It’s common for people think of their interior décor as the final touches of their new build or renovation. And in some ways it makes sense. The interior elements are what give us that finally finished feeling in a project. But they’re also the pieces we see most. Once all the drywall is up, we tend to forget all about the electrical and plumbing systems. While interior décor is easier to change and don’t (typically) involve ripping out walls, the choices should never be put off to the last phase of your project.

Incorporating Interior Décor into Your Home’s Design Makes Financial Sense

A quick definition of terms: if you picked up a house, turned it upside down and shook it, what falls out is interior décor while what doesn’t is interior design. 

With that in mind: say you have your heart set on a Luminaire sofa to be the centerpiece of your living room. In that case, it’s only prudent to design the room around the sofa rather than figure out a way to fit it in after construction. If you don’t anticipate the décor going into a room, it is too likely the room will need to be redesigned (doors widened, windows moved etc) to accommodate. Change orders are expensive and slow down the whole build; it’s better to do it right the first time. 

If you don’t incorporate the décor into the design, both your budget and your timeline will take a hit while the problem is solved.

Impact on Design

Another thing to consider is how much difference your interior design choices can impact your overall design. Planning design around already chosen – and obtained – interior décor is easy. Having looming question marks in your interior décor plans means your overall design can’t be completed unless it’s ok for the décor to be chosen based on what fits.  

Redesigning to accommodate a late choice, not so simple. In an ideal world you would be able to get the exact items you’re looking for all the time. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works. Things that might seem like they would have standard sizing, don’t always. Kitchens are a great example. Until you’ve made a final decision on your stove, we’re unable to finalize the plans for the counters that go on either side, the vent hood, or the cabinets. Keep in mind that even a half inch one way or the other seems like a small amount but creates a ripple effect of changes.The design team at DDG is here to help. We can sit down with you to plan your timeline and help you set deadlines for your interior choices to be made. Give us a call.