Pat Elliott: ‘A design brief and schedule will keep a project on track’

AT A time when spending may be constrained, the planning of interior design projects becomes critical.

Not only is planning time well spent, it is almost always cash well spent too: compiling a design brief and schedule will help keep your project on track and in budget.

The amount of information your design brief contains will vary according to the scale of your project but it should include the following: your budget (add ten per cent for the unexpected), proposed uses of the room, key words describing the style you want, notes of any structural work, existing and/or new furniture and furnishings required and planned window treatment and lighting scheme. For kitchens you will need to consider appliances. The best design brief is one that would allow a total stranger to bring in your project exactly as you envisaged.

For straightforward jobs most of us have a mental timetable (paint walls before hanging curtains, etc) but, for more ambitious projects, a detailed timetable is invaluable. Make a grid with works listed down the left hand side and week numbers across the top. Mark in the grid when each component must be attended to. For example, if your new sofa has an eight-week delivery time, you will need to order that in advance of your completion date. Similarly, if the electrician cannot fit the wall lights for another four weeks, there is no point asking the decorator to start work next week. If you are using a number of trades, it is a good idea to agree your schedule of works with each and add a contingency period to your completion date. Managing expectation is a planning tool that never fails to pay off.

Pat Elliott, The Borders Design House.

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