life, filled with serenity and joy. (Please note this is a huge subject and there are many other factors to be taken into consideration, such as the Dosha's, I will not touch this subject now as this blog will turn into novel that challenges War and Peace!) The three principles consider: To honour the 5 basic elements of Air, Water, Earth, fire and Space. To respect nature and all forms of life. Celebrate ourselves and our own unique personalities and characters. The 5 elements and their placement in a home, are the foundation principles for the organisation of areas and functions within your home and can be applied to any type of building, home, office, etc. Let me explain the 5 elements and their meaning. Each of the elements are located in a specific space within a building based on the earths geographic cardinal orientation: in simple terms, North, South, East West. Please see diagram. AIR - Life, Prana in Hindu, or the breath of life. It is life force, action, implusiveness. Located in the North West Quadrant of the quadrant. EARTH - Strength, heaviness, wisdom and knowledge. Located in the South West Quadrant WATER - Flow and cosmic energy, the moon and tides. Emotional and cherished objects. Located in the North East Quadrant FIRE - The cycle of life. Re-birth, awakening, passion. Rythmn and energy. Located in the South East Quadrant SPACE - Think of the womb, central to the middle of a room, with freedom to move in either direction. As I have mentioned, this is a huge subject and we have only just touched on it here. If you are interested in wanting to understand this in more depth, I am quite happy to discuss how you might like to apply these principles of design and organisation of space and objects to create a home that is your sanctuary, shows who you are and how you love to live. Feel free to contact me here. #sustainabledesign #vastushastra #natureindesign #natureinthehome #harmony #healthyandhappy #sanctuary #holisticinteriordesign #health #wellness #homedesign #holistic Images used from Shutterstock.

Step 7 - The works involved. A construction package includes technical drawings, scope of works and specification of products. After the design and products have been agreed with the client, a construction package is then put together and sent out to nominated contractors to obtain a price that meets your budget. This is also known as a Tender package. A scope of works is the document or set of instructions for your builder or contractors so they know what they are being asked to do. If you are working with an architect, they will most probably provide their own documents along with any interior design details from the designer. The scope of works can include detailed specifications of what type of materials to use, paint types, how to maintain the job site during the build, disposal of building materials, and job completion. A copy of one page of a preliminary and very simple scope. They can be far more detailed than this, but a contractor will be able to put together a provisional cost (PC Sum) if not all of the details have been agreed, and get a good idea of the works you are looking at doing. I would love to hear from you with any questions you might have,just click here. #scopeofworks #tender #construction #package #pricing #drawings #product #specification

STYLISH . SUSTAINABLE . SMART I have been passionate about our planet for many years.  I'm diligent about my recycling and hate plastic waste of any kind; we've all seen how that's trashed our environment. So, it makes total sense for my interior design business to specialise in sustainable and green product and materials when designing a home or any space for that matter. I also believe that clients deserve alternatives. This is a time where there is much greater consumer awareness around the choices we all make every single day. Everything we consume and purchase has a history of how it was produced, what is made from and the negative impact it can have on our health, our home and our planet. We can all make better choices around this, we are in fact more powerful than we believe we are; manufacturers want our money and it's up to us to spend it as we seem fit. I have made it our mission at SVM Interiors is to help homeowners make informed healthy, ethical and sustainable choices for their home, family, and planet. You might ask, can I still have a home that is stylish and sustainable, green and glamorous with a luxury look and feel? Yes, of course! it doesn't have to be all "hippie and hemp" (hemp is an excellent alternative to cotton actually, but that's another conversation). My work has always been about creating a stylish and sophisticated aesthetic based on the clients likes and dislikes, this will not change, but we offer clients alternative products so they can make an informed choice about whether to buy it or not. The majority of interiors designers will not offer this service because it's not easy to find this information; sometimes hundreds of different criteria needs to be met to classify a product or material as sustainable or green. We do that incredibly time consuming bit for our clients, saving them their valuable time.  The end result is peace of mind and empowerment knowing the choices made are right for the health of their family, home and planet. #sustainabledesign #stylishinteriors #luxuryinteriordesign #greenandglamoroushomes #wellness Copyright Disclaimer: Photos used here are not mine, all rights are reserved to the copyright owners. Sourced from Instagram & Pinterest.

Step 9 - Getting it done! Having a professional to 'police' the work is very important to monitor and ensure the work being carried out by the builder is of an acceptable standard and the project remains on target for it's agreed completion date. Any variations to the original contract will need to be documented and all parties made aware. Your may want your designer to manage the work for you. It's a tough and stressful job especially if things don't go to plan. If the designer is managing the works for you, they will most probably charge an agreed fee for this task which is normally a % on the overall project value. If you have commissioned the involvement of an architect, they might project manage for you, however, they normally charge an hourly rate, if so, the fee from your designer might be less costly. Your project manager will be the Principle Designer and responsible for admin and all communications between contractors and sub-contractors and the client, (as mentioned in our 'contracts' blog, Step 3 in the design process) You should receive weekly written updates outlining progress and any variations to the contract. I would love to hear from you with any questions you might have,just click here. #projectmanagement #interiors #processing #communications #organisation #contractors #builders

Step 6 - 3D visuals for residential interior design projects. It is much more common for our residential interior design clients to want to see a 3D visual of the room or whole home we are designing for them. This trend has picked up in the last couple of years as technology has enabled more efficient delivery of this type of presentation for our design clients However, they are time-consuming to produce and also costly. But, we feel, as do most of our luxury residential clients, that if they are making a substantial investment in their home it is essential to see a realistic representation of that space to judge the feel and mood of it. Here at SVM, we provide a 3D visual after the mood board finishes have been agreed upon and elevations have been drawn up, we run these details past our client for approval first before the final image is produced. There are different styles of 3D visuals showcasing the interior designed scheme, such as this watercolour rendering, below. Created by Sketchup Hub A lot of designers will use remotely located 3D artists employed to produce them, or they will be created in-house for you. There are also varying levels of visual, the one below is a photo-realistic image, not a photograph, from our Belgravia Townhouse project - it's amazing what can be created. We of course, always strive to create the perfect home that our clients want to live in, we do not design for us, we aren't living there, but, we provide guidance and professional advice at all times, resulting in our, mainly, London based clients with their own exquisite version of their dream homes. To recap, here are a few ways in which renders can help both parties navigate a new residential interior project: - Allows clients and designers to get closer to what they genuinely envision. - Helps designers see potential flaws in their work before the client ever gets their eye on it - Saves time and money on potential changes of heart a client may have down the line, without first seeing a render. - Helps indecisive clients who are torn between two different schemes decide which direction they want to go in. - Helps to ensure everyone is on the same page. By taking the time to experiment, we can provide the client with a much better solution than we might have with 2D sketches alone. The result is a more efficient design process for everyone involved and, most importantly, a happier client! Here are some renders from our Belgravia Townhouse project: If you are curious about this process and would like to explore more, we'd be delighted to hear from you, just click here. #presentations #visuals #interiors #design #luxury #sustainable #homes #stylish

STEP FOUR: SPACE PLANNING It is really helpful to see a scaled layout of your room, this has to be done to make sure everything fits and you are happy with the locations of certain furniture and fixtures. If this is an E-design project, then I'm afraid it's up to you to measure the room as accurately as you can for the designer, or, you might have existing plans that you can use and send to them. I prefer to attend site and take measurements, there is of course a cost involved with this, as the designer's time will need to be allowed for in the costs. Accurate measurements will be taken of your room. The measurements will then be translated into a scaled drawing, normally done on the computer in CAD (computer-aided design) software. Years ago we would create these drawings by hand, however, it is much quicker to make any changes that might be needed using a computer. Furniture layout with scaled elevations. Entrance hall floor pattern layout A rendered and drawn-to-scale layout of one of our current projects If you have any questions, please contact me here, I'd love to hear from you. #layouts #plans #furniture #drawings #interiors

STYLISH . SUSTAINABLE . SMART Now more than ever it’s not just about a stylish-looking home - but that it is healthy and functions to improve your wellbeing. Improving the lives and well-being of the people using the spaces I create has always been elemental to my design process and ethos. However, a budding question always weighed on my mind... What can I do for the planet? The environment has long been a passion of mine; caring deeply for all living beings and the home of our future generations. I have been incorporating eco-friendly practices into my life for years and into my business here and there. I had wanted to do more but fooled myself into believing that there wasn’t enough interest in sustainable design. However, the lockdown gave me an opportunity and the inspiration to pivot my focus to sustainable design. I committed to offering stylish, sustainable, and smart designs that don’t cost the earth; to let people know that sustainable doesn’t mean compromising style. Are you interested in creating spaces that function to enhance your lifestyle and are kind to the planet? ✨ Here are the 5 benefits of Sustainable Design ✨ BENEFIT ONE YOUR HEALTH It makes sense that having sustainable and green products around us, in our homes and places of work, will have positive health benefits. Many of us don't realise that a great deal of the standard products we use are manufactured with chemicals that give off VOC's or volatile organic compounds, in adhesives, paints, flooring, building plasterboards and general building materials. It has been proven these chemicals can emit vapours for several years and cause respiratory problems. It's not just product either that can make us healthier. When good design principles have also adopted that focus on air and water quality, good light source, mobility, flow, and comfort in the home or workplace, the added benefits of these principles can also be felt. BENEFIT TWO BUY BRITISH One of the obvious ways of buying sustainable products is to buy British. We have a vast talent of great British Designers and manufacturers, here in the UK, designing and making some really nice furniture, lighting, flooring, kitchens, and hardware, the list is endless and in fact, covers all aspects of products for our interiors. You might think them expensive, but that is not always the case, some are, and some aren't. The benefit of buying locally means there is less of a CO2 impact because the products are not being shipped by air or sea. (CO2 is the gas that is causing global warming.) And, we are supporting our communities and country. However, just because a product is made here in the UK doesn't mean it's always healthy and sustainable, employing the right manufacturing processes and materials is essential to be recognised as eco-friendly or sustainable. Many of the manufacturers I use here in the UK have adopted these processes and principles in their everyday lives; it's not easy but the long-term benefits to the customer, planet, and their bottom line, are worth it. BENEFIT THREE KIND TO THE PLANET Buying product from companies that make sure their materials are sustainably sourced and their manufacturing processes are ethical and clean, protects our environment, making sure natural habitats and wildlife are protected and everyone in the supply chain is treated fairly. As an example, it's important to know the source of the woods we use in our homes. Ikea has been under a lot of criticism in the last few years due to the destruction of ancient forests in Bulgaria, (illegal) they have since changed where they source their wood which now all comes from responsibly managed forests. Keep a lookout for the FSC logo. (Forestry Stewardship Council) Use your purchasing power and make sure your money is going towards positive change. By supporting eco-friendly products which are less damaging to the environment, you’re encouraging companies to source and produce their products in a sustainable way. BENEFIT FOUR CONNECTION TO NATURE Another uptrend at the moment is Biophilic design. This design principle has been around since the 80's and it means 'Love of Nature". Due to the pandemic many people have looked toward nature for inspiration sense of peace and connection. Many of us have been able to push the re-set button and reconsider their priorities, which for many is to be closer to nature. Not all of us are able to uproot and move to the Cotswolds, so the next best thing is to bring aspects of nature into the home, we can do this by using natural materials, such as stone, wood, linen, cotton, non-toxic paints etc, all being sustainable. Having lots of plants and using the earth tones all help to create a natural environment. Our homes can still be stylish and glamorous, by being informed and making the right choices. BENEFIT FIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT You may be surprised to know that adopting a healthy and sustainable home can in fact increase its resale value of it. If you think about it, walking into your home will have an immediate effect that feels more balanced and comfortable. The finishes, furnishings, and colours will also help to make you feel more at ease. If the lighting source and layouts use the Circadian method, it can improve sleep patterns and overall health. It seems so many of us have problems with sleep which can lead to depression. If you have decided to install smart electrical and heating systems, this can be a huge plus for many homeowners as it reduces energy costs, helps with budgets, and reduces the impact on the earth's resources. Overall, it has been shown adopting sustainable design principles and product can add between 5-8% to the value of your home!