Our 9 staged Interior Design Process

Designer: Studio McQueen

You need a creative designer, but also a highly organised one!

Being a designer is a creative job, but you also need to marry up a highly organised skillset to pull off a smooth home renovation. Hence the need for a detailed interior design process, this way the clients know what they are currently working on and what needs to be figured out next.

I love being an interior designer and it is a very creative career, but I’m also highly organised. I’m always thinking 1-2 steps ahead what needs to be problem solved or sourced before it comes up. My design process helps me keep on track and progressing smoothly through the process.

Let’s start with a discovery call, & chat about your project:

What happens on the Discovery call? Prior to the Initial Consultation we have a chat on the phone for approx. 20mins in the discovery call session. This is where we might discuss your existing home if your renovating or look at new plans if building a new home. We discuss the particular area’s you need help with kitchen, bathroom design ect. Then discuss where you are at with the planning stage, do you have a builder/ trades lined up? We also discuss expectations around timelines for the design process and when the renovation or new build could possibly start. At this stage I will bring up budget expectations around design, such as kitchen fitout, approx. bathroom fit-out construction costs so we can check if we are clear that the budget is suitable.

After the discovery call, I invite clients to book in an inital consultation, which is the begining of the design process. 

Designer: Studio McQueen

–Our Woodlands Project– Designer: Studio McQueen | Builder: Merge Building | Photography By: Alanna Blowfield

1. Initial Consultation

This is the first meeting in your home to discuss what currently is working and what isn’t, we run through potential ideas and staging your home renovation. From this meeting the deliverables you will receive:

• Detailed scope of works for design & renovation required.
• Proposed visual mood board/ Brief board with visual ideas we could potentially look into.
• I’ll need to attain existing plans from council or book in another site visit to get full internal home dimensions
• Proposal of design fees with an estimate of hours to complete the design & selections & materials. You sign quotated document & the design agreement T & Cs.
• Proposed budget estimation for rooms we know are part of the scope Kitchens, bathrooms, laundries ect and furniture & styling. Any works required by a builder with come at stage 6. Tender & Estimation.

2. Concept, Schematic & Budget

At this stage we are busy getting the design underway and depending on the type of project whether it’s a large or small project, We will have a meeting to deliver:

• 2D optional plan layouts and discuss pros and con’s.
• Discuss Moodboard visuals and ideas and bring in some materials (flooring/stone) you to look at and discuss.
• We go through the budget forecast which can be estimated approximately at this stage.
• Once the 2D layouts are confirmed we move into designing 3D visuals.

(larger projects will consist of at least x2 meetings smaller projects will be an email update or a zoom call)

Designer: Studio McQueen

3. Team Introductions & Project Timelines:

The team could consist of you already appointing a builder, or we can introduce you to our preferred builders. Otherwise, it will be various trades meeting on-site, to get quotes for painting, window treatments etc. Then you’ll also receive a Project timeline with dates showing the design process and estimated start dates when meetings need to be scheduled and completion of the 9 staged design process.

Deliverables at this stage:

• Introduced to the Design Program Timeline (Trello Board) which outlines all the stages of design we are covering and when meetings are expected to take place.

4. Design Development

This is the stage when the designs are developed in detail, specifications are finalised and the Budget forecast is updated to reflect a more accurate representation of costs based on the selections made and from the trade meetings and quotes coming in.

Documentation is still in schematic, but this is where 2D lines are turned into 3D visuals so you can get a clear picture of how the designs will look and feel with the selected materials. Elevations & Perspectives views will be shown with accurate material selections which at this stage can be swapped out based on the clients preference. A materials tray is also bought to this meeting/s and we individually go through each room and explain which materials are being used. We use your feedback at these meetings, to lock in certain materials or re-think and source optional materials.

If this is a furniture & styling project we would meet at a few furniture stores to trial out some of the furniture proposed in the concept design.

Deliverables at this stage:

• Client Presentation on Concepts for each Room
• Materials tray of samples to view
• Update Design Program (Trello Board) with what has been selected and what still needs to be selected.
• Update Budget Forecast with any supplier quotes received from Client Presentation Concept, granite stone & cabinetry ect

–Our Woodlands Project– Designer: Studio McQueen | Builder: Merge Building | Photography By: Alanna Blowfield

5. Documentation

Once the clients have signed off from stage 4, all the details, plans & selections are documented within the concept drawings.

Detailed dimensions to elevations, floor plans, sections, and elevations are noted and these plans become part of the tender process. A Schedule document of materials with fixtures & finishes is provided and becomes part of the tender package. From all this information, the plans and schedules can be given to your builder or trades of choice.

Deliverables at this stage:

• Meeting to finalise any last-minute changes to final plans.
• Meeting to sign off finalised plans and Finishes and Materials Schedule
• Documentation Package: Final plans in PDF
• Finishes & Materials Schedule in PDF

Designer: Studio McQueen

6. Tender & Estimation

If your project is a smaller decorating job, you as the client can take over from here to get furniture and painting quotes and implement the project yourself.

If the project is a retrofit kitchen or bathroom as the designer I can offer help, by meeting trades, explaining the scope & detail needed for quoting the project, and organizing all the trades quotes on your behalf. Then you are organised to pay trades directly once the construction work starts. You also have the option to have me by your side helping as a design manager.

Deliverables at this stage:

• Project Estimate
• Tender Review

7. Design Management

After the client has appointed a builder, contracts are signed between the client & builder and the project commences. As the designer, my role is to assist the clients with the 3 pillars of design (Design, budget, and timeframes) as construction progresses.

In some instances, clients can just run with the builder and if any re-selections issues arise I’ll come on board to help. We may be sourcing pendant lighting and window treatments, which I’ll work with builder timelines to organise ordering & delivery to the site.

Other times like a retrofit-renovation, where the client is appointing suppliers & trades directly. I can help with working out the timeline of trades, site visits with trades. (electricians, painters, carpenters, cabinet makers) All payments need to be made directly between the client and the trades directly. I am not acting as a project manager, I’m simply acting as a design manager for the client. To help pick up small issues and explain what trade needs to come out next. Ordering & scheduling fixtures and finishes and coordinating deliveries may also need to be required.

Designer: Studio McQueen

8. Installation & Handover:

If a builder is involved in a larger project this would happen directly between the client & builder.

If it’s for a decorating, furniture & styling job, there’s a lot more to prep for. All the furniture and soft furnishings need to be delivered. Window treatments, hanging of artwork, and final styling are getting booked in for installation at this stage. This is also where we may organise a photography shoot of the completed rooms.

A collation of care instructions, warranties, and instruction manuals are placed into a client handover file.

Deliverables at this stage:

• Handover File
• Final walkthrough of completed rooms

9. Follow Up:

A check-in later down the track is something I like to do with my clients. Just to make sure everything’s ok, follow up on any feedback and see if they are planning to re-do any other areas of their home.

The 9 staged process seems really in-depth, I don’t think I need all that help?

We have also developed a condensed version for clients that are happy to do a lot of the heavy lifting and implementation stages.

Smaller 1 -2 room decorating projects or a retrofit of a kitchen or a bathroom, clients sometimes only require the design concept & selections – up to stage 5. Then will go off and get quotes directly from their preferred trades. So we came up with a condensed smaller service offering with fewer client meetings. To pull off this service a clear budget needs to be worked out prior to design starting.

For more interior design inspiration, have a look at these posts:

KITCHENS: Defining a Timeless kitchen >>
KITCHENS: Which Kitchen benchtop to go with? >
RENOVATING: Choosing a renovation contractor or Builder? >>
STUDIO PROJECT: Before & After of a warm contemporary Kitchen design
HOME TOUR: Gorgeous charming & modern Californian Bungalow