KEEP IT TOGETHER

Architect and design expert Denise O'Connor has created a must-have book whether you are refurbishing a room or building a new house.

Denise O'Connor is the managing director of Optimise Design and over the last 15 years she has worked with hundreds of clients on their home renovations and improvements. Denise even put her knowledge into to practice when it came her own home renovation a few years ago, so who better to publish a book full of tips to help you prepare and properly plan for your own project.

'I have been wanting to do this book for some time now,' says Denise. 'I see so many people get quickly overwhelmed by all of the decisions that need to be made. Whether it is a new build, extension, a new kitchen or bathroom, it's easy for things to spiral out of control and this book is a way for me to help people and pass on my expertise even if I am not working with them.

'The loss of control usually comes about due to the lack of planning and decision-making on behalf of the homeowner. For example, the builder is ready to tile your bathroom but you haven't picked your tiles yet and the ones you want take a month to be delivered. Therefore you have to take something you don't really want instead or put off tiling until your builder can next get the tiler on your job, which in turn could knock your whole project back.

'I really can't stress enough how vitally important it is to take your time at the planning stage and have all of your decisions made before the work starts. Don't rush this time because once the work begins things progress very quickly and you need to be organised in order to keep control of it all,' adds Denise.