We love using visualisations in our design work as a way of bringing to life the dreams and aspirations of our clients. What better way than to use 3D renders to illustrate our design schemes? They transport the client to what their home will look and feel like when the builders are finished and the scheme is realised. It sounds so simple but there is so much work that goes into this process. It is this investment of time and effort in the planning stage that makes the difference. Ultimately, it is all about having a clear vision and achieving what you want in your goals to live your best life.

I am very interested in visualisation not only from a design point of view but also in the context of what I want from my life in general. It is something I am currently exploring as part of my Creative Visionary Programme art course. I believe what you rehearse in your brain helps bring you closer to achieving that vision. Putting what you want out there into the universe helps get you to where you want to be. What I am doing for myself as part of my art course and personal life goal and what we do for our clients in our design work have definite similarities. I thought I would share some of the magic with you in this blog in 5 steps below.

1. Know what you want and how you want to live

Our design process

In a design context, this is all about understanding what our clients really like in their style and colour tastes. What materials do they like? Do they like bright, saturated colours and bold patterns? Do they like more muted colours and smaller, subtler patterns? Are they more drawn to quiet spaces or bolder statements or a mix of the two? What interior styles do they prefer? Just as important is focusing on how our clients want to live. What do they want to factor into their homes to optimise the use of the space and create wonderful flow.

It is my job as a designer to work with clients to draw this information and their preferences out and use them as a basis for the scheme. We do not follow trends rather we focus in on what our clients like as individuals. We capture that information and cleverly use it to translate into a scheme that feels like them. It is their home and should very much reflect them and how they want to use the space.

This is not as easy as it sounds and one of the main reasons people reach out for a designer to help tease out style preferences from the myriad of choices out there and ask searching questions about use of space to really get to the bottom of how the available space can best be planned.

Life goals

Exactly the same applies in any visualising any life goals. The trick is to really focus in on what brings you joy and brings you alive. What values do you as an individual hold dear? Identify the things that light you up. What do you want in life? List your desires. What I have been blown away by in my art course is just how different everyone’s inspiration boards are. They are as unique as we are as humans.

I have prepared an inspiration board for my art however you may be interested in preparing an inspiration board for any aspect of your life.

2. Describe the vision

Our Design Process

Once you are clear on the vision then you can spend time wisely by describing it visually and through language. Consider all the senses. What does it look like, feel like, smell like? How does it feel to touch? Listen? How does it sound? The more you focus in on something, the more your connections to it will grow. You can use visual research tools like Pinterest to collate images to support your vision. Putting words and images together is such a powerful way of articulating your vision.

Another challenge people face when approaching a design project is lack of time. This difficulty along with so much choice, means the design exercise can feel overwhelming especially when we juggle so many things in modern day life. Putting the effort in at stages 1 and 2 (along with balancing budgets) is the secret though. We can help clients by doing the research and really focusing in on what are the key ingredients to form the vision and adding the detail because this will bring success in the end project.

Life goals

I have spent the last week or so reaching inward to think carefully about what drives me in pulling together my art inspiration board. It was important not to be distracted by external influences because it is all about what brings meaning to me not others. What an eye-opener and freeing exercise to do. It is meant to be a prelude to change and shifts in my work. I can’t wait to see how what I have filtered down for this inspiration board reveals itself in my artwork moving forward.

Anyway, the trick is to pay attention to your intentions and importantly what you say to yourself too to bolster those intentions in a positive way. Queue being upbeat about your ability to make the changes towards your life vision and manifest desired outcomes.

3. Start visioning and create emotions

Our Design Process

In our design work, we produce 3D visuals and sketches to reinforce 2D design plans and mood boards. These are fantastic tools to take the bones of what clients have explained in their brief to a fully-formed design scheme which captures the detail. Significantly it captures the very essence of the mood in the space and allows the clients to really dive into what their homes and gardens will feel like. It is the ability to bring the emotion to the fore that will make the difference. We are after all humans and thrive on emotional response.

Life Goals

Likewise, taking time to regularly return to a vision and visualise it in your mind will reinforce it and rehearse it and continue to build your connection to it. You may return to it via a meditation exercise. You may chat about it with friends and family. Putting it out there into the world, sharing it and owning it helps take you a step closer to realising the vision. It opens doors that would remain shut if you kept it to yourself.

4. Daily Actions

Our Design Process

In a design project, once our client has signed off on the vision then we can take the necessary steps to realise the end result. They will engage contractors to carry out the works according to our design plans and visuals and for interior schemes, we will source interior design finishes and furniture as per our specification. Step by step you bring the dream to reality.

Life Goals

This may not be as easy as realising a design scheme but the principle of putting into practice what you have planned for your vision is the secret. Take the steps necessary to get to where you want to be. Break it down into achievable steps. It may feel frustrating and you may wonder whether you will ever get there but if you are clear enough about where you are heading and putting in the ground work then you will get there.

I always had a vision that I would set up a creative business throughout my 30s and into my 40s. I wasn’t entirely sure how I would do this but always had a drive to get there. As I write, I am super pleased about where I am. I have an established design business and I am also investing my time into building my art business and I love it. I believe in the power and magic of visualisation.

5. Grit and Determination

Our Design Process

This is all about overcoming challenges and having the perseverance to stay the course and get to the end result. In a build project, it is not uncommon to encounter challenges which reveal themselves along the way especially when you are dealing with an old property and planning regulations. It is good practice to build in a contingency for these sort of challenges. In recent times, homeowners have had to deal with the challenge of lockdown restrictions and Brexit as they work towards their renovation visions. There are almost always setbacks when dealing with complex projects. The trick is to have a contingency for them and expect that they will happen. If they don’t, it is a bonus. If they do, then be ready for them and always have your vision to full back on and refer to and you steer yourself forward.

Life goals

Similarly with using visualisation in the context of life goals. You cannot plan for every eventuality that life brings, but you can expect that things will come up and challenge you. You can build in an element of flexibility in your thinking and embrace change where you need to. As long as you have your vision, are talking to yourself positively, taking the steps to edge yourself forward and dig deep when needed, you will get there. Or, at the very least get to a place you want to be. So exciting. Why not give it a go?

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x Annie x

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