Pleasing design is not a luxury. Nor is it always expensive. We all know on a deeper level that it provides something profoundly important to us (It is, in fact, food for the soul).

So, whether you are a Do It Yourselfer , or you are looking for a Custom Design Service, I can help you. I have spent the last 24 years helping others solve design problems similar to those you are now facing. And I am happy to tailor my services to suit your needs.

Kerry's 7 HOT TIPS for your design project

1. Your wish list. This is your project - no-one else's. Write down your wishes. Allow yourself to get them all out of your head, no matter how unrelated these thoughts might be. Then list them in order of priority, from the most vital to the least important.
2. The starting point for your design solutions. Anything is possible at this stage. There are infinite ways to solve your design problems. Begin with a long-term approach. Start with what you'd like to accomplish long term, even if you are only taking on small stages for now. This means you can evaluate each step before you do it, in order to avoid having to backtrack and do anything twice - and spend money twice!
3. If funds are limited, work with what is there already. This is where a skilled designer can think laterally, finding solutions that may not appear obvious at first. A good designer will bring your wish list and the practical world together, manifesting them into reality in the best way possible, for you.
4. If you think you might be over-capitalising on your property ask a local real estate agent for some guidance on what your place would be worth once you've completed the project. This can become a guide for defining your budget.
5. Limit yourself to only the necessary number of designers, trades people and experts. Too many cooks spoil the broth. One cohesive design will bring everything together in the end.
6. Do not allow well-meaning family and friends to distract you from your plans. Everyone has an opinion (and they're entitled to one) but these can very quickly derail a great plan and waste a lot of your valuable resources.
7. Trust the process. It is like a big empty funnel at the beginning. As soon as you put the right ingredients into the funnel they will flow in an obvious direction, and more quickly towards the end, as the project takes on a momentum of its own. The results will become clear right at the end, but until then there's a stage when it feels like there's not much to see. Trust the process.

Remember, the key to great results is putting these key steps together - one at a time.