Presenting a Design Plan: What does this look like?
It's always an exciting time presenting a design plan for my clients. If you have never worked with an Interior Design Professional, then you may not understand what goes into the plan. Here is how I present my design plans for clients.
Presenting A Design Plan
When presenting a design plan, I typically like to give at least two options for clients. Currently, I am working with clients who would like their basement of their bungalow to be re-developed. It is already fully developed however it is not maximizing the space for them. Here is how the basement currently sits:
Option 1: Presenting a Design Plan
During our initial meeting I always ask for the list of wants, wishes, and dreams. In addition, I do ask for a rough budget so I know what we are dealing with. Knowing a 'rough budget' at this time allows me to know if some of the wants, wishes and dreams can be achieved. Here is one option that I presented to my clients: 
In this plan, the following was created:
- I deleted the storage by the stairs so that we could widen the staircase. That allowed me to create a working area for their daughter's bedroom.
- I created a much smaller bathroom (using the existing plumbing - to save on the budget).
- A smaller guest bedroom was created. The request was to have somewhere for a hide-a-bed for the occasional guests that stay over.
- The laundry room was not touched (as the clients said that was working for them).
- I kept the existing furnace room.
- This plan also has the windows replaced and bedrooms having window to meet egress code.
Option 2: Presenting a Design Plan
Here is option 2 that I presented:
This plan includes the following:
- Same design in the daughter'r room.
- I exchanged the bathroom and laundry room. The reason behind this change is that the bathroom, in this location, is now closer for the daughter.
- The laundry room is smaller than how it currently sits and is tucked out of the way.
- There is an area to have a hide-a-bed but not room for a dedicated room (due to the other wishes).
Presenting a Design Plan: How do we get to the final plan?
When these two plans were presented, I gave my clients time to digest and to think about how the changes would effect the function of the basement. By showing my clients the 2D and 3D options, it also gave them time to decide if there was something missing that they wished for. After some conversations about liking a little bit of this and a little bit of that, as well as my clients adding on to their wish list, we came up with a final plan.
You may notice a few changes:
- A dedicated exercise room was created with barn doors to close off the area if needed.
- A larger bedroom was created (as my clients see their son now wishing to move downstairs as well).
- A bathroom/laundry room combination. This was created around the conversation that the need to have a dedicated space for laundry was not needed.
- With the son moving downstairs, it creates the opportunity for his room upstairs to be converted to the guest bedroom.
Presenting A Design Plan
The beauty of working with technology is that I am able to show my clients a rendering of what their space could potentially look like. Here is the 3D image of their final plan:
The Next Steps
Now that the plan is finalized up to this point, our next step is for me to have a Trade Day where my trades come in to quote on their scope of work to be carried out. I am presenting the renovation budget for this project today and will write about the Renovation Plan next week! Stay tuned to see how I present the design plan along with the budget.
Thinking of a renovation but don't know where to start? Contact me today to start the discussion of getting a design plan in place!