Designing a new home is about so much more than selecting colours and finishes. It’s about creating spaces that reflect the way you live, feel comfortable to come home to, and continue to work for your family for years to come.
As an interior designer working alongside Design Builders Bay of Plenty, Lisa Redshaw supports clients who choose to include interior design expertise as part of their building journey. From the early design stages, Lisa helps shape homes that are both beautiful and highly functional, working alongside Managing Director Sam Perrin and the Design Builders team to ensure every detail supports the overall vision for the home.
We sat down with Lisa to talk about the design process, what clients can expect, and how having the right team around you can help bring your vision to life.
Lisa Redshaw
027 2359129 | info@lisaredshawdesign.co.nz
www.lisaredshawdesign.co.nz
A lot of people building end up choosing between a group home builder with set plans, or an architect and builder as separate businesses. How would you describe the positives of the Design Builders approach, design and build under one roof, and what does it mean for the way you work?
Design Builders design-and-build approach gives clients the reassurance of one integrated team working toward the same outcome from the beginning. Rather than managing separate conversations between an architect and builder, clients have a clear single point of contact, which greatly reduces the risk of details being missed or lost in translation all inhouse communication flows easily.
For the way I work, the biggest advantage is being brought in early while the design is being finalised. I review the plans through an interior’s lens, considering how materials, finishes, and products transition through the home, as well as how the spaces will function day to day. That early involvement means practical or aesthetic adjustments can be made on paper, before they become costly or stressful to change during the build.
Early involvement helps create a home that not only looks beautiful but is functional as well.
If someone was thinking about building with Sam and asked you what he’s like to work with, what would you tell them?
I’ve worked alongside Sam for many years, and he is easy to communicate with. His systems are transparent, his attention to detail is exceptional, and he creates a collaborative process that helps clients feel informed and supported throughout the build. Communication and trust are key to any successful project, and Sam brings both consistently.
What does a first meeting with a client usually look like, and what are you trying to understand about them?
The first meeting is a relaxed conversation and an opportunity to get to know the clients. I ask them to bring any visuals, samples, or ideas they may have collected so far. From there, the conversation naturally starts to reveal their lifestyle, and their taste, whether they are minimalist, traditional, lovers of colour, or a refined simple colour pallet.
What tends to surprise clients most about the interior design process once they’re in it? How do you help a client who says “I don’t really know what I like”?
Most clients are surprised by just how many decisions are required, every material, colour, finish and detail forms part of the bigger picture, it’s difficult to make one decision in isolation but slowly as products and materials are selected a picture develops, soon enough we will find something that the client falls in love with and this becomes the pivot point for the rest of the design.
Yes, “I don’t know what I like” is a common response, so I flip the question and ask clients what they don’t like – everyone knows the answer to this question!
If someone’s about to start designing their home, what’s the one thing you wish every client knew going in?
The most important thing is to stay true to the vision you have for your home and not be distracted by other people’s opinions or the current trends. Trust the professionals you have chosen to work with.
Ready to Start Your Design & Build Journey?
Whether you’re looking to build a new home, secure a house and land package, transform your existing home through a renovation, or start fresh with a knock-down rebuild, Design Builders is here to help bring your vision to life.
With a design-and-build approach, our experienced teams guide you through every stage of the journey, creating homes that are thoughtfully designed around the way you live.
Talk to Sam Perrin | Design Builders Bay of Plenty
027 757 7170 | sam.perrin@designbuilders.co.nz
