How long have you been planning your dream home? If you've been dreaming about it as long as you can remember, perhaps it's time to put pen to paper. But first things first. Before you dream of stand-alone soaker tubs and large kitchen islands, reflect on the true why behind why you're doing this.
What problem do you really wish to solve?
Get really clear on your project's goals. Can you select just one or two of these as your most desired outcome? Which of these resonates with you?
Increase space
Increase home value
Improve functionality
Update finishes
Modernize systems
Restore original features
Improve the layout
Maximize views
Complete these statements:
If my renovation solved [this problem / issue], it would be a success.
If my remodel didn't address [this problem/ issue], it would be a failure.
Why it's important: you need to get really clear on what you want and what problem you wish to solve. Defining a clear project goal upfront will help you organize and prioritize your wish list. It will be easy for you project to balloon, and suddenly you'll find you've invested money in out of scope nice-to-haves that don't really address the right problem.
Next comes the fun part. It's time to make a wish list.
Dive into the fun part of renovation planning. Write everything down you want. And I mean EVERYTHING. Your spouse or partner can get in on the fun too. Have them make their own list so you can compare notes. (You may find that your wish list does not align with your partners. What, is a rooftop hot tub not on your list? You may have some at home negotiation to do.)
These are great activities to do before you ever contact an architect or designer. Why? Because only you can decide what items are really the most important from your list. Design pros will happily design everything into your plan. The reality is, everything you wish for probably will not fit into your budget. So you can save time and money by getting really clear about what you want from the start.
The joy of making a huge wish list is doing a some big dreaming. You can ask, "what if?" and imagine what your dream home or space might be like. Then you can go in search of images and spaces that light you up. Make your wish list more specific and make it come to life.
The real beauty of writing it all down? Your dream and a wish list evolves into a project plan.