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Yes — and it will save you significant time and money. Independent research of 1,265 New Zealand homeowners found 42.3% were dissatisfied with their finished renovation — not the workmanship, but the look and feel — because their personal design preferences were never documented before the project began.

Rework caused by changing your mind mid-project typically consumes 12.4–29.6% of your total project budget. For a $10,000 bathroom that is $1,200–$3,000 in avoidable costs. For a kitchen renovation, the figure can reach $6,000–$30,000.

Knowing your design personality before your first consultation gives your designer a clear foundation and eliminates the most common cause of expensive rework.

Both. The course applies directly to your upcoming project and gives you reusable knowledge for every renovation after it.

• Stage 1: Document your complete design personality — colour preferences, style instincts, and the feeling you want your home to hold.
• Stage 2: Use that to create an Ultimate Design Brief — a practical compass for your specific project.

Statistics show you will tackle at least three room makeovers or renovations in every home you occupy. The knowledge you gain is a lifelong investment.

No — it makes you a better client. You are not designing your space; you are documenting your preferences so your professional can immediately understand you and begin their creative work with confidence.

Most architects, interior designers, and kitchen designers welcome a client who arrives with a clear design personality brief. It saves them 40–60 hours of discovery work (typically $4,000–$6,000 in consultation fees) and allows them to focus on what they do best.

A prepared client is a designer's greatest gift — not a threat to them.

It depends on your confidence with colour, style, and decision-making. If you are already confident choosing colours, textures, and patterns, and you love lingering in your finished spaces, a professional designer may not be essential.

However, if you have previously completed a project and felt "something just isn't quite right," you are among the 42.3–75.4% of homeowners who benefit from documenting their design personality first — regardless of whether you DIY or hire a professional.

The course equips both types of homemaker. Think of it as less than 1–5% of your total project budget — and it can save you many times that in rework and dissatisfaction.

The course has 10 modules (Pillars) delivered over 14 weeks. Each module combines short pre-recorded videos, hands-on exercises, and a downloadable workbook. You discover and document your:

• Colour psychology as it relates to your home
• Design psychology (principles of architecture)
• Personal style, texture, and pattern preferences

Also included: seven fortnightly live group Q&A Breakthrough Sessions and access to a private member-only community for the duration of the 14-week programme.

Most homemakers complete the course in approximately 10 weeks at around 7 hours per week.

• Motivated learners (20 hrs/week): 3–8 weeks
• Typical pace (7 hrs/week): approximately 10 weeks
• Slower pace or interrupted schedule: up to 14 weeks

You have lifetime access to all course materials. Live group coaching and support runs for 14 weeks (98 days) from your start date — the extra time is there for when life gets in the way.

You have lifetime access to all course content — videos, workbooks, and resources — so you can revisit materials for every future renovation.

Structured live support — including 7 fortnightly Q&A sessions and the private member community — runs for 14 weeks from your start date. After that, ongoing community access is available for a small monthly investment.

The course uses short videos, workbooks, and offline and online exercises — not lecture-style university teaching. It is practical, engaging, and self-paced.

It was developed with mentorship from Simon Cope, a senior Massey University lecturer who has taught 900+ students per year for over 10 years, including distance learners worldwide. Massey University is a world leader in distance education. Simon is regularly voted Lecturer of the Year by his students.

The course is accessible on any device — smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop — and uses modern e-learning techniques including mixed media, downloadable workbooks, and live coaching.

The Austin Home Method is a structured design preparation process developed after 30+ years as a qualified architect and interior designer. It guides homeowners through discovering and documenting their unique design personality — colour preferences, style instincts, and the feeling they want their home to hold — before engaging any designer or starting any project.

By the end of the course you will have two practical deliverables:

• Workboard: A visual synthesis of your design personality across the four foundational pillars.
• Ultimate Design Brief: A written compass for your project — outlining vision, budget parameters, and delivery strategy.

Both documents can be handed directly to any design professional, or used as a self-guided compass for DIY projects.

The exercises draw out your emotional responses to colour, texture, pattern, style, and form — building a personal design file through reflection and practice. They help you clearly identify what you love and what you don't, which takes time and cannot be replicated by a short online quiz.

The course has two natural stopping points:

• Pillar 7: Your design personality is fully documented. If you are using a professional designer, you can stop here and hand them the document.
• Pillar 10: Your completed Workboard and Ultimate Design Brief are ready for your specific project — ideal for DIYers or those who want to be actively involved in the design process.

The course helps you clearly document your design style and colour personality before your first consultation. You give this document to your interior designer, architect, or kitchen designer, who can immediately understand your preferences and begin the creative process — without spending 20–30 hours (and your money) trying to figure out what you like.

This approach:

• Reduces rework, which typically costs 12.3–29.6% of the total project budget
• Ensures your professional stays within your creative brief and does not impose their own preferences
• Significantly increases the likelihood of a finished result you genuinely love
• Helps you join the 24.6% of homeowners who are truly happy with their completed renovation

No creative skills are required. The course serves two types of homemaker:

• Using a professional designer: You document your personality and hand the brief to them. They do the creative work.
• DIY homemaker: You use your documented personality as a compass to guide your own decisions — colours, materials, layout choices — with confidence.

In both cases, you are discovering and documenting your existing preferences, not learning to become an interior designer. The course is a fun, practical process — not an academic study of design theory.

No. Creating Design Clarity no longer offers private interior design or architectural consultations. The business focuses entirely on equipping homemakers — both those working with design professionals and DIYers — through the Your Unique Home Design Personality course.

If you need a referral to a qualified architect, interior designer, or kitchen designer, feel free to contact us.

Because 39–42.3% of homeowners worldwide are unhappy with their finished renovation — not the quality, but the look and feel.

Independent research (Endless Definition, 1,265 New Zealand homeowners) found their two most common regrets were:

• "There is something just not quite right with the overall look and feel."
• "I wish I had spent more time learning my design and colour preferences before starting."

Separate US research (1,013 homeowners) found 39% were similarly dissatisfied. Preparing with the Austin Home Method before engaging a professional minimises rework, reduces budget blowouts, and ensures your designer has a clear brief from day one.

Yes. The course is designed for homemakers anywhere in the world — whether you own or rent your home. Creating Design Clarity is based in Auckland, New Zealand, home to more than 200 different ethnicities.

The course does not teach any specific design philosophy such as Feng Shui, Vastu Shastra, or Kanso. Instead, it helps you discover and document your own personal preferences — whatever they are, wherever you are from.

If any Eastern or Western design philosophy emerges as a preference through the process, you will document it as part of your unique design personality. The course is fully online, self-paced, and accessible on any device.

We accept:

• Direct bank transfer (details provided at checkout)
• Credit or debit card
• PayPal

We do not see or store your card or account details. All purchases include a 365-day 100% money-back guarantee.

We offer a 365-day money-back guarantee from your course start date.

To qualify for a refund:

• Complete the coursework in Pillars 1–8
• Attend at least five of the seven live Q&A sessions

If after completing these you are still not satisfied, contact us and we will issue a full refund — no questions, no hard feelings. It really is as simple as that.

The guarantee rests on three foundations:

• Proven methodology: The Austin Home Method is grounded in applied colour psychology, design psychology, and personal psychology — and it works when you do the exercises.
• 35+ years of experience: As a qualified architect, interior designer, window treatment consultant, and kitchen designer — plus personally designing, building, and renovating 70+ homes.
• Validated results: Extensive feedback from homemakers who have completed the process confirms the outcomes are consistent and repeatable.

If you follow the method and complete the coursework, a satisfying outcome is near-guaranteed. That is why we can stand behind it so confidently.

Absolutely. Support is built into every stage of the course:

• 7 fortnightly live Q&A Breakthrough Sessions — ask questions, get personalised guidance, and hear from others in the group.
• Private member community — post questions anytime; me or a fellow Fearless Happy Homemaker will respond.
• Pre-session submissions — if you can't attend live, submit your question beforehand and I will answer it on the recording.

After the 14-week supported period ends, ongoing community access is available for a small monthly investment. You will never be left without a path forward.

Yes. We donate 5% of all course sales revenue to partner charities. At the time of purchase, you can choose which charity receives your contribution.

We also pay all applicable New Zealand GST (currently 15%) on every sale — included in the listed price. We believe every business, whatever its size, should contribute fairly to society.

Yes. Testimonials are available on the website from a range of people who have completed the course, including:

• DIY homemakers
• Homemakers who used a design professional
• Design professionals (interior designers, architects, kitchen designers)
• Tradespeople

Visit the testimonials page to read their unedited feedback.

If your question isn't covered above, we'd love to hear from you. Use our contact page to send a message directly — we aim to respond promptly and personally.