Renovation is complex.
Doing it well is hard.
At the beginning, the idea of renovation can feel deceptively simple. How hard can it be. Right? But then you are in it. The plans arrive, the decisions stack up and the costs start to feel very real. Suddenly it all feels less fun and the stress builds.
You really want to get this right. But so many things have the potential to go wrong. And that’s if you’ve even managed to get started. Sometimes it’s even hard to get out of the starting gate because it’s just not clear how to progress or you’re stuck with plans that you can’t quite commit to.
But the brilliant news is that renovation doesn’t have to feel that hard.
Renovation is complex. But it becomes far easier once you understand what really matters, what to watch out for, and where the risks lie. With the right support, it can move from stressful and overwhelming to creative, enjoyable and deeply rewarding.
Renovation Success is a growing body of work designed to help people renovate their homes well. With more clarity, confidence and enjoyment. And far less stress.
It brings together practical tools, clear frameworks and hard-won experience to support homeowners at the moments that matter most, whether they’re just getting started, feeling stuck, or deep in the middle of a project. This isn’t about a single style, budget or way of living. It’s about helping normal people, with normal homes, create renovations that truly work for them.
I’m an architectural and interior designer who has helped hundreds of clients renovate their homes - and I’ve also been renovating my own homes for over twenty-five years.
In the early days I started off pretty blind. I loved property and design with a passion, but there was so much I didn’t yet understand about renovation itself. I made plenty of naïve errors. Wasted money, unnecessary stress, tolerated poor builders, and outcomes that were good at the time but, with hindsight, could have been so much better.
My Obsession
Somewhere along the way I developed a bit of an obsession with the idea that renovation could be happier and more successful if people simply had more support. Normal people, doing normal homes, whose budgets don’t stretch to working one-to-one with a designer throughout the entire process.
That idea has been persistent and insistent over the years. A nagging voice in the back of my mind.
Time to Pivot
So I’ve made a decision. A stop, pause and pivot moment in my life. As I move onto my next personal renovation project, I’m also pausing more traditional design work to focus on providing easily accessible tools, products and support so that more and more people can renovate well. With knowledge, confidence and access to good design.
This work has been shaped and refined through years of real projects, conversations and early prototypes tested quietly with clients along the way.
In many ways, it feels like coming full circle. Back to what I would have valued all those years ago.
I’m choosing to build and share this work in an open, evolving way. Taking the time to release ideas thoughtfully, rather than rushing to present everything as a finished whole. Like a sketch-level design that’s not yet fully resolved.
The great thing about a sketch is that it invites collaboration and input. It’s open to evolution, ideas and improvement. That’s the energy behind what I’m building as I turn my focus to all matters Renovation Success.
I’M STARTING HERE
Ideas that genuinely add value where it counts, and provide practical help and inspiration for real-life renovators. These are the people I’ve worked with for many years. I know the pain points, and I understand the critical moments where things can either go right or begin to unravel. This is where I want to help.
Concentrating on new and innovative ideas
Renovation Success is here for you whatever your taste
Heritage maximalism? Yes.
Brutalist minimalism? Sure.
Or simply a relaxed, comfortable family home.
Because while style varies wildly, the foundations of a successful renovation do not.
Renovation Success will help you get those foundations right.
Whatever your style.
My commitment is simple. To help you navigate your renovation with clarity, confidence and enjoyment. And to help many more renovations become genuinely successful renovations.
Where do I even start?
Do I need an architect?
How do I make sure everything I choose works together?
I'm not sure if these plans are right for us.
What should I decide now, and what can wait?
How do I find a good builder?
We both like different things!
I'm overwhelmed by choice!
Should I just choose everything before we begin?
How do I make sure my house doesn't look like everyone elses?
How do we avoid things going wrong?
Surely a good builder is all I need?
Where do I even start? Do I need an architect? How do I make sure everything I choose works together? I'm not sure if these plans are right for us. What should I decide now, and what can wait? How do I find a good builder? We both like different things! I'm overwhelmed by choice! Should I just choose everything before we begin? How do I make sure my house doesn't look like everyone elses? How do we avoid things going wrong? Surely a good builder is all I need?
THE FOUR PILLARS OF RENOVATION SUCCESS
A successful renovation isn’t just about an outstanding end result. Because if it costs you your relationship, or puts you into an unexpectedly difficult financial position, you can’t really call it a success.
Through my experience, I’ve identified four pillars of a successful renovation. Get each of these right and you’ll look back at the process with fond memories whilst enjoying a home that feels great to be in and really works for you and your loved ones.
Considered, expert spatial thinking that focuses on light, flow and outlook. Creative Spaces maximise a property’s unique strengths while minimising any weaknesses or awkward areas. The design supports your lifestyle and personal preferences, while respecting the architecture of the house itself. Ultimately, great spatial design is what turns a renovation into a home that feels right - for you, and for the way you actually live.
You choose the permanent elements of the interior - finishes, fixtures and materials - with clarity and intention. Decisions are made from a clear point of view, resulting in an interior that feels cohesive, well resolved and personal to you. With confidence in your choices, you make fewer mistakes, avoid costly regrets, and find it much easier to say no to what doesn’t belong.
A calm, collaborative and well-paced renovation process. Communication is clear, relationships are respectful, and everyone involved feels aligned and pulling in the same direction. Challenges still arise, but they don’t derail the project - they’re handled constructively and can even lead to better outcomes. The process moves forward with structure, momentum and far less stress.
Time, money and energy are managed consciously and used well. Expectations are set realistically, decisions are made with visibility, and surprises are reduced. With resources respected and deployed intelligently, waste is minimised and value is built steadily throughout the project. The result is a renovation that feels considered, controlled and well balanced.
Meet Emma
I’ve spent over 25 years renovating my own homes and working with clients to help their renovations succeed.
Everything I share here comes from lived experience. The successes, the mistakes, and the moments where the right support would have made all the difference.
Through Renovation Success, I’m focused on helping people renovate with clarity, confidence and enjoyment. Especially when full design support isn’t realistic or accessible.
I care deeply about renovations reaching their potential. Not just looking good, but feeling good to live in.