The 5 Design Decisions That Shape Every Home I Create – And Why They Matter From the Start

One of the questions I’m asked most often is how a project actually begins, and what those early stages of the design process really involve.

While every home – and every client – is different, it’s often these early home ideas that shape the direction from the outset. There are a few key decisions we always come back to at this stage, and they set the tone for everything that follows, guiding both the overall vision and the finer details as the design develops.

1. The Layout Always Comes First

Reviewing the layout – and really understanding how a home will be used – is always one of the first steps in our process. Before we get into materials, finishes, or decorating ideas, we focus on how the space needs to function day to day.

We begin with the practical flow of the home. From the moment someone walks through the door, how does the space support them? Where do shoes come off, where are coats stored, and how naturally does the entrance lead into the rest of the house? These small, often overlooked details make a noticeable difference to how a home feels to live in.

From there, we look at how each room connects and relates to the next. That might mean refining the positioning of doors, improving the sense of symmetry, or adjusting layouts so movement through the space feels intuitive rather than forced. We’re also thinking ahead to how furniture will sit – making sure there’s enough space to move comfortably and that each room works as it should once it’s lived in.

These are the decisions that quietly underpin everything else. We like to resolve them early, so by the time we move into the interior design phase, we’re working from a well-considered plan that supports both the architecture and the way the home will actually be used. It makes the entire process feel more straightforward – and the end result far more considered.

2. The Architectural Language of the Home

This will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with my design approach – the architectural language of a home should always lead. It’s the starting point, and it should inform every decision that follows.

For me, the architecture sets the foundation and establishes the tone. It tells us how the interiors ought to develop – from proportions and spatial rhythm through to materials and the overall atmosphere. When that relationship is clear, the design process becomes far more coherent.

I’ve never been drawn to schemes where the architecture and interiors feel at odds with one another – pulled from different eras or driven by conflicting trends. When those elements compete, the result can feel unsettled rather than resolved. A home should feel considered and cohesive, as though each layer has evolved naturally from the one before it.

Instead, we take cues from the building itself and build a clear design narrative around it – something that feels grounded in the structure rather than imposed onto it. Once that direction is established, we begin refining the details, from materials and joinery through to furniture and decoration.

When architecture and interiors are properly aligned, the result is something that feels calm, balanced, and lasting – which, ultimately, is always the goal.

3. The Material Palette

Although we usually present physical samples later in the process, material thinking starts much earlier than that. From the outset, I’m already considering what each surface, element, and space might be made from – even at a conceptual stage.

As the overall look and feel of the home begins to take shape, the material palette naturally becomes part of the conversation. We’re asking questions early on: should the walls feel soft and textural with a plaster finish, or cleaner and more minimal? Would timber flooring with age and variation suit the space better, or something more consistent and controlled?

These choices do more than define the aesthetic – they influence how the design is handled. Materials often dictate the level of restraint or expression in the detailing. If we’re working with something inherently rich in character, like reclaimed timber or a hand-applied plaster, the approach tends to be quieter, allowing those elements to take the lead.

In other cases, we might do the opposite. A striking stone, for example, can become a focal point – something we intentionally draw attention to, building a more defined moment around it.

The important thing is that materials and design direction are never treated separately. They evolve together, shaping each other as the project develops. That relationship is what gives a scheme its clarity –and ensures the final result feels cohesive, considered, and well resolved.

4. Natural Light and Orientation

Another consideration I always come back to is the orientation of the sun and how natural light moves through a home. It’s something I’ve spoken about in depth before – even dedicating a full column to it –, so I won’t labour the point, but it remains central to how I approach every project.

Natural light has a profound effect on how a space feels. It shapes the atmosphere over the course of the day and changes how materials and colours are read. The same stone, plaster, or timber can take on a completely different quality depending on the direction, strength, and warmth of the light hitting it.

On a more instinctive level, it’s something you feel as much as you see. A room filled with natural light has a very different energy from one that’s darker or more enclosed, and that shift in mood is something I’m always aware of when planning how spaces will be used.

Early on, we study how light moves through the house and use that to guide key decisions around layout and function. It’s about placing the right rooms in the right locations. A media room, for example, benefits from being more enclosed and atmospheric, so positioning it in the brightest part of the house rarely makes sense. Instead, we prioritise natural light for the spaces people use most during the day – living areas, kitchens, anywhere you spend time for longer stretches.

When the orientation is carefully considered, it elevates more than just the look of a home – it changes how it feels to live in, which is ultimately what matters most.

5. Defining the Intended Feeling of the Home

Before we get into the finer layers of a project, I always come back to a simple question: how should this home feel? Beyond the practical requirements and aesthetic direction, there needs to be a clear sense of atmosphere from the outset.

Is it calm and restorative, or more social and energetic? Does it lean towards something quietly elegant, or is it softer and more relaxed? Defining that early on gives the project a sense of direction that goes beyond surface-level decisions.

That emotional brief ends up guiding far more than people expect. It influences the material palette, the tone of the colors, the scale and proportion of the rooms, the level of detailing, and even how light is allowed to move through the space. It becomes a reference point we return to throughout the process.

It’s not always something clients can articulate straight away. More often, it emerges gradually – through conversations about how they live, what they’re drawn to, and how they want their home to function day to day.

Individually, these decisions might seem quite practical. But taken together – the layout, the architectural language, the materials, the way light is handled, and the overall atmosphere – they form the foundation of the entire project. When those fundamentals are resolved early, everything else falls into place more naturally.

The result is a home that feels cohesive and considered from the ground up – not just visually, but in the way it supports everyday living.