Before You Renovate or Build: 4 Steps to Plan a Kitchen, Bathroom or Interior Project
- Jan 8
- 4 min read
If 2026 is your year to renovate, build new, or finally tackle that kitchen/bathroom/interior project, there’s one thing I want you to do before you get lost in Pinterest boards and product research:
Start with clarity.
Most projects don’t go sideways because of a lack of inspiration. They go sideways because the starting point is unclear, and that leads to decision fatigue, scope creep, and redesigns that chew up both time and budget.
Here are four simple steps to help you start well, whether you’re planning a kitchen renovation, a bathroom upgrade, or a broader interior refresh.
1) Talk to a designer. Yes, really.
Even as a designer, I still bounce ideas off designer friends when I’m making decisions for my own home. When you’re in the thick of it, it’s easy to overcomplicate (or go down a rabbit hole of finishes before the layout is solved).
A designer’s job isn’t to add more options. It’s to simplify and guide you toward the choices that actually improve your space.
Think of a designer as part of your build team, not a “nice-to-have extra.” We help you:
Translate ideas into a functional plan
Prioritise what matters most in your space (so you don’t overspend in the wrong places)
Reduce expensive backtracking (“we need to redesign/reselect everything”)
Coordinate details so the final result works day to day, not just in photos
Make the budget feel purposeful, not scary
“But isn’t a designer too expensive?”
This is one of the biggest misconceptions I hear.
A good designer isn’t trying to “spend your budget.” Our role is to help your budget work harder so your investment goes into decisions that improve function, flow, and longevity.
And you don’t have to commit to full-service design.
Sometimes a single consult is enough to:
identify the layout bottleneck
create a clear brief and next steps
sanity-check priorities and budget guardrails
help you move forward with confidence
If you want your project to feel clear, calm, and considered, this is where it starts.
Dominic Bagnato from "The Invisible Architect" explains this perfectly in this video.
2) Pay attention to how you actually use the space
We live in our homes on autopilot, so we don’t always notice the friction until we’re rushed, hosting, or juggling multiple people at once.
Before you choose finishes, do a quick “real-life” audit of the space you’re upgrading.
For kitchens, notice:
Where clutter collects (and why)
Traffic jams (fridge/sink/dishwasher is a classic trio)
Where you always run out of bench space
What slows you down during cooking, lunches, or hosting
For bathrooms, notice:
“Rush hour” routines (two people trying to get ready at once)
Storage issues (towels, skincare, cleaning products, toilet rolls)
Lighting (especially around the mirror)
Wet zones and splash zones that make cleaning harder than it needs to be
For broader interior projects, notice:
Drop zones (bags, keys, mail, school stuff)
Storage gaps (linen, appliances, toys, seasonal items)
Pinch points where people bump into each other
Areas that never feel finished because they don’t have a clear purpose
The goal isn’t to judge your home. It’s to get honest about what your project needs to support, your routines, your people, your life.
Design that looks good is lovely. Design that supports real life? That’s the win.
3) Write a brief (even a simple one)
A brief doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to exist.
Without a brief, your project becomes a moving target. Decisions get made emotionally, then reversed later when the budget or layout reality catches up.
Here’s a simple one-page brief you can download.
That one page gives your project a clear direction, and makes conversations with designers, builders, and cabinetmakers so much easier.
4) Don’t be scared to talk about budget
Budget conversations can feel awkward - like if you say your number out loud, someone will treat it as a target.
But here’s the truth: budget clarity is one of the fastest ways to protect your budget.
Designers don’t need your budget so we can spend it. We need it so we can:
steer you toward layouts and finishes that make sense
recommend smart trade-offs
avoid designing something unbuildable within your limits
prevent the redesign cycle later
Most of the time, when a client doesn’t disclose what they’re comfortable spending, the design process ends up costing more, because we spend time reselecting and redesigning once the budget reality is revealed.
Budget isn’t a dirty word. It’s a design tool.
A final thought (especially if you’re still in holiday mode)
If you’re still in that slower headspace that holidays bring - use it.
This is the best time to:
notice what’s not working
write a simple brief
plan your next steps calmly, before decision fatigue kicks in
You don’t have to start building tomorrow to start planning today.
Ready for clarity?
If you want a calm, practical starting point for your kitchen, bathroom, or interior project, a design consult can help you set priorities, map your next steps, and make smarter decisions from day one.
