How to Utilize an Interior Designer to Furnish Your New Build (& Why You Should)
Imagine going through the long process of building a custom home. You walk into your beautiful new house, looking around at its empty spaces, and think, “Great… Now what?”
It can be a bit of a downer when you realize that after making a year (or more) of decisions building the house, you now have to make more decisions and spend more money to furnish it. In fact, many homeowners are so tired by this point that it takes another 1-2 years to finally create the interiors they really wanted all along — even if it’s a mix of old and new possessions.
Instead, you can save yourself time, trouble, and money (in the long run!) by including your furnishings as part of the budget and project from the start. That way, when the keys get turned over to you, the project is complete. You can kick up your feet and truly feel at home.
Today, I’m sharing how a designer can help avoid this scenario during the new build process. When should you start working with a designer? How do we help you wisely allocate your investment and blend old and new? Come take a look...
A Designer’s Role During a New Build
When you think of building a new home, I’m willing to bet the first people who come to mind are general contractors and architects. Of course, an architect does a beautiful job designing the bones of the home while the general contractor carries those plans into the construction, BUT…
They’re not interior designers. They’re not going to think about furniture placement, because it isn’t part of their job. (You may have read about this before in 3 Reasons Your Builder is Not Your Designer.)
So, how can you plan for your furnishings when a home is only in its foundational phase? I’m glad you asked. In my experience, you have two options: at the beginning of the project or during construction. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each...
Option A: Plan Your Furnishings Before Construction Begins
When a designer steps in and helps create a furniture plan simultaneously with the architect’s building plans, we can give you a whole world of insight into how your furnishings interact with the structure of the home itself. Not sure what I mean? Let’s look at an example...
Imagine that we look at your home’s footprint and learn how you want to use the space. We can then create a furniture plan with all the flow and function you need. Even though we haven’t picked out specific pieces just yet, this leads to knowing exactly where items will be placed.
Why is it important to know all this before construction?
Well, this lets the architect know exactly where to place electrical wiring for a chandelier or pendants over a dining room table. (Can you imagine if the lighting was off-center? Or nowhere near your dining table at all?) In a living room, planning the furniture layout (especially around a focal point, like a built-in or fireplace) helps us communicate where outlets will be needed and at what height.
Those are just two examples — there are scenarios like this in every room in your home! Planning your furnishings in advance helps avoid awkward or stressful living situations and extra expenses that might pop up if/when you decide to fix it.
Pros:
Ensures you will have a move-in ready home with furnishings you love (old and new)
More likely to result in spaces that fit your family’s specific lifestyle
Better overall flow from room to room
Helps guide the placement of electrical wiring, outlets, plumbing, and vents
Can avoid expensive modifications that may need to be made later
More cost-efficient long-term
Results in professionally styled interiors that feel personal, sophisticated, and are designed to last
Cons:
Requires hiring a design professional at the beginning of your project (which could result in a larger upfront expense)
Option B: Plan Your Furnishings During Construction
When bringing an interior designer into your new build process, it’s best to bring them onto the team sooner rather than later, for the reasons already mentioned. But what if you aren’t ready to make these decisions before the construction begins?
That’s okay. I completely understand that decision overwhelm is real. (Although it is our job to make it as seamless and stress-free as possible for you!)
If you find that you don’t have the headspace to think about furnishings before you begin the build process, I highly recommend getting started while your home is under construction. This ensures that we have enough time to develop an interior design concept (which may include a mix of new furniture and your existing well-loved furnishings), place orders as needed, and receive deliveries for installation before you move in.
The furnishing process alone can take 6+ months, so it is worth starting as early as you can.
Pros:
Gives you some breathing room to make design decisions
Ensures you will have a move-in ready home
Results in professionally styled interiors that feel personal, sophisticated, and are designed to last
Cons:
Less design impact on rooms without furnishings, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and permanent finishes like hardwood floors and tile
Have to work with existing footprint and electrical placement which can result in less ideal spaces
When Does the Actual Ordering Begin?
In both of these scenarios, even when working with a designer from the beginning, the design process of selecting the exact furnishings we will order happens after construction has begun. However, this is the delayed gratification it seems… The fun part begins after the drywall goes up, and you start to see the shell of the house becoming a home!
I’m currently going through this process for my own family’s custom home, and I can tell you from experience… it’s an incredible feeling.
Progress shot of my family’s custom home with the walls and windows!
Building a new home comes with so much excitement. Every detail is custom-tailored to your specific needs. You get to watch the foundation being poured, the walls going up, and the windows going in. Seeing the process through to the end result and finally being able to move in and experience your brand new home brings unparalleled joy.
If you have any questions about how I can help you get to that final result feeling relaxed and stress-free, I would love to help. Get in touch with me here and let’s see what we can do for you.
Until next time!
Rosanna
