How I work
I offer customised home styling and design services to clients in Singapore and the UK. I have extensive experience working with both rental clients and homeowners. Whether you need to revamp a few rooms or your entire home, I can help.
Stage 0: Non-obligatory initial consultation
Each project begins with a complimentary consultation lasting 45-60 minutes, typically conducted via Google Meet. This session is an opportunity for me to learn about you and understand your needs. I request that clients send photographs of their home prior to our meeting. During the call, we discuss what is preventing your home from looking, feeling, and functioning as you desire. We assess which areas need decorative enhancements and which could benefit from a practical analysis of usage, flow, and layout before considering decorative changes. We also discuss budgets, ascertain how much of your existing furniture you wish to keep, and consider new items that may need to be acquired. Following this, I prepare a project proposal for you that includes:
- A modular project plan,
- A monthly project schedule,
- An outline of my design and execution process,
- An estimate of my fees.
This proposal is provided without obligation and at no cost. We only move forward if the proposed plan, timeline, and fees meet your needs.
- A modular project plan,
- A monthly project schedule,
- An outline of my design and execution process,
- An estimate of my fees.
This proposal is provided without obligation and at no cost. We only move forward if the proposed plan, timeline, and fees meet your needs.
Stage 1: Design
A typical project breaks down into the following four steps
Space Planning
Designing homes isn't only about creating drool worthy spaces for social media. First and foremost, it is about figuring out how you and your family live and defining the optimal use of your space accordingly. A well-purposed room is one with the right pieces in the right proportion to the activities the room is used for. I meticulously measure your home and the furnishings you wish to keep to create detailed 2D floor plans and elevations. Then, I incorporate any new items we've determined are necessary. I work up multiple permutations to help demonstrate the best layouts for your space. We discuss these thoroughly until we have agreed a final layout that ensures your home is purposed just right for you and your family.
POV: A stunning room with poor space planning will start niggling and gnawing very quickly!
Designing homes isn't only about creating drool worthy spaces for social media. First and foremost, it is about figuring out how you and your family live and defining the optimal use of your space accordingly. A well-purposed room is one with the right pieces in the right proportion to the activities the room is used for. I meticulously measure your home and the furnishings you wish to keep to create detailed 2D floor plans and elevations. Then, I incorporate any new items we've determined are necessary. I work up multiple permutations to help demonstrate the best layouts for your space. We discuss these thoroughly until we have agreed a final layout that ensures your home is purposed just right for you and your family.
POV: A stunning room with poor space planning will start niggling and gnawing very quickly!
Creative Churn
Understanding your style and taste is the bedrock of my design process. Some people have a clear idea of what they like, while others may need help to identify and articulate their preferences. I share a variety of visual and tactile stimulus with you and decode your spontaneous reactions. Through this process I gather a wealth of information on colour, fabrics, furniture, materials, art etc. that you warm to. We also discuss favourites from your existing pieces, why you love them and how you found them. We deep dive into your lives - cities you've lived in, your hobbies, interests, and any other facets of your life that you'd like to be reflected in your decor. I keep an eye out at all times for little nuggets that could spark a unique design. The creative churn is like a first date, and I work bloody hard to get to know the real you!
POV: I dislike using industry terms to define anybody's preferred style because I have yet to meet a client who fit neatly into any one box.
Understanding your style and taste is the bedrock of my design process. Some people have a clear idea of what they like, while others may need help to identify and articulate their preferences. I share a variety of visual and tactile stimulus with you and decode your spontaneous reactions. Through this process I gather a wealth of information on colour, fabrics, furniture, materials, art etc. that you warm to. We also discuss favourites from your existing pieces, why you love them and how you found them. We deep dive into your lives - cities you've lived in, your hobbies, interests, and any other facets of your life that you'd like to be reflected in your decor. I keep an eye out at all times for little nuggets that could spark a unique design. The creative churn is like a first date, and I work bloody hard to get to know the real you!
POV: I dislike using industry terms to define anybody's preferred style because I have yet to meet a client who fit neatly into any one box.
Design development
Sitting at my desk designing a room I often feel like something out of a sci-fi film. Swirling above my head are a gazillion different visuals - the colours you love, the art you bought together on that first trip to Vietnam, your grandmother's old cooking pots you display fondly in your living room, the photo of the boutique hotel that stopped you mid-scroll in our churn, that green sofa you have been eyeing in a store you visited. My mind sifts through them, tracing the threads that could pull the diverse bits together. I toss another handful up into the air, new pieces we could bring in: stylish armchairs that were made for lounging, quirky bedside tables that I know will take years off your bed, stunning lamps to infuse just the right mood, paint colours to make you feel cocooned, a magical rug that holds it all together. One by one the right pieces find their way down, settling into the floorplans we drew up, and a vision for your home begins to emerge.
POV: Design is a bit like alchemy: science explains but a part of it, after a point you have to put your faith in the magic to see the results!
Sitting at my desk designing a room I often feel like something out of a sci-fi film. Swirling above my head are a gazillion different visuals - the colours you love, the art you bought together on that first trip to Vietnam, your grandmother's old cooking pots you display fondly in your living room, the photo of the boutique hotel that stopped you mid-scroll in our churn, that green sofa you have been eyeing in a store you visited. My mind sifts through them, tracing the threads that could pull the diverse bits together. I toss another handful up into the air, new pieces we could bring in: stylish armchairs that were made for lounging, quirky bedside tables that I know will take years off your bed, stunning lamps to infuse just the right mood, paint colours to make you feel cocooned, a magical rug that holds it all together. One by one the right pieces find their way down, settling into the floorplans we drew up, and a vision for your home begins to emerge.
POV: Design is a bit like alchemy: science explains but a part of it, after a point you have to put your faith in the magic to see the results!
Specify Source lists
Once we have signed off on a final design for your home, it's time to pause and hug each other. Yes, you read right! A bit like having a baby together, this is no minor feat!
After we have hugged, we start drawing up shopping lists. (Repeat baby analogy!). The good news, however, is that I handle all the heavy lifting for us. I compile details such as price, brand, store, color, dimensions, and lead times for every off-the-shelf or pre-order item we intend to stock. Material specifications for custom items such as upholstery fabric or wallpaper are also compiled along with estimated costs. All this information is captured in a Google Sheet, organised by room, and shared with you. This gives you an indication of your total projected spends and timelines for product sourcing.
Additionally, I create final floor plans and wall elevations, complete with precise measurements, to illustrate the placement of existing and new furniture, artwork, and accessories.
This wraps up Stage 1 of the design process. You now have everything you need to purchase or commission the items in your new design and get them installed.
Once we have signed off on a final design for your home, it's time to pause and hug each other. Yes, you read right! A bit like having a baby together, this is no minor feat!
After we have hugged, we start drawing up shopping lists. (Repeat baby analogy!). The good news, however, is that I handle all the heavy lifting for us. I compile details such as price, brand, store, color, dimensions, and lead times for every off-the-shelf or pre-order item we intend to stock. Material specifications for custom items such as upholstery fabric or wallpaper are also compiled along with estimated costs. All this information is captured in a Google Sheet, organised by room, and shared with you. This gives you an indication of your total projected spends and timelines for product sourcing.
Additionally, I create final floor plans and wall elevations, complete with precise measurements, to illustrate the placement of existing and new furniture, artwork, and accessories.
This wraps up Stage 1 of the design process. You now have everything you need to purchase or commission the items in your new design and get them installed.
Stage 2: Execution
Purchasing, Installation and Styling
For those of you with super busy lives or just a lack of appetite for getting your hands dirty (no judgement whatsoever) I also offer an execution service. This service includes the following
- Purchasing all off-the-shelf and pre-order items on your behalf
- Liaising with suppliers to get quotes and execute bespoke items
- Getting existing or new art framed
- Following up with stores and coordinating delivery timelines of all items
- Organizing tradesmen for painting and wallpapering where required.
- Organising a handyman and supervising the installation of art, shelves, lighting etc.
- Styling your decorative accessories to dress up cabinets, coffee tables etc.
If you would like my help to create a home that makes you feel happy everyday get in touch at [email protected]!
© 2024 Plum Chutney
