You'll notice we haven't use the word 'write' in this title.
That's because a 'brief' can take all kinds of forms - it can be a poem, a set of photographs or a series of conversations.
However, here are some advisory dos and don'ts for bringing your brief to life:
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DON'T put together a visual brief composed of tear-outs from NZ Home and Garden, or Trends magazine, showing interiors and fitted kitchens that you like.
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DO put together a visual brief with photos of family, previous houses, pets, holidays and anything that has ever inspired you - as well as the odd tear out from your favourite home magazines.
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DO subscribe to some home design magazines if you're planning a renovation. It's a good idea to take or three on subscription. Most of them, of course, will illustrate sickeningly tidy new homes, along with the odd alteration or extension. Perhaps most importantly, they'll provide lots of budget and technical information and useful contacts.
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DON'T rely entirely on these magazines for your inspiration!
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DO visit several book stores and your favourite library and scour their inspirational architectural books. For technical inspiration, visit manufacturers or go to exhibitions. Most of the major manufacturers of building materials, design products and services exhibit at trade shows and they're all very anxious to sell their products and services to you direct.
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DON'T treat your meetings with your architect or builder like business appointments with dead-set objectives and strict time constraints.
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DO get to know them, introduce them to your home and even visit other buildings together. For that matter, start taking a lively interest in the design of other people's houses. Visit friends, visit show homes; make notes of design features, colours and finishes; ask friends how they get on with a particular layout or product. Compare their requirements with your own and ask yourself whether their design solutions will provide an answer for you. You'll find that most people are only too happy to talk about how they've arrived at a particular layout or design for their newly renovated home.
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DON'T try to remember everything you see and learn. That's impossible.
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DO write everything down: friends' opinions and technical information. And take photographs - lots of them. Consider buying a scrapbook for keeping photographs, inspirational sources, articles and snippets of information. In a way, this less than beautiful assembly of ideas can often form the perfect brief.
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DON'T deliver a neat, written brief along with some pictures, and think that that's it. A design develops over time, and in response to input.
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DO be prepared to have lots of meetings to discuss and change things - some of the most recognised architectural design briefs for homes have taken 6 months to reach completion. This is your home, do not rush the process or settle, because you want the job finished tomorrow. Be prepared to engage, and you'll be much more satisfied with the outcome.
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DON'T leave the layout and plan entirely to your architect
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DO measure up the furniture that you want to relocate. Measure the plan footprint and height of furniture and fittings required and think about space around this furniture, for access.
Article courtesy of the Grand Designs Handbook by Kevin McCloud, 2006
