SCOPE
For existing Sydney homes where walls move, rooms change use or a kitchen and bathroom are rebuilt. The design is set at floor level first, then carried up through benches, walls and ceilings.
SECTION B–B | LEVEL: FLOOR | OPEN-PLAN LIVING AND DINING | REFERENCE IMAGE
LEVEL — FLOOR
Design that works around the build
A renovation starts with a home that already has walls, plumbing, windows and habits. Renovation Interior Design works out what should change and what should stay. The aim is a clear design your builder, and any consultants your project needs, can price and build from.
We don’t replace your builder, certifier or engineer. The design sits alongside them. Layout decisions come first, then documentation, then the materials, lighting and joinery that finish each room. Where approvals may be needed, we plan the design so those conversations can happen early rather than halfway through the build.
WHO IT SUITS
Owners of Sydney houses, terraces and apartments who are planning:
— an open-plan conversion or reworked floor plan
— a new kitchen, bathroom or laundry within a wider refresh
— a home that needs to suit a changing household
— an older property brought up to date without losing its character
Looking at apartments? See Apartment Interior Design.
LEVEL — SCOPE
Partial, staged or whole-home
Scope sets how much of the house is designed together. A tighter scope keeps the decisions contained, while a larger one keeps every room consistent.
OPTION A
Partial renovation
One zone, like a kitchen and living area or a bathroom and ensuite. The design still considers how that zone links to the rooms around it.
Trade-off: faster to decide, but future stages still need to fit it.
OPTION B
Staged renovation
The whole plan is designed once, then built in stages to suit budget or living arrangements. Finishes can be locked in early, so each stage still matches the last.
Trade-off: more planning upfront and a longer overall timeline.
OPTION C
Full renovation
Layout, joinery, surfaces, lighting and furniture are resolved together, from floor to ceiling.
Trade-off: the most impact, and the most decisions and documentation.
LEVEL: WALL — finish samples over drawings
LEVEL — DRAWINGS
What the renovation depends on
Existing conditions. Measured plans or a site measure of the rooms being changed, plus notes on plumbing, windows and anything that must stay.
Layout drawings. Proposed plans that show new walls, openings and zones, worked through with Space Planning.
Elevations and joinery details. Kitchens, vanities and built-ins drawn so trades can quote the same thing. See Custom Joinery Design.
Finishes and lighting schedules. Materials, fixtures and lighting positions set out in one place, through Colour & Material Selection and Lighting & Finishes.
We put these together as Design Documentation.
LEVEL — SEQUENCE
How it runs
STAGE 01
Existing conditions
What the house already has: walls, plumbing runs, windows and the parts you want to keep. Plans or a site measure record the rooms that will change.
STAGE 02
Approvals-aware layout
Layout options worked through with Space Planning and 3D Interior Visualisation. Changes that may need approval are flagged, so those conversations can start early.
STAGE 03
Documentation for pricing
Plans, elevations and schedules prepared as Design Documentation, so builders quote on the same scope.
STAGE 04
Selections during the build
Fixtures, finishes and lighting confirmed as the builder reaches each stage, with questions about design intent coming back to us. The wider method is on Design Process.
LEVEL — QUESTIONS
Renovation questions
More answers are on the Interior Design FAQ. For budget factors, read What Affects Interior Design Costs in Sydney.
Should the designer come before or after the builder?
Ideally before pricing. A resolved design and documentation mean builders are quoting on the same scope, and fewer choices are left open once work begins.
Can you work with a builder we've already chosen?
Yes. The drawings and schedules are prepared so any builder can use them, and questions about design intent can come back to us.
Do we need to renovate everything at once?
No. A staged renovation designs the whole plan once, so a kitchen done now still suits the living areas done later.
Is this different from a new build?
Yes. A renovation works within existing structure and services, while a new build is designed from plans. See New Build Interior Design.
LEVEL — NEXT
Book a Consultation
Bring plans or measurements if you have them, plus photos of the rooms you’re changing. We’ll talk through scope level by level. General questions can go through Contact.
RELATED — SAME LEVEL
References: Projects · Serving Sydney NSW, including the Eastern Suburbs, Lower North Shore, Inner West, Northern Beaches and Sydney CBD.