The ink’s barely dry on the purchase contract when you get post from the contractor. A long list of extras. Five pages full of terms like switching circuits, empty conduits, extra power outlets, light point relocation. And a deadline. You thought you had time. That you could first think calmly about what the living room should look like, which sofa fits, where the dining table goes. But now you suddenly need to decide about power outlets when you don’t even know where your furniture will be.
This is the moment when many people get stuck. And it’s precisely the moment when the question comes up: when do you actually hire an interior designer for a new build? The answer is simpler than you think, but the consequences are bigger than you realise.
Why does new build feel so overwhelming?
With an existing home, you immediately see what works and what doesn’t. You walk through the spaces, feel how big they are, see where the light falls. With new build, you don’t have that frame of reference. You’re looking at floor plans, technical drawings, renders that always look better than reality.
Meanwhile, the deadlines keep ticking. Shell deadline in six weeks. Choose kitchen. Decide bathroom. Select tiles. And then that extras list: do you want an extra socket in the bedroom? Where should it go? And how many do you need?
The problem isn’t that you don’t have taste. The problem is that you need to make decisions about things you won’t see for another year, based on knowledge you don’t have.
New build interior: when do most people start, and what goes wrong?
Practice shows a clear pattern. Most people only hire an interior designer after the shell is already built. At that point the walls are there, the light points are where they are, the power outlets have been installed. The construction is finished.
And only then does it become clear what isn’t right. The spots in the living room are too close to the window, so a curtain rail won’t fit anymore. There’s no socket behind the television. The light switch is on the wrong side of the door. The office has too few sockets because it was originally drawn as a guest room.
Can that still be adjusted? Yes. But not hidden anymore. You get a visible cable across the ceiling, a cover plate against the wall, a solution that works but isn’t beautiful. And it costs you double what it would have cost if it had been done right from the start.
When is the right moment to start with your new build interior?
The answer is simple: as early as possible, and in any case before the shell deadline.
Why precisely that moment? Because the shell is the tipping point. Until that deadline you can still move walls, add light points, install conduits, plan sockets. Everything gets hidden in the construction. Everything gets done right in one go.
An interior designer who thinks along at this stage asks questions you don’t ask yourself. Not “what colour do you want,” but: where will your television hang and what cables does it need? Do you want paintings on the wall and should there be a spot on them? Will you use the guest room as an office later and does that need separate circuit groups for equipment?
Precisely those questions made the difference for Nathalie and Dimitri. They bought a new build townhouse in Utrecht and came to Choc Studio. By starting early they got exactly what they wanted: “Normally a building project is stressful, but we didn’t feel that at all,” they say. “It turned out more beautiful than we’d dreamed in an utterly relaxed way.”
What if you’re already further along in the process?
Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking: the shell is already built. Is it too late then?
No, absolutely not. You can still achieve a lot with the finishing, the materials, the colours, the furniture, the lighting. A good designer sees opportunities where others only see limitations.
However, you’ve then missed certain possibilities. The wall that can no longer be moved. The extra light point that can’t be added anymore without visible wiring. The switch that’s now on the wrong side.
These aren’t disasters, but they are opportunities you won’t get back. And that’s a shame, because it could have been prevented.
How does Choc Studio work with new build projects?
We start with your situation. Where are you in the process? Are the drawings already final or is there still room to think along? What are your wishes and how will you actually use the spaces?
Then we translate that into a concrete plan. With new builds we work with realistic 3D visualisations, so you see exactly what the spaces will look like before anything’s even built. You see where the sofa sits, where the light falls, how large the dining table can be. Not on a floor plan, but in image.
And we guide the execution. We coordinate with the contractor, ensure the right information gets passed on at the right moment, and we’re there when questions come up during construction. View our services to see how we guide new build projects from start to finish.
Have you just bought a new build home?
Get in touch for a no-obligation introductory meeting. We’ll discuss where you are in the process and what we can do for you.
About Choc Studio
At Choc Studio we combine expertise with personal attention. Since 2007 we’ve guided interior projects from concept to completion, working from our studio in Bennebroek near Haarlem. We think along, look ahead and ensure our clients get an interior that truly suits them.