rajeshbansal

Interiors of New House

12 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

Hi we are in process of finalizing interiors of our new house. Actually we tried to seek consultancy of few good interiors around our place but were completely dissatisfied with their level of service. Since its our first house a lot of aspirations are associated with it, we will be really thankful to each one of you for your advices on: 1) Furniture for each area 2) Color of Walls 3) Creation of niches on walls/corners 4) Wall Lighting 5) Any other idea you want to share Its actually a house elevated into 3 floors with area of each floor around 2750 sq.ft It starts with : STILT- Area for Parking + Sports Upper Ground: It has 2 bed rooms+ 1 Lobby + 1 Living Room+1 Kitchen First Floor : 1 Small Kitchen+ 1 Break Away room+2 Bedrooms+1 Lobby Second Floor: This floor is more ope with just 1 small kitchen+ 1 Room that will be dediacted to office @ home + An open area( balcony) + Big Lobby ( planning to use this for our in house parties) I am attaching images if layout for each floor and would be great if you could share ideas on each room/place Thanking you all in advance Rajesh Bansal

Comments (12)

  • 12 years ago
    Your photos did not come through.
  • 12 years ago
    Hey Apologies I am attaching them again
  • 12 years ago
    Second Floor Plan
  • 12 years ago
    Please confirm if you can see the Plan attached
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Wow that is a really long list of advice you need from an online website. It sounds like you might be trying to avoid hiring a designer when that's exactly what you should do with a project of this magnitude. I love Houzz to death and think that a lot of wonderful advice goes out over these airways, and you may still get plenty of great ideas but I would do a short consultation with a local area designer. If you just want to have them share ideas, perhaps just ask for a 1 or 2 hour consultation and pay by the hour.
  • 12 years ago
    Looks like the photos are not making it. Please make sure they are in jpeg format. Floorplans are often in pdf format which will not upload. Hope that helps!
  • 12 years ago
    Hi Monica actually we did hire an architect for end to end project execution and also did take consultancy from one of well known interiors but honestly in both cases they were more interested in taking order for our furniture ( where I guess business margins are high) then focussing on right advice. Moreover I and my family felt Houzz has such a wonderful community that they will help us with proper interest.

    Infact if it can work out I also dont have problem in actually paynig for consultancy online.

    Emily just trying to figure out how I can convert my pdf into jpeg will soon upload it.I am using Mac, is there any other format which can work?
  • 12 years ago
    Finally got the jpeg right, here are floor plans of my house
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Raj, nothing against architects, but this is not who you need for your project. You need a designer and not one online. He/she has to come out and see and feel of your house in person. Find a high quality contractor in your area and ask them for which designers they work with. This way you'll know they aren't interior decorators. You can go to the NARI website (National Association for the Remodeling Industry) to find a great contractor and go from there. Most contractors that are NARI members will work with great designers and a great designer is worth every penny you pay them.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Raj - What you say is true that a lot of interior design's margin is in furniture. I will not sugar coat it. And many designers may seem to be more interested in that when you bring them in. But I have had several clients call me over the years saying they are building a new home and would like to consult primarily on layout. When you speak to someone is tell them you are not ready to order furnishings or window treatments, but that you would like a contract that focuses on layout, planning, and interior detailing (i.e. doors, trims, floors) - i.e. the bones of the house.

    What I would suggest is when you call for a designer, you be prepared to pay a good consultation fee. A good rule of thumb is that you can expect to pay between $3-$10 per square foot of your home depending on the area of your country and the expertise/experience of the designer. If you are not averse to paying this type of fee, and communicate to the designer that your interest is in getting the best solutions, not in purchasing furniture at this time, I'm sure you will be able to get the level of service you desire. If someone you talk to doesn't seem thrilled to provide this kind of service, move on to the next person. Don't rely on "fame" or how well known someone is. They may be well known for doing show houses or just because they've been in the field the longest in your area. Not because they're the right fit for you.

    You could also check the Houzz directory for good designers in your area. The difficulty is that there are often decorators whose expertise and focus is really just on furnishings not so much on construction - and they serve a purpose for their clients. But there are other designers who provide more of a wholistic approach and have more familiarity with building a new home. These are the people you should seek out. Houzz is a fantastic community - and as I said you may get good advice here but there's really no replacement for someone to work with you in person.

    Sorry for the super long post but I feel passionately about this and I think this advice will best suit your needs.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I agree with the advice that you need a designer who will be able to help you through the building process and interface with the architect and builder. A good designer will help with space planning and with narrowing down selections for all of the interior finishes. They can work through lighting, tile design, cabinet design, color selection etc. and a good designer will save you money in the long run by helping to foresee issues and help keep you on schedule. A good place to look is on the ASID website http://www.asid.org/ on their "Find a Designer" link. The designers on that site will list the services they provide and often have a link to their websites or portfolios so you can see if you like their work. I would be sure to get references from past clients as well.
    Good Luck!
  • 12 years ago
    Thanks Mona, Graf Developments and Lynne. I completely agree on what you said and had precisely gone the way you people had suggested. Basics of House I means structure, plumbing, electricals, ceiling, flooring is all done. What is left is now doing interiors for each room which will include colour/texture, furniture, wall lights, some niche/corner inside room and any other element which can add grace to each room.

    When I wrote this I was actually looking at inputs on just interiors.