A lot of people dream of designing their home from scratch.
Unfortunately, most don’t know how to start. Especially when they’re not quite ready to hire an architect, but already have an idea of what their dream home may look like.
Here are a few tips to help realize that vision:
1) Focus on one thing, then draw.
Colonial, Mediterranean, Modern, Post-Modern…Don’t get caught up in the terms just yet.
When people imagine their dream homes, they usually have one or two specific elements that they want incorporated into the exterior of their homes: Is it the front door? The shape of the house? Or maybe the colors?
Focus on those ideas, and draw them. Don’t be too concerned with how rough the drawing looks, or how to make it look pretty by adding elements that you don’t necessarily like but sees to fit the design.
Inspiration takes time, and can take several trips to the drawing board. No one will yell at you if your drawing of a modern house only consists of a round metal door, and a box-like frame.
Build on your sketch as you continue to research ideas by reading magazines or browsing online for design elements that strike you.
2) Research and refine your vision.
The reason why consultations with decorators and architects take a long time is because most clients are never quite sure of what they want.
By using your inspiration sketch, you can refine your tastes by zeroing in on what draws you to a particular design, and familiarize yourself with the terms acquainted to that era.
This will help you communicate with architects, decorators, and designers, and various other professionals that you might hire to help build your home.
Not only that, but being reasonably aware in the design you’re interested in will help you find the right vendors, architects, and decorators, as some specialize in a particular design.
3. Consider having a professional rendering of your sketch.
Having a 2D or 3D model of your home is a great way to see how your potential home will look like before you start laying down the foundation. A professional high quality architectural rendering will work wonders for your vision.
Most outsourcing firms charge a reasonable rate, and have professionals on-board that easily translate everything in layman’s terms. They can also transform the roughest of sketches to a model worthy of hanging in your home.
You also have the option of hiring an architectural draftsman, who will work with conceptualizing and drafting your vision, for a fraction of a cost and with no commitment to build.
This can serve as a motivation to work harder to achieve your dream home, or to give the architect that you eventually hire a more concrete idea of the kind of home you want.
They can also make sure that your design meets your local safety standards, so when the time comes to build, you won’t have any problems securing a permit.
