11 Renovation Mistakes Every Designer Should Avoid
Original photography posted at Unsplash by Charles Deluvio.
Original article posted at Architectural Digest by Alyssa Giacobbe.
Navigating renovation projects is all part of a day’s work for most design pros. But with so many potential pitfalls, remodeling jobs can spiral out of control, creating a huge headache for those responsible for keeping the clients happy and the budget on track. Below, 12 designers get real about common renovation mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Relying on verbal cues alone
There’s no such thing as overcommunication when it comes to visual references, says Victoria Nady, the senior designer for the San Francisco–based team at Jay Jeffers. “Pictures and drawings really speak louder than words,” she says. “You can’t assume that everyone hears the same thing. A detail by the same name often means different things to different people.”
Additionally, Clara Jung of San Francisco’s Banner Day Interiors advises setting up an onsite meeting with the building team, the contractor, and any subcontractors to head off any gaps in messaging. “Despite your best efforts, there will always be questions,” she says. “We had an incident where the general contractor didn’t share the necessary documents with the tile subcontractor, who laid out the tile pattern incorrectly. Luckily, we happened to do an unscheduled site visit and caught the mistake. But with such high stakes, overcommunication is preferred, if not required.”
Following too many trends
Every designer knows that trends come and go. “Designing a space with what’s ‘in’ at the moment means that it may look dated in a shorter period of time,” says Jennifer Janus, president of Detroit interior design studio Pophouse. “No one wants to spend time and money on their home just to have to renovate again in a few years,” adds Wendy Yates, creative director and founder of Colorado-based Abigail-Elise Design Studio. “Create a design plan that will be relevant for 10 to 15 years and explain to your clients that it is in their best interests.”
Ignoring potential limitations
It can be easy to get carried away by your creative vision, especially with willing and eager clients. But when you’re making additions, it’s important to be aware of property lines and setbacks from the start. “If you’re not diligent, you may find out later that something you really want to do is not possible because of zoning,” says Leslie Benson, an architect in Portland, Maine. “That realization can be very disappointing for both client and architect alike. Or so I’ve heard!”
Ignoring the “fifth wall”
It’s easy to go with a white ceiling when you’re trying to get a job done, says Blood. But the ceiling—or fifth wall—is an important consideration. “The fifth wall is often the wall you’re looking at the most in a bedroom,” he points out. “Some of our best design moments come from great wall coverings that we choose for the ceiling.”