What The Matrix Taught Me About Home Renovation Planning
- Steve Di Giovanni
- May 21
- 2 min read
(and why I cried watching it)
Last night I rewatched The Matrix. I hadn’t seen it in years. I expected cool action scenes, good music, and ‘90s nostalgia. I did not expect to cry.
But I did. More than once.
Because halfway through, I realized: This movie is what it feels like to start a renovation—or to build a house from scratch.
Let me explain.
We’re all living in some kind of Matrix.
You buy a house. You start dreaming. You want to fix that weird layout, open the kitchen, add a bedroom, maybe even build something new. But the second you start, you hit the system.
Permits. Codes. Bids. Uncertainty.
Contractors talking in riddles.
Designers saying “trust the process.”
And everything starts to feel…rigged.
Renovating is like waking up.
Most homeowners come to me confused, overwhelmed, or exhausted by the early stages of planning. The budget is fuzzy. The timeline is unclear. The advice they’ve gotten is conflicting. It’s like they’re trying to navigate a glitchy world.
But then we sit down, map it out together, and the fog starts to lift.
That moment? When the questions turn into confidence?
That’s Matrix energy.
You are not meant to figure this out alone.
In the movie, Neo has guides. People who’ve walked the path before. People who know the traps and the shortcuts.
That’s what a good designer should be—not a guru, not a gatekeeper, but a guide.
I’ve seen what happens when homeowners try to DIY the planning process. It’s like trying to fight agents without learning the code first.
When we build a plan together, I’m not just giving you drawings. I’m giving you vision, clarity, and the power to lead your own project.
The truth? The system isn’t broken—it’s just not designed for you.
The construction world was built around builders. Around rules. Around speed. Not around you.
But that doesn’t mean you have to settle.
The Matrix can be hacked.
Your project can be designed around your life.
We just have to zoom out and see the whole thing first.
Renovating isn’t just about walls and windows—it’s about waking up to what’s possible.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck… you’re not alone. You’re just starting to see the code.
You got this.
And if you need a guide?
I know the way out.