houzz interior design ideas The Design Process - Where to Start?? | Janelle Erickson Design | Janelle Marie Erickson

The Design Process - Where to Start??

Some people wonder how the design process works: where do you get started when you want to build or remodel your home?

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 Here are some ideas to get you on the right track:

  • Start a Houzz account (www.houzz.com), and begin searching through the thousands of examples of homes and images to create your own, personalized ideabook! This is a great way to find designers/builders in your area that suit your style. 
  • Buy home magazines and remove the pages that you simply love. Don't worry at first about if they match or if they even the same style, eventually when you work with an interior designer, you will see common themes that start to surface. 
  • Go to model homes. The best place to start is your local Parade of Homes. Be sure to check out the floor plans and finishes (i.e. start from the floors to the ceiling: is there wood or carpet, what colors are the walls, are the ceilings vaulted or flat?). If you are looking for a builder, the most important room in the house to look at is the Utility room. Builders that pay attenedtion to detail will have utility rooms that are clean and orderly with labels and they will encourage you to tour this important room. 

Question for Readers:

Have you begun the process of remodeling, redesigning, or building a new home? If so, where did YOU start??

"I tended to gravitate toward ripping out magazine pictures. After years of pulling pages out I liked and storing them in binders, I decided I'd only remove the pictures I didn't like - that way I keep the magazines intact with only the best design ideas." -JE

© Janelle Erickson Design 2012