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What to Look for When Buying Your First Home

By Maria Dinshaw | Jun 2019

What to Look for When Buying Your First Home

When buying a new home, most people have a pretty good idea of what they generally want – square foot area, number of bedrooms, locality, budget etc.  But let’s look at some of the finer points and lesser known luxuries of home interior design. See which ones strike a chord with you. This way, when you’re finally ready to speak with your broker, you can be clear on the things that matter to you. 

As top interior designers, we focus on details that are often overlooked in the inspection of a new property.  We’d like to share our new property inspection checklist so you can make informed decisions when viewing potential homes.

Ceiling Height

This point should not be underestimated.  Even a smaller space with high ceilings will look more grand than the usual 9 foot ceiling we have grown so accustomed to in Mumbai home interiors.  Check for sprinklers. If you’re moving into a new building, chances are you won’t be able to modify these and they can seriously affect the final clear height you get after the false ceiling is built to conceal them.

Beams and Columns

When you’re inspecting flats, don’t forget to look up!  Check for beams in odd locations as these will not be evident in the brochures.  If you’re planning to move some walls around, ask about location of columns (they may not be obvious at first glance).  See if they would interfere with any of your plans.

Natural Light and Window Orientation

Natural Light and Window Orientation

Check the directions of your windows.  Are there large windows facing west? If so, be prepared for evening heat! East facing windows will get a lot of sun in the morning, so make sure you won’t be spending much time there in the early hours.  In a climate like Mumbai, north facing is best.

Vastu

This is a tricky topic.  Before you get entangled in the vastu labyrinth, decide how important it is to you.  If it’s essential, get your vastu consultant in early, preferably before you sign the agreement.  They’ll be able to steer you away from flats with non-vastu compliant structure that could be impossible to change later on.  Keep in mind these key elements which even skilled interior designers may find difficult to alter once the home interior design process begins. There are a few basic vastu guidelines to look for:

  • Main door orientation
  • Location of kitchen and bathrooms
  • WC positions

Area distribution

Square foot area is obvious, but it’s not always divided equally.  Each flat will offer a different distribution between the individual spaces.  See what’s more important to you – bigger bedrooms or bigger hall; spacious bathrooms or a large kitchen? These proportions make a huge impact on the beautiful interior design of your house. 

Utility areas

Not the sexiest of features, but utility areas make a huge difference to your quality of life.  They allow the house to function, house the staff, and keep clutter at bay. When looking at properties, check out the utility areas to see if there’s enough space to accommodate a washing machine, dryer, extra sink, dish washer, and ample hanging space for drying clothes. After all, how fabulous can you bedroom interior design look if there’s a clothes drying rack parked in it all the time.

Once you’re clear on your priorities and have shortlisted a few flat, it’s time to call in your interior designers.  Residential interior design services should start with the consultation on a property you’re considering buying. This way, you can make sure that the place you’ve selected not only suits your general requirements, but can grow into a beautiful home that you’ve always dreamed of. 

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