Start your Room Redo for the Holidays NOW!
Start your Room Redo for the Holidays NOW!
It’s September – after Labor Day – and time to start your room redo to be ready for the holidays.
Do you really need to start now?
With the kiddos back in school and the weather starting to cool off, many of us are heading back indoors and starting to think about freshening up our interior spaces for the holidays. You might be wondering how much time you will really need to complete your project and be stress free for the holidays? If you take one thing away from this post it should be that now is the time to start your interior project to be ready for the holidays.
As always, thanks to our great couple for letting us share these photos.
In today’s post, we will take the mystery out of how long an average furniture and window treatment interior project takes. If you’d like more detailed info on remodeling timelines - Download our timeline for Interior Projects here.
Does it surprise you that this type of project usually takes about 8-12 weeks? I’m referring to a well-designed layout with furnishings that are correctly scaled and selected for your space --real interior design that works for your space, style, and budget.
Heading into a mass market retail furniture store may provide a quick solution but it won’t necessarily check all the boxes. Planning is key when working on your room update. Knowing the dimensions of your room, the requirements for each person, and the clearances needed are critical. Even if you can physically fit the furniture in the room, it doesn’t always have the right visual look. We take into consideration not only actual size, but visual weight also, and does it work with home’s overall composition, existing finishes and style.
Step 1 -The Design
- Requirements for use of the space
- Desired style changes
- How to integrate the new with existing
- Floor plan
- Color palette
- Selection of items
- Budget
- Rinse and repeat 😉
Start date 9/15 – Completion date 9/30
The best plans take time and revision. Guaranteed the first pass of the items above will lead to some modification. Sometimes it’s the style, sometimes the budget, what to keep, what to switch and making sure that each change doesn’t impact the composition, as a whole. Have you ever walked into a space where there is one massive piece (or teeny tiny piece) of furniture that sticks out like a sore thumb?
“Measure twice, cut once” is an old carpenter saying that really applies to the entire design process. Allow the time to think it through and you’ll have a result that works for both of you, fits your style and didn’t break the budget!
October 1 is order time
Step 2 -Selection and Ordering
- Finalize design and selections
- Check, double check, triple check that all the details are addressed on your order. Examples include detailing, trim, upgraded cushions, leg color, etc.
- Prepare orders and check availability
- Be prepared to reselect items if unavailable and you don’t want to wait.
- Check, double check, triple check that all the details your ordered are on the order confirmation.
- Order and track estimated ship dates
Most manufacturers require 6-8 weeks for upholstered items (sofas, chairs, etc). Case goods (your wood pieces) ship quicker but are susceptible to freight damage – ask us about that one someday…
If you do the math you can already see that if everything works as it should you are delivering about the week before Thanksgiving. And when I say “everything works” let me tell you up front after 18 years in the business, there will always be something that needs to be addressed, replaced, and/or backordered. This is where the work from the design phase comes in handy – you’ve really thought through your design and know what you’re looking for if something needs to be switched. Your requirements are clear because you took the time to plan.
If you have your orders in by mid-October you still have a good shot of being ready for Thanksgiving but you may encounter a few nail biting days wondering if something is going to make the deadline. Keep your stress at bay this time of year and start early. First up should be upholstery as it always has the longest lead time.
One big tip, I can give you is allow extra time for shipping heading into the holidays. Companies ship full trucks at this time of year which leads to more stops along the way. We’re in Illinois, the farthest west the east route from North Carolina goes so this time of year the extra stops can add up to a week to our transit time. Ditto for delivery companies – they need more lead time to schedule. And don’t ignore the always daunting potential for damage in transit.
Finally, if you need any tradesmen for your project – carpenter, painter, electrician, etc., keep in mind they are busy at this time of year too and everyone is pushing toward the same deadline. If you’re ready for them by the end of September by all means get them scheduled!
October 15
Step 3 Windows and Accessories
- Finalize selections for window coverings and order
- Select lamps
- Select artwork
- Select accessories
If orders are all in and any issues that arose with availability addressed it’s time to move onto the windows and accessories – those key finishing touches that will pull everything together.
Honestly, these 2 items make the room. ALWAYS.
Draperies are popular now and with good reason. They add vertical softness to rooms where most of the items in the room sit below 40” above the floor. Draperies add height and help our eye to move around the room. If you’re having draperies made, again the same rules as furniture apply. Lead times at workrooms and with installers vary and they are all busier at this time of year so don’t delay. Once the main style of the room is decided on, you can move into the planning phase for the windows. It’s better to have all the materials waiting for the installer than vice versa.
Mid-October is also the time to start looking for your accessories to finish everything up. Sometimes finding the perfect piece of art or lamp can take hours/days of searching. The internet helps speed that up but you can’t always tell the quality, color, or detail of a piece from a photo online. Time to ship and reship helps (or get a professional to help guide you to the right selections the first time). I mock-up accessories on tables and bookcases in anticipation of the new room layout until I feel I’ve got it right. – Keep an eye out for upcoming blog on bookcase accessorizing.
November 1
Step 4 Set up delivery and installation
November is implementation month. Start to track shipping and get your target dates figured out for installation and delivery. We always prefer to deliver as much as possible all at once. This approach usually works the best and economizes on freight and delivery costs. It’s convenient also to have a designated date and time. DIY’ers will attest it can get frustrating when packages are dribbling in daily with or without damage that needs to be addressed. As with all the items listed above, add additional time at this busy time of year.
November 15 to Thanksgiving Day
Pat yourself on the back as you enjoy your new room and enjoy the fruits of your labor and planning -knowing that you did it without the stress of a deadline. All you need to focus on is getting ready to show off your new space to all your guests.
We’ve been busy here at New Perspective Design, working behind the scenes on some new product and service offerings will include access to our downloadable Style Guides. You’ll be able to choose your topic of interest (accessorizing bookcases is one of them) and for $24 download 3 concepts along with manufacturer information of the items in the composition to be inspirational in your own design or a direct cheat sheet to get to the result. The purchase cost will be refundable towards a virtual call with us if you need additional confirmation, suggestion, or just feedback. Watch for more details later this month.
In the meantime, if you’d like help start to finish on your room redo please contact us directly.
Happy Holiday Decorating Season,
Angie
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