Three Top Tips for Working With an Interior Designer
So you’ve wrestled with the thought of bringing in an Interior Designer but don’t know where to start. Meanwhile, your living room or bedroom are sitting unfinished and shouting for you to pull the trigger so you and your rooms can move on to living the most fabulous lifestyle you’ve been planning all along.
You’re diving in, ‘help me’! But where do you find a designer, and how do you know you’ll get what you want out of it? There are numerous methods to working with designers, but here are my top three tips to start you out.
By the way, you’re already off to a great start by doing some research! The first steps of finding someone to work with are the most difficult. The rest of the process should allow you to grab a glass of wine and enjoy the designs!
Start your All-Stars List
Sure, start your Google & Houzz searches, but don’t be timid in searching local resources like Next Door and asking friends about their experiences with designers they’ve worked with in the past. Design Organizations are also wonderful resources to find talent in your area. Often if you contact the organization leader they can assist you with a designer that specializes in your area of need or give you a list of designers to look up.
Building a Budget
– Consultation Fees : The consultation fee is the amount it costs a designer to review the space in person and/or assess the project needs so you both have a game plan after they see your space. Feel free to ask what specifics you’ll be leaving with after the consultation.
– Get to Know High & Low Pricing : visit some of your furniture stores to see what a side table costs, a coffee table, a CHAIR! I bet your idea of what a chair costs versus it’s actual price can be shocking. Get familiar with those ranges so you know the value of what a designer is offering you.
What is your Designer asking you?
– Most likely you’ll fill out a questionnaire for a designer to get to know more about your needs and expectations for the project. This is the free part!!! Be as detailed and descriptive as possible so your designer can find solutions for you without numerous retakes/redo’s/drafts. (I can’t think of the word for what I’m trying to say)
Ask if you can send photos or dimensions before a visit.
– Be aware of the questions you’re being asked: What activities happen in this space? Who uses the space? What are the things you don’t like about the room? Have you already seen the style that you’d like to achieve but just need someone to give you advice on how to get it? These are signs of a good designer that can develop a custom space for you.
Working with an Interior Designer is fun. And spoiler alert, also a lot scary. You’re putting your faith and money into an art piece that you may not be accustomed to yet. But listen to that gut feeling that’s telling you to reach out. Find confidence in the steps mentioned above and you’ll be on your way to not only a nice space, but possibly a new friend!
To find more guidance through the design process, give me a shout here and we’ll work out a game plan for you.