The biggest single issue in determining if you are ready is, “Are you ready?” If you have answered yes then the next question is, “Are you really ready?”

There are commitments required to undertake any project. You must commit time, money and desire. We commit time, investments and knowledge along with our desire to craft something that will be dear to you. Depending on the scope of your project, more or less dedication may be required, so ask yourself again, “Am I ready?”

If you’ve made it this far then there are a few things that you should get in order before our first meeting. They are:

Budget- Do you have the means to take on the proposed project? You probably have no idea what the actual costs may be and a lot of that is determined by design, but you need to establish early on what you can afford.

Ideas- Look in magazines and at articles for projects you like the look of. Cut out pictures and save them in one place. Look on the Internet and television for things that you like. Start collecting images or anything related to your project that you like in one place. Here is the important part- it does not matter if you can’t articulate what you like about something, or if it doesn’t match everything (or anything) else that you’ve chosen. It doesn’t matter if it is a picture of a kitchen, car or sunset, put it in the file. This is a picture of you, a collage if you will of your design and aesthetic personality. This is the most valuable tool you can provide us during our initial consultation.

Appliances- It’s not absolutely necessary to know exactly what model of appliance you want, but you should have in mind some of the general specifications. Do you want a four-burner stove or six? Do you want a single sink in the bathroom or double? Go to appliance stores and plumbing fixture shops. It’s also a good time to look at counter tops, flooring, paint stores and lighting shops. If you see something you absolutely can’t live without then make a note of it and get a brochure. It’s much easier to design the space with specific things in mind, than to try to incorporate them later.

Wish list- This is the easy part, or maybe the hard part. What is it that you like about your current space? What do you dislike about your current space? This is the time to brainstorm, remembering all that time that your answers don’t need to make perfect sense or be logical. These may just be your feelings or something specific that you just can’t live with anymore. Include in this anything that you think you might like or that you have always wanted. Remember this is a wish list.