Furnishing a home in Lagos from abroad
Many Nigerians living abroad are building, renovating or furnishing a home in Lagos: a family house, a place to return to every year, or a home being prepared for a move back. Each brings the same challenge: the decisions are made in one country and the work happens in another.
Done well, a home furnished from abroad can be as considered as one overseen in person. Here is what we have learned, and what to expect from an interior design studio working on your behalf.
Start with the property, not the furniture
It is tempting to begin with sofas and colours. The better starting point is the building itself: its light, its layout, the state of its finishes and services, and how each room will be used. A careful survey, with measurements and photographs of every room, saves money later, because bespoke furniture and joinery can be drawn to fit the space instead of being adjusted on arrival.
Decide who is on the ground
The most important choice is who will stand in the rooms for you. Someone needs to visit the site, check the work against the drawings, receive deliveries and make the small decisions that come up every week. When that role is clear from the start, the project moves at the pace of the work and not the pace of messages.
Agree how you will see progress
Distance is manageable when updates are regular and specific. We hold design reviews by video at times that suit your time zone, and send written updates with photographs at every stage. You should always be able to see what has been done, what is next and what needs your decision.
Plan for making and delivery
Bespoke pieces take time to make, finish and deliver, and sourced pieces have their own lead times, especially anything shipped from abroad. A good plan sets out what is being made, what is being bought and when each will arrive, so installation happens once and in the right order.
Budget in stages
Costs are easier to manage when they are set out stage by stage: the design, the making, the works on site and the final installation. Each stage should be agreed before it begins, so nothing is spent without your approval.
Arriving to a finished home
For most clients abroad, the best moment of the whole project is the first walk through the finished rooms. When everything has been installed and styled before you land, the home is ready to live in from the first evening.
If you are building from a distance and would like to talk about a project, email hello@studiomogore.com with your floor plan, photographs of the property and an indication of your budget, or use our enquiry form.