7 Steps to Designing Your Own House

Top things to know about designing your own house:

• Always start by making a list of your priorities to identify your must-haves.

• Finding inspiration is a great way to narrow down what you want your home to feel like.
• Planning your layout can take of the guess-work out of visualizing your space.
• Create a mood board to use as a visual reference while you make plans and shop for pieces.
• Sourcing and organize your products in one place can help streamline your project.
• Use a budgeting tool to keep track of your spend as you go.
• Visualize every detail using a room planner tool to solidify your decisions.

The process of designing your own house can feel overwhelming. Whether you're starting with a blank canvas, remodeling, or looking to give your space a face lift, knowing where to start can be half the battle.

Regardless of the size of your space, style, or experience, the good news is, with the right tools at your fingertips, you can create a space that fits your needs and wants like a pro.

In this post, we're going to take you through a guideline on how to turn your design vision into reality in seven steps. Here's how to get started.

1. Make a list of your priorities.

First things first, listing out your priorities and must-haves is key early on in the design process.

Understanding your needs and wants will allow you to envision the end result of your design no matter what your budget looks like. Although your list will likely change as you go, keeping track along the way is a great place to start. Remember, no detail is too small! Your priorities list can include anything from paint to light fixtures, to that lamp you've been eyeing on Instagram.

2. Look for inspiration.

Inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere, and sourcing visual representations that speak to how you want your space to feel is an important (and fun) part of the design process. Start by compiling images or items that catch your eye and organize them in one place so you can see them all together. Chances are, you will start to notice a few common threads — from styles you are drawn to colors, and even specific finishes or decor pieces.

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3. Plan your layout.

Once you have an idea of your needs and wants, it's time to plan your floor plan layout. If you're not skilled at hand-drawing architectural plans and don't know how to use Photoshop, CAD, or SketchUp, you can still create a layout that allows you to visualize your space with a user-friendly floor plan tool. In this phase, don't be afraid to experiment with different options and take your time to consider how you want to live in the space. Your home, your rules.

4. Create a mood board.

Creating a mood board is a great way to narrow down your inspiration images and start to get a clear visual idea of how you want your home to look and feel. If you're not sure where to start, use a template that makes it easy to add your color palette and switch out images as you go. You can use your vibe board as a visual reference as you're planning and shopping for your space.

5. Source and organize products.

Whether you are starting from scratch, adding to your current collection, or saving for your next sofa, sourcing furniture and decor early on will make space planning much easier. Start by looking for the biggest and most-used pieces first, like your sofa, your bed, and even your office chair, and fill in the details as you go. To avoid keeping 1,000 tabs open at all times, utilize a project management tool to save everything you find throughout the process, organize your pieces per room, and track your spending.

6. Keep track of your spending.

Managing your budget is one of the most important parts of any project, but especially one as ever-changing as designing your own home. A budget is a living breathing thing, and the truth is, like your design plans, it will likely change over time. When it doubt, over-estimate, and make sure to give yourself some wiggle room for pivots along the way.

7. Visualize everything in a room planner.

Before you click "add to cart" or spend hours at the hardware store, use a room planning tool to visualize how each finish and piece work together in real-time. Mock up your space from different angles, add paint colors to your walls, and re-adjust every piece so that by the time everything arrives, there are no surprises.

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^{Photo Credit: (Left) LM Home}