Start with how you want to live.

Reference images can start a conversation. A clear brief helps turn that conversation into a place that works for you.

01. Describe an ordinary day

Write down where you spend time, who shares each space and which activities overlap. Include quiet work, guests, storage and routines that photographs rarely show.

02. Separate needs from preferences

List essential functions first. Keep a second list for materials, moods and visual references, and explain what you like about each image.

03. Make the site part of the brief

Bring the available survey, photographs and information about access, neighbouring buildings and daylight. Ask the architect what further site information is needed.

04. Agree on scope and budget

Clarify which services are included and which specialists may be required. Discuss the overall budget, including fees, construction, interiors and a contingency, before settling on a design.

05. Plan for change

Consider how work, family life or mobility might change. Discuss which spaces should be adaptable and which decisions will be difficult to reverse.