How to start a design project

We spoke to interior designer Briony Ace to get an expert's guide to starting and planning a design project.

Starting a new design project is always the most exciting part. There’s a buzz of possibility, that feeling that you could take the room in so many different directions. However, with that excitement can come overwhelm. Where do you start? How do you pull all your ideas together and make sure they actually work in your home, not just in your head?

For me, the design process is about slowing down, asking the right questions, and letting the space tell me what it needs. I like to build schemes that are grounded, soulful and functional — spaces that give back as much as they take. In the following guide, I’ll share my process and hopefully this will help anyone planning their own interior design project.

In this guide:

• Questions to ask before you start your project
• How to budget without losing the magic
• The role of samples
• How to create a mood board
• When do decide on flooring
• What experience has taught me

Questions to ask before you start your project

Before I even think about colours or fabrics, I spend time reflecting on how the room needs to work. A few questions I always ask:

• How do you want this room to feel? Restful, energising, cocooning, inspiring?
• Who uses the space, and what do they need from it daily?
• What can you keep — an heirloom piece, a sofa, a favourite artwork — and what can be changed?
• What do you want to highlight (a fireplace, big window, ceiling height) and what do you want to soften?
• Do you want the flooring to quietly ground the scheme or make a statement?
• How does the light shift in this space across the day?

Sometimes the answers surprise you — and they almost always shape the design more than you think.

How to budget without losing the magic

That dreaded word: budget! Budgets aren’t glamorous, but they’re essential. They also give you clarity about where to put your money for maximum impact. I like to:

• Break up the budget into categories – I split my budget into flooring, furniture, lighting and soft furnishings/accessories.

Tapi Top Tip - Use Tapi’s guide to budgeting for new flooring to ground your cost expectations (it's really handy when you’re at the planning stage)!

• Keep a simple spreadsheet or notes app of your spending – Every spend needs to go into this — no matter how small. You want to organise your renovation so you can enjoy the process and knowing where you're at with money really helps with this.
• Allow 10–15% contingency fund – Plan for something unexpected, because it always happens!
• Decide early where to invest and where to save – I call it the high and low mix. There's no wrong or right answer to this as every project is different but I love mixing everything from designer to charity shop finds. It’s a balance between look, feel and function and what feels worth investing in for the long term for you.

The role of samples

I couldn’t design without samples! They’re tactile, they bring the scheme to life, and they show you how things really sit together. Here are my sample tips:

• I always order flooring, paint, and fabric samples at the same time so I can see them as a whole scheme.
• Small swatches are useful, but I make the effort to see bigger samples in store — especially for flooring, because scale and pattern really matter.
• I move samples around the room, looking at them in natural light, evening light, even under lamps. It’s amazing how much they can shift.

I always present my designs to clients with a box of samples and I love seeing their eyes light up as it makes it so much easier to envision.

How to create a mood board

Once you've gathered your inspirations and pulled together a few samples it's time to create the mood board. It doesn’t need to be fancy — it just needs to hold everything in one place so you can see the story unfolding and it gives you a point of reference to keep going back to and keep you on track.

What to include:

• Flooring samples
• Fabric samples
• Paint swatches
• A few key furniture pieces
• Lighting ideas
• Images that capture the mood you’re aiming for

I usually start with one anchor or "jumping off point": it could be a vintage textile, a favourite artwork, a view from the window, or even a much-loved chair. From there, everything else builds outwards. Tapi have a selection of lookbooks to give you flooring ideas for particular interior trends - there’s everything from modern neutrals to bold and colourful.

When to decide on flooring

Flooring is part renovation, part decoration. It’s not something you change lightly, so it deserves early thought. I usually finalise flooring once the overall scheme is sketched out, but before locking in paint or fabrics.

Think of it as the grounding element. Once the floor is set, everything else can layer and flow around it. Tapi’s PictureIT tool is really useful here — you can upload a photo of your room and see new flooring in situ. It’s the closest thing to standing in the space before committing!

What experience has taught me

I’ve learnt a few things from being an interior designer for many years and working on multiple design projects, so here are a few of my top tips.

• The planning stage is everything - it saves time, money, and regret later on.
• Trust the light - always check how materials and colours behave throughout the day.
• Flooring has huge power to shape a room - quiet or bold, it sets the tone.
• Make sure your home reflects you – don’t just follow the latest design trend.
• Be prepared to pivot - keep referencing back to your mood board but always be ready to adapt if needs be along the way.

Designing a home isn’t about rushing to the end - it’s about enjoying the process. Take time with the early steps, gather your inspiration, and let the scheme unfold. With a thoughtful beginning, the result will always be a space that feels natural, restorative and uniquely yours. If you need help with choosing flooring for your design project, bring along your photos, swatches or mood boards to your nearest Tapi store, or book a home visit and a Tapi flooring expert will pop round with samples for you to try in your own space.

Take a look at Briony’s stairs transformation using our Lerwick black and cream striped carpet.

Watch our how to start a flooring project video: