DESIGN PROCESS
What I Look For Before Starting a Project
Before I think about finishes, I try to understand how a home is meant to move. The early decisions — layout, flow, storage, scale, and light — are the ones that quietly shape everything that follows.
I usually begin with the way people live, not with the way a room looks in a photograph. A floor plan can be beautiful on paper and still feel awkward if the daily rhythm is not considered. I look at where people enter, where they naturally pause, how they cook, where bags land, how often they entertain, and which rooms need to feel open versus protected. Those small patterns tell me more than a mood board ever could.
Flow is one of the first things I study. A space should not make you think too hard about how to move through it. Doors, furniture, storage, and lighting all affect that feeling. If a sofa is a little too deep, a dining table a little too large, or a passage a little too narrow, the whole room can start to feel unsettled. Scale is not only about measurements; it is about comfort.
Storage is another early conversation, because it changes the architecture of a home. When it is planned late, it often becomes something added on. When it is planned early, it can disappear into millwork, closets, kitchen details, and furniture choices. I like storage that supports the lifestyle of the client without making the home feel heavy or overbuilt. The best storage gives a room quietness.
Materials and lighting come next, but they are never separate from the plan. Natural light, ceiling heights, furniture placement, and surface choices all influence one another. A warm stone, a matte wood, or a softer wall tone can solve a problem that a decorative object never could. This is why early design decisions matter so much: they create the structure for everything beautiful to feel effortless later.
I usually begin with the way people live, not with the way a room looks in a photograph. A floor plan can be beautiful on paper and still feel awkward if the daily rhythm is not considered. I look at where people enter, where they naturally pause, how they cook, where bags land, how often they entertain, and which rooms need to feel open versus protected. Those small patterns tell me more than a mood board ever could.
Flow is one of the first things I study. A space should not make you think too hard about how to move through it. Doors, furniture, storage, and lighting all affect that feeling. If a sofa is a little too deep, a dining table a little too large, or a passage a little too narrow, the whole room can start to feel unsettled. Scale is not only about measurements; it is about comfort.
Storage is another early conversation, because it changes the architecture of a home. When it is planned late, it often becomes something added on. When it is planned early, it can disappear into millwork, closets, kitchen details, and furniture choices. I like storage that supports the lifestyle of the client without making the home feel heavy or overbuilt. The best storage gives a room quietness.
Materials and lighting come next, but they are never separate from the plan. Natural light, ceiling heights, furniture placement, and surface choices all influence one another. A warm stone, a matte wood, or a softer wall tone can solve a problem that a decorative object never could. This is why early design decisions matter so much: they create the structure for everything beautiful to feel effortless later.
Thinking about your own space?
If you are planning a home, condo, or renovation, start with a focused design consultation to clarify the right direction before making major decisions.