Post #1: The Beginning

Join us as we begin an extensive first floor design-renovation project this Fall. We are thrilled to be moving forward with this project and I thought this would be a great opportunity to blog about a complete renovation project from the initial design through the construction phase. Including the ups and the downs…the problems that arise and the solutions! Hope you will follow along over the next couple of months as we transform a custom (but dated) 1980’s home.

Currently we are at the initial design phase…ready to tackle floor plans and spatial layouts. We’ve already done quite a bit of essential ground work with the client. The business (what one might call the ‘not-so-glamorous’) side of interior design.

NOTE (a bit of background information):

This is what we have done-to-date to reach the initial design phase. It does take a bit of ‘paperwork’ to make sure we are moving in the right direction before actually starting the design process. After a various meeting with the client to narrow down their design needs (on-site and at our office), answering questions, setting a project scope, and signing a contract, we were ready for our first ‘design meeting’.

• This involves a personalized interview with the client about their likes/dislikes, how they use the spaces, what they want to change, etc. We often ask them to make a houzz.com ideabook to review with them. This seems to help narrow down ideas and thoughts as we discuss the photos together. And helps us to create a design vision for the project.
• Taking site measurements and detailed notes…always an important step. We’ve learned that these initial notes make a difference as we start putting ideas on paper.

For a large project, before starting on the initial design, I like to bring in a prospective General Contractor to see the spaces, discuss initial design ideas/structural issues, and discuss the budget (very important!).

• We provide the GC with an initial Scope of Work for the project and meet with him/her onsite to review the scope and discuss some initial design ideas. And consider any structural parameters that we need to keep in mind when we start the design.
• We also discuss the client’s budget.
• The GC then provides an initial estimate for the project…which will guide us with our design and finish selections based on the client’s budget

So here we are…ready to start the design. Using our notes and sketches, Amanda put all the existing floor plans in CAD and I am ready to take out my trace paper and begin opening up and re-configuring the spaces. Next step will be an initial design meeting with the client to review 2-3 options for layouts and to present our design plan for the spaces.

See you back here in a week or two… with our design sketches.

Cheers - Meredith

Tuscan Blue Design. Style . Constructed

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Based in historic downtown Frederick, MD, Tuscan Blue Design works in the greater DC area. Contact us today for an initial meeting to discuss your project and what we can build together.