Our checklist for a successful renovation this spring

With the winter behind us and as spring begins to bloom, our minds naturally begin to turn to the home improvements that we'd like to make this year. But where to start?!

In today's article we're sharing our checklist for successfully planning and executing your kitchen or bathroom renovation this spring. Grab a cup of coffee and dive in!

✓ Create your moodboard

Every project needs a starting point, and if you ask us, a moodboard is the perfect place to begin.

A wonderfully low risk way to experiment, a moodboard will allow you to bring together all of your ideas and curate them until you have a clear vision for your space. Pinterest and Instagram are both excellent sources of inspiration, as is our gallery of customer projects, not forgetting interior design magazines such as Elle Decoration and Homes & Gardens.

Pay close attention to the general aesthetic and the atmosphere of the shots you are drawn to, and be sure to look for images that share similar practical characteristics to the room you are renovating – aspects such as the amount of natural light in the space, the size and the age of the property.

✓ Gather samples

Once you’ve narrowed the options down a little, it's time to order samples of things like fabrics, house paint and of course tiles, and to spend some time looking at the specific metal finishes and other accessories you'd like to include in the space.

If you're reasonably local to Marlborough, we strongly recommend a trip to our showroom. Perhaps as interior designer Tytti suggests, you'll let your choice of handmade tile lead the overall aesthetic of your space, or perhaps you'll have already fallen in love with a particular paint colour or fabric. Bring along any samples you have already selected and our friendly, knowledgeable team will be delighted to offer guidance and help you choose the perfect tile for your space.

Back at home with your samples, take some time to consider everything in the light – literally – of the space you are renovating. Switch items in and out of the mix until you land on the perfect harmonious combination. Move the items around the room, and look at them at different times of day as the light changes. And if something doesn’t feel quite right, do not be afraid to go back to the drawing board and order more samples.

✓ Check lead times

If you're working with handmade, artisan products, it's worth being aware that there is likely to be a period of time between placing your order and your order being made and delivered to your home. You'll find current lead times for Marlborough Tiles listed here, and can always access them through a link in the footer of our website.

✓ Consider the details

Though it perhaps doesn't sound like the most creative of decorating decisions, grout can be used to striking visual effect, and the colour you choose has a real impact on the impression a wall of tiles makes. Learn more in our article, Choosing the perfect grout colour.

✓ Set realistic goals and plan ahead

Often when planning projects like these, one has a particular date in mind, or an event such as a family occasion by which we'd like the project to be complete. Bear in mind production lead times and the availability of your tradespeople, and be sure to build in plenty of contingency. Of course every project is very different, but as a guide, for a project such as a kitchen renovation, we recommend that you allow for a four to six months schedule, with four to six weeks or so for research, to select the different fixtures and finishings, as well as to find your tradespeople, two months for ordering and lead times, and a couple of months for the actual building and installation work.

We hope very much that you've found this article to be a useful starting point for your upcoming project. If you have questions, would like some advice, or simply need a second opinion, please get in touch. We are here to help.