As former Secretary of State James Baker famously said almost four decades ago, proper planning prevents poor performance. That adage still rings true today, especially regarding interior decorating. It’s crucial to map out any redecorating or remodeling project to ensure it will be completed on time.
This goes for redesigning or building a home, preparing for a new season, or hosting an event at your property. Planning ahead goes beyond choosing a desired completion time: Order furniture, decor, paint, other materials, and supplies well in advance.
One thing to remember is that how long a product will take to arrive depends on multiple factors. These include the product type, manufacturer, the materials it’s made from, and any custom additions or alterations. All these considerations must be factored in when establishing a timeline.
With all that said, let’s explore some common redecorating instances to give you an idea of what to expect and how to work around due dates.
Seasonal redecorating
Naturally, preparing your home for a new season will have quite a predetermined deadline. If you want to change up your decor for summer, it’s vital to order your outdoor furniture in winter so that it’s ready by the time the weather starts warming up. The last thing you want is to waste precious, warm, sunny days waiting for seasonal items. And remember, how long your goods take to arrive will depend on whether they’re off-the-rack or custom-made (allow more time for the latter).
Conversely, place orders for winter decor during summer or autumn at the very least. That means choosing and purchasing your heavier, warmer pillows, rugs, and throw blankets before you actually need them. No one wants to freeze during the holiday season, so get your ducks in a row early to stay warm in style. Consider that more popular items like Christmas trees may need to be ordered even sooner to avoid disappointment from stock selling out.
Single and multi-room remodeling
Generally speaking, you should begin planning with your interior designer as early as possible. It’s a good idea to allocate two to three months for the entire undertaking if you’re doing a simple remodel of just one room. Extend this period to three to four months for extensive redesigning without any construction. Again, that’s just for one room.
If you’re refurbishing two to three rooms, you can expect to wait up to half a year before the project is finished. Remodeling an entire house (more than three rooms) can take up to two years, so buckle in for a very long ride! Regardless of how many rooms you want to tackle, you should always add an extra “buffer” month for every room to accommodate unexpected setbacks.
What does this look like in practice? Say you want to redo three rooms by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around; you’ll want to start in March or April. Remember to consider sequential steps when laying out your timeline. For example, you can only furnish a room after you’ve painted it and only paint once you’ve installed electrical outlets, for example.
Additionally, it would help if you built in some extra time for waiting periods beyond your control, like receiving quotes from contractors or suppliers or getting approval from city councils for any construction work. Every redecorating job will be different based on how much work there is to do, but it’s always best to give ample time to successfully complete the project.
Timelines will ultimately depend on your personal needs, but it’s always best to work with a decorator to manage your expectations. Partnering with experts means you can rest assured that your vision will be brought to life as quickly as possible. Ready to get started on the remodeling journey of a lifetime? Contact us for the best and most reliable redecorating results!
