Start Here: Before You Design Anything [Part 2]

Hello! And welcome to Episode 386. 

So often I see homeowners, excited about their project, instinctively moving straight into design. 

This episode is about slowing that moment down, and understanding why the work you do before you design has such a big influence on what is created - whoever you’re working with and even if you’re DIYing your design.

[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/386]

The urgency to start working on design drawings usually comes from a mix of excitement and fear. Excitement about finally seeing something take shape, and fear that if you wait, costs will rise, opportunities will disappear, or you’ll somehow fall behind.

But it is important to gently challenge the assumption that drawing plans is the best or most productive way to respond to that urgency.

Before we begin, I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work, the Widjabul Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung Nation. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and I honour their ongoing connection to land, culture and community.

It’s Amelia Lee here, founder and architect behind Undercover Architect, an online education platform that teaches homeowners how to get it right when designing, building or renovating their home, simply and with confidence, wherever you’re located and whoever you’re working with.

Undercover Architect is your secret ally. Not here to tell you what your home should look like, or to push an aesthetic, finish, or product. This is about helping you understand the process, ask better questions, avoid stressful and expensive mistakes, and make clear, informed decisions that are right for you and your project.

This episode is part of the Start Here Mini-Sodes Series, designed to eliminate assumptions, gently challenge unhelpful beliefs, and help you focus on what actually matters first, before momentum and excitement carry you too far ahead.

Now that you understand the four phases every project steps through from what was shared in Episode 385…

In this episode, we’re talking about the thinking that needs to happen before anything is drawn. 

Because design doesn’t start with creativity. It starts with clarity.

Without clarity, drawings can feel reassuring, but they often give a false sense of progress. They look like decisions, but they’re shaped by assumptions that haven’t yet been tested.

So let’s dive into Part 2 of the Start Here series, ‘Before You Design Anything’.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, plus a full transcript, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/386

Happy Home Design Mini-Course

If you’re getting confused by how to create a home design that genuinely supports the way you want to live and that also suits your site, my mini-course, ‘Happy Home Design’ will help you with early design thinking and investigation.

HOME Method Online Program

If you want guidance and support right through all four phases of your project, providing you with the steps, tools, resources and personalised help to navigate complexity, manage risk and avoid costly mistakes, then HOME Method is where you’ll find the community, coaching and education to support you every step of the way. 

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