5 Overlooked Details Builders Miss That Interior Designers Always Catch

Your builder will give you a structurally sound home. but structure isn’t the same as livability.

That’s where so many homeowners get caught out: they sign off on plans that look fine on paper, only to realise after the slab is poured that day-to-day life feels awkward.

Your builder doesn’t ask where your bin goes. I do.

Here are five things I review in every new build or renovation plan that your builder (and even your building designer or architect) probably won’t.

1. Cabinetry Flow

On paper, a kitchen might “fit”, but will the fridge door swing into the pantry? Can the dishwasher open without blocking drawers? Will you be able to prep, cook, and clean without crossing the room three times?

Cabinetry flow is one of the biggest pain points homeowners only discover once they’ve moved in, and it’s expensive to fix later.

Efficient cabinetry flow. Design by Urban Aspect Interiors.

2. Bin + Prep Zone Connection

It’s simple but critical: is your bin near your prep space? Most plans place bins where they fit, not where they actually work. As an interior designer, I position them so your workflow is fast and frustration-free.

Bin where you need it! Design by Urban Aspect Interiors.

3. Broom + Vacuum Cupboard

Builders rarely allow for tall cleaning storage unless you specifically ask. That’s how so many homeowners end up jamming a vacuum into the linen cupboard or leaving brooms floating around the garage.

I make sure these everyday essentials have a home.

Often forgotten on plans - broom storage (and powerpoint for the vacuum!). Design by Urban Aspect Interiors

4. Lighting + Power in Context

Electrical layouts often get signed off without furniture or cabinetry accounted for. That’s how you end up with a pendant that blocks a cupboard door, or a powerpoint hidden behind your fridge.

I overlay your furniture and cabinetry plan onto electrical so the decisions make sense in real life.

Design and electrical/lighting need to work together. Design by Urban Aspect Interiors

5. Traffic Flow Through the Home

It’s one thing to design rooms. It’s another to design how people move between them.

A hallway that looks fine on a plan might feel like a tunnel once it’s filled with people and furniture. I review circulation and flow with the lived experience in mind.

Flow matters as much as rooms. (Image source: Pinterest)

Your builder executes the plan. I make sure the plan actually works for the way you live.

If you’re planning a new build or renovation, don’t wait until construction to find these mistakes.

👉 Start with a Design Clarity Session — I’ll walk through your plans, flag issues like these, and give you dot-point notes you can take straight back to your builder.

Because great homes aren’t just built. They’re designed for the people who live in them.

Have you ever spotted one of these issues in your own floor plan or a friend’s house? Share your story below!

Malia

Urban Aspect Build Planning + Interior Design