Would You Ask Gucci To Design You A Versace Dress, Or Would You Like An Original Gucci Made Especially For You?

Would You Ask Gucci To Design You A Versace Dress, Or Would You Like An Original Gucci Made Especially For You?

Most homeowners make the mistake of taking the lead on their design by telling the designer what they want but you don’t have to fly your own plane to get to where you need to be!

There are two ways to achieve a new design for your home:

1. Follow Your Process – The ‘I Think I Know What  I Am Doing’ Method where by you tell the designer what you want and then completely panic when you loose confidence in your own decision making when you realise you are not qualified to making these massive decisions.

2. Follow My Process – The Memory Making Making Method™ where by I build your confidence to gain absolute clarity on what is possible with your space and help you to understand where and what you should focus your budget on to ensure you are spending your money wisely.

The problem is most designers who do not have a process either jump into solution mode or allow the homeowner to take the lead on the design because it is easier, it is easier to be the hero! But why then, do you not like what they have done for you when they did what you just asked them to do, after all? Why do you suddenly loose confidence in yourself when it comes to the crush time of making permanent decisions. The reason is, the designer did not allow themselves time to understand you, your family, to understand what is it that you really need. The design of your home is about more than the lines on a page, it is about you, how you are going to use it, how you want to feel in your home, how want your home to make you feel and that simply takes time. When you rush into solution mode you run of the risk of spending your budget on the wrong things ultimately designing a layout that will not work for you and your family.

It is very easy to say what we want but it is my job to understand what is it that you really need.

 

We don’t always get what we want but it is much more important to get what we need. 

 

Let Me Tell You A Story

Catriona contacted  a number of architects and design and build firms who not only over prescribed her a design well beyond her needs but also her budget. She knew she wasn’t happy with the design but she didn’t know what she didn’t like about it or why she didn’t like it, she just had a gut feeling that the whole process was off. Catriona didn’t know at the time but she was in masssive danger of being misdiagnosed the wrong design and very close to her money not being spent very well because no matter what your budget is, you are going to spend it and more so it is massively important that you know you are spending your money in the rights places to suit your family.

Catriona reached out to me after following my instagram account for awhile where I arranged for the first step of my process a Clarity Call to have a chat so I could learn more about your project and thoughts and for Catriona to learn more about how my process can help her and her renovation project.

Why My Process?

With my Memory Making Method™ I see your memories before you have made them. What this means for you is I am able to guide you through your design helping you to visualise how you will use your home from your perspective to suit your family and your lifestyle which will ultimately reduce your project risk of being misdiagnosed the wrong design because by the end of the design process you will be 100% confident that the design I do for you is not just A design but the BEST design option, for you.

My Memory Making Method™

Stage 1: Clarity Call

We schedule a clarity call where it gives you a chance to discuss your project with me, ask questions and gain clarity on any concerns you may have. It also gives me an opportunity to explain my design process and see if you are a suitable fit for each other.

Stage 2: Your Reconfiguration Review™

Your Reconfiguration Review™ is my pre-design diagnosis step. This step will help you gain a clear vision on what can be achieved within your budget and your existing space and to develop a clear understanding and roadmap to a good design that you will have for the rest of your life.

Stage 3: Conceptual Design

I investigate different reconfiguration solutions to make the most of your space to include what you really need and exploring the different design options.
I showcase designs and ideas that won’t work to help you understand and build your confidence on the design that will work best for you. This is why I spend a little more time at the conceptual stage, so mistakes are not made and prevent you from being misdiagnosed the wrong design.

Stage 4: Design Development

After reviewing your concept plans, best design revised to produce final plan with relevant elevations to suit and demo plan. I will plan out the different spaces to provide a detailed layout so you can then use the drawings to obtain a more precise costing from a contractor.

Stage 5: Visualisation

If you want to understand the design so you don’t build the wrong thing and have live to regret it, I recommend that you obtain a 3D visualisation of your home. I can model this space to show you, your home from every angle so you can feel what it’s like to be in it before it is built.

Stage 6: Revision

You have a chance to make alterations and amendments to the final design. You can make a hundreds changes but only one time!

Stage 7: Builder

You send the drawings to builders for costing and selection

Stage 8: Design Assist

I assist you in finalising the permanent fixtures and fitting for your home i.e the kitchen, lighting and flooring.

 

Here’s What Catriona Had To Say About My Process:

“After being through a number of consultations with various companies, we were still unsatisfied with the solutions being proposed. However, after our consultations with Eleanor and going through the process with her, we have a much clearer understanding of what our needs actually are and what solutions make sense. Eleanor ensured that we really thought about what we wanted and why, and her proposals really make us feel confident that the design is right for us now and into the future as our family grows.”

 

Are you Catriona?

For homeowners whose thought they had to take the reins in order get the right design for your home but now know that following your process will not get you to where you want to be, I offer my Reconfiguration Review™. In this exercise, I prepare a spatial and behavioral analysis, to evaluate what you need but most importantly why you need it, helping you to gain clarity on where and what you should focus your budget on.

If you want to follow my process to get the BEST design option for you and your family Click Here to arrange a time to get your Reconfiguration Review™ started.

 

Are You Thinking Of Extending Your Home? STOP! Click Here to read ‘Ireland’s Greatest Renovation Rip Off’ blog before you make a HUGE mistake!

 

Ireland’s Great Renovation Rip Off – Are You Planning To Build An Unnecessary Extension?

Ireland’s Great Renovation Rip Off – Are You Planning To Build An Unnecessary Extension?

Why most homeowners are overpaying on their renovation and how you can avoid becoming the next renovation fashion victim.

For any homeowners who has been told their renovation budget is “unrealistic” you MUST Read this before you give up hope. Nobody’s trying to take advantage of you, but what an increasing number of homeowners are learning is that you can be getting a much better house for your euro than most people are getting.

There are two types of renovations, one is really expensive and the other is really smart.
1. The Build Renovation where you extend your home to add more footprint which is expensive.
2. The Reconfiguration Renovation where you do not add more space you reconfigure existing space using smart design.

The problem is hardly anyone offers #2 because architects and design & build firms make big money on #1. But in many cases all you need is #2. Now that’s like selling a client a Rollex Oyster, when all they need is an Apple i-watch. Many designers who do not listen end up over prescribing because they design for themselves, their portfolio, to win awards, not their clients. It’s not their fault! I love architects but they are trained to build more space not reconfigure existing space. When you are a hammer everything looks like a nail.

Hi, my name is Eleanor Clarke and while most architects and designers look to build you a new space at a greater expense, I look to reconfigure your existing space to work smarter for you, using smart design because a clever re use of space saves you hundreds of thousands and still gives you what you need. You don’t always need to built space.

What does smart design look like?

Smart Design is about understanding what you really need to help you gain clarity on why and where you should focus your budget.

S – Spatial planning to improve the layout and correct the design fundamentals, flow function, connection and circulation
M – Memory Making Method-my unique design process where I listen and uncover what you really need.
A – Aligning the design with your needs, not overprescribing to blow your budget
R – Reconfiguring within your existing footprint to alter your space not to add
T – Tighter budget, designing smarter not bigger even when everyone else told you must to extend to achieve what you need.

Let me tell you a story

Barbara knew her home didn’t work for her and so she reached out to an architect. The design she was presented with not only didn’t fix her problems and but made them worse, why, because it would have put her into massive debt. She was prescribed an over ambitious design and extension, far beyond Barbara’s needs and budget. Embarrassed, confused and feeling completely deflated she put off doing her renovation for three years not knowing who to turn to. Her life was put on hold, too embarrassed to have family and friends over, to host birthday parties or even to have the odd playdate, she was miserable.

Eventually, Barbara reached out to me and we were able to establish what she could achieve by focusing her budget on improving her existing space, reconfiguring within your existing footprint rather than building an unnecessary extension, saving her thousands and shortening her renovation timeline so she could simply get on with life quicker.

Are you Barbara?

For those whose home does not work for them but don’t know that there’s a more affordable way to get what they need, I offer my Reconfiguration Review™. In this exercise, I prepare a spatial and behavioral analysis, to evaluate what you need but most importantly why you need it, helping you to gain clarity on where and what you should focus your budget on.

The longer you wait, the longer your life is put on hold and the more you will crack up.

This invitation is for homeowners who are being told they will need to spend more money to get what they want but don’t have the budget for a build renovation yet still need a space to suit their family better than the current one does.

Our clients report an average savings of 40% – 55% on their renovation by achieving what they need without building an extension.

If you want to save thousands on your renovation click here to arrange a time to get your Reconfiguration Review™ started.