What is a Grand Design? A grand design is the complete plan that you have for your house through renovation ,building or decoration. The first step in creating your grand design is to look at what is existing in your original house, what can you keep including furniture and what do you need to change. Planning is the key to creating successfully your grand design.
If you don’t have the land or money to expand the footprint of the house some homes allow you to use the roof space or add a second floor. All this will depend on what you are trying to achieve and how much money you have to spend on creating your design.
An architect can advise you, but it is useful yourself to consider the direction of the house ,where the sun rises in the morning and sets in the afternoon. What style you wish your grand design to be, how many people live in the house, how do you use the house, do you entertain? Do you need more space, storage or living zones? How much do you have to spend in creating this grand design?
Its helpful to draw a plan of your existing spaces and a rough sketch of how you would like to change those areas. This will be helpful when you wish to talk to architects and builders. Always remember the flow of the house is very important and the efficient use of space will make your home truly what you want it to be. By marking out the bathroom, kitchen fittings and even furniture placements to give you an idea of spacing.
Mistakes can be costly so you need to have a list of priorities of what must be done and a separate wish list of what you would like. Use as many sources as possible to inspire your creativity when researching the style and design . Keep a file of your favourite things. Don’t forget you can save money by using cheaper tiles or laminate instead of a stone bench top in the kitchen, use second hand materials and any work you do yourself will also help with the budget .There are fabulous DIY projects that are easy and effective. Be careful not to take on any work that is totally beyond your skills.
Renovating means a change of routine of having tradesmen in your home and living with dust and mess but always keep in your mind the grand design that you are trying to achieve, to drive you through this difficult process and create the abode you have always wanted whether it be a single room or a whole house. Don’t worry about following a trend as the most important thing is to create a home that is a reflection of all you love and that suits your lifestyle.
