Sourcing For an Interior Design Project
Sourcing For an Interior Design Project
Sourcing for an interior design project, whether that’s a renovation project or refurb on your home, can seem very overwhelming. There are after all hundreds of design decisions to make. Everything from kitchens, to bathrooms, to flooring, to lighting, to doors, skirtings and architrave, to soft furnishings, to art, to furniture and the list goes on. Then within those areas the components break down even further. For a bathroom example you are then sourcing sanitary ware, taps, showers, doors, lighting, tiles, mirrors etc.
The Reality Of The Sourcing Process.
If you are reading all of this and feeling terrified, then fear not. I am going to share some handy tips below on how to make all this managable. If I’m honest to do your home properly (and lets face it most of us only get one chance to get it right), you do need to set aside a considerable amount of time to make all these design decisions.
Many clients come to us because they thought their contractor would deal with all this. This is not a contractors job to help source and find all the elements that make up your home. Building materials yes, but contractors are too busy scheduling, managing and building to have time to help you make these decisions. Some contractors also want to take the path of least resistance. Which means the easiest, quickest building routes possible. Great for them, not so good for you. Particularly if you are passionate about creating a home that is beautiful, innovative and unique.
If you work full time or you already feel that your juggling capabilities are maxed out, then you must, must hire an interior designer. I’m not saying that because it has to be me. I’m saying it because renovating and redecorating homes is very expensive. If you rush it and make mistakes, you will regret it forever.
What Comes Before The Sourcing.
Now some of you maybe reading this and thinking sourcing for an interior design project, great I love shopping! I’m just going to hit all the interior shops and get buying! Well you could do that, but you’ll probably find you end up with products that are the wrong scale, colour and texture for the space. This needs to be planned, researched and prepared.
To begin with interior layouts and interior details must be carefully worked out and finalised. For example if you don’t know where your sofa is going in the room then you can’t be sure what size you need. That’s the most basic example, but it becomes more impactful if you haven’t decided your lighting plan or kitchen layout.
Another important part of our design process is the concept stage. We develop concept boards with our clients so that we can all visualise what design direction we want to take the whole house and then each space (read my previous blog to understand the importance of the read thread)! We find that once clients see all the design components that make up a space together on one page, it becomes really clear what they do and sometimes don’t like about the scheme.
Day Of Sourcing
You’ve done your homework, you know your layouts, interior details and design direction for each space and you are ready to go. Now it’s not one day of sourcing (I wish) but that first sourcing trip is incredibly important.
Firstly know the areas in the homes where you are firm on your design decisions and then areas where you are open for inspiration. For example when souricng for a recent project I knew that we wanted large pocket doors that could create flexible spaces. I was, however looking for inspiration as to how to finish these large doors. Leaving this flexibility meant that as I moved around the different showrooms the surrounding inspiration made my decision clear.
Back to the budget, by having clear figures outlined I know that if I see something expensive but incredible in one part of the design, there has to a be a concession made else where.
The Big Sourcing Components
Now we have already identified that there are many, many componants that go into creating a home. Obviously kitchens and bathrooms are big ticket items. We have our own unique suppliers that we use depending on the style of the project. We develop our own layouts for those spaces that are tailored to exactly how our client’s want to use the space. For homeowners who choose to go directly to a kitchen company, the kitchen company will do their own drawings. Always bare in mind that kitchen companies are in the business of selling as much kitchen as possible and less about your bespoke needs. The point is the big ticket items are seperate sourcing days, you will need to identify companies you like and make appointments to visit and plan.
The More Unique Souricng Components
The more unique sourcing components are elements where you could really make a big design impact. Areas where perhaps you are looking for how to make your space different and unique.
Tiles
Like many interior products, there is a huge range of tiles to choose from. There are obviously popular tile combinations. The coloured metro wall tiles with the patterned floor tile is a popular choice. By spending the time to visit some one off showrooms, you can see and feel the tiles and try out different combinations. Instagram is another great source for unique suppliers. We work with many trade only suppliers who create such incredible designs but are not available for general retail.
Fabric
Fabric is an amazing way to really create an interiors that is bespoke and individual. If you think about it fabric can be used in so many different components in an interiors.
Window treatments, whether you opt for curtains or blinds can be understated and elegant or vibrant and impactful. This is where your concept board is so important. This stage of the design will have determined whether you want impactful fabric choices or a more paired back selection to compliment other design choices. If we opt for a plainer fabric, then we often pair this choice with a beautiful trim. It gives the finish another layer of depth and interest.
Most of our sofas and chairs are bespoke. This means further opportunities for incredible fabric selection. The benefit of bespoke furniture is we design furniture that fits your space perfectly. The fabric can also be tailored exactly to your needs. For example if you’re a family with young children, choosing a high performance fabric which is stain and UV resistant is vital. For a recent project we source a textured white fabric for a family that even red wine could be wiped from.
Lighting
I bang on and on about the importance of lighting in interiors. So if I can spend my days visiting different lighting show rooms I will! The textures, the shapes, the finishes can be so special that they really make an interiors zing!
Wall Decor
When we first speak to clients, often one of the biggest stumbling blocks is what colour should I paint the walls? But actually the design decisions can be far more unique and impactful than paint colour. We have spent a long time sourcing and finding some incredible companies that create the most intricate and beautiful wall décor. The finishes these craftspeople create are beautiful. Even if you want to keep to white walls, you can create such texture and depth to your walls, that your interiors will be incredible.
Finishes
The other great element of sourcing days is the showrooms are a source of inspiration in themselves. Often you see completely innovative finishes and materials, that even if the piece itself is not quite right, they inspire a design choice in another part of the project.
The Importance of Sourcing Days
The takeaway from this read, is that online shopping and sourcing is brilliant. I certainly spend a lot of my time scrolling internet searches and finding unique finds. There is no replacement for physical sourcing days. The opportunity to be surrounded by inspiring products and feeling and trying out different options, brings such creativity and beauty to your project.
Our days are spent with our trade suppliers. Being astounded and inspired by their latest designs and products. The other huge benefit to trade suppliers is you will not see the same selections in your friends and families homes.
If creating a home that is unique and incredible is important to you, then get in touch and book a phone consultation with us. We live and breath interiors and love creating inspiring homes for our clients. Our instagram is another source of inspiration so why not start following us!