The quality of a finished house is decided less by the design than by how faithfully it is built. That depends on the working relationship between the interior designer and the builder, and on how early it begins.
Clients often imagine that the designer's work is done once the drawings and selections are approved. In my experience the opposite is true. The most important phase is the one on site, when hundreds of small decisions are made each week, and when a misread detail can be built in an afternoon and take a month to correct. Whether the project is a new house or the renovation of an existing one, the designer should be present for it.
New construction: join before the walls are fixed
On a new house, the interior designer should be appointed while the architecture is still being drawn. Furniture plans determine where outlets and floor boxes go. Lighting design determines ceiling voids and switch positions. Art placement affects wall construction and blocking. If the designer arrives after framing, every one of those becomes a change order rather than a line on a drawing.
Renovation: respect what is already there
A renovation brings different challenges. Existing structure and services impose limits, and opening walls always brings surprises. I prefer a thorough investigation before design is finalised, with selective opening-up where the risks are greatest. It is far better to discover a beam where the new doorway was planned while we are still drawing than once the stone has been ordered.
Renovations also have an occupant. Where a family is living in part of the house, sequencing, dust control, access and noise must be planned with the builder from the outset.
The documents that protect the client
- Interior elevations and details for every significant room, not only plans.
- Finish and fixture schedules, so every material, size and supplier is recorded.
- Lighting and control drawings coordinated with the electrician.
- Joinery drawings approved through shop drawings from the workshop.
- A sample board, kept on site, of every approved finish for reference.
These documents are the language the builder works from. The more complete they are, the fewer questions are answered by guesswork.
On site, every week
At Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors our jobsite manager, Paul Goldenburg, keeps the daily thread with the builder, and I visit at the moments that matter: when stone is laid out before cutting, when the first panel of joinery arrives, when the lighting is first switched on. A mock-up of a critical detail, a stair nosing, a stone junction, a plaster finish, approved on site, saves more money than any negotiation over price.
Procurement and sequencing
Luxury interiors rely on long lead times. Bespoke furniture, lighting from Europe, hand-woven textiles and stone from particular quarries can take many months. The designer must give the builder a realistic programme of what arrives when, so that walls are finished before furniture is delivered and floors are protected while trades are still working. A house that is finished in the wrong order will be marked before the owner moves in.
One question to ask before you appoint anyone
Ask the designer how they will work with your builder, and ask the builder the same question about the designer. If the answers describe regular meetings, shared drawings, site mock-ups and a clear route for decisions, you have a team. If each describes the other as someone they will hear from occasionally, you have two contractors and a great deal of risk.
To discuss a commission in confidence, contact kenneth@bhli.us or call +1 (310) 467-5635.
Frequently Asked
Does BHLI handle both new construction and luxury renovations?
Yes. Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors designs interiors for new construction and for luxury renovations in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and internationally, and coordinates directly with the builder throughout construction.
When should an interior designer be hired for a new house?
Ideally while the architecture is still being drawn, so that furniture layouts, lighting, art placement and joinery can inform the electrical, structural and ceiling design before construction begins.
Does the interior designer visit the construction site?
On a BHLI project, the jobsite manager coordinates with the builder day to day, and Kenneth Bordewick attends key site moments such as stone layout, joinery delivery, mock-up approvals and lighting commissioning.
How do you avoid delays on a luxury renovation?
Investigate the existing structure before design is finalised, complete detailed drawings and schedules, order long-lead items early, and agree a delivery sequence with the builder so finishes arrive in the right order.