You should also consider how your needs will change within your home over time, and how the house will evolve as your family grows. Simple considerations like having sufficient power points in each room.
If your budget is restricted, prioritise, and invest in quality where you can, when it comes to the fixed items like your Kitchen and Bathrooms, these are the spaces that should be designed with longevity in mind, a Kitchen is the most important room in any Irish home, and your Bathrooms, Fireplace and Flooring should be at the top of your list.
Don’t be afraid to customise furniture, especially your Sofa and Storage Units, with quality you get longevity.
Consider the “lighting design” from the start of the project, and the influence of natural light on the building, if you analyse your light requirements from the offset this will allow you to create the perfect counterbalance of light and purchase the perfect light fittings.
And when you finally come to considering the “Soft Furnishings” and “Paint Colour” this will be the most enjoyable and final part of the design process.