Congratulations! You’re in the market for an interior designer. That’s a big step, and it’s one that can help you finally get your home looking the way you’ve always wanted it to. However, there are a few questions to ask before you hire a designer. It’s important to find someone who is the right fit for your style, budget, and needs. Use this list of questions below to ensure you’re hiring the best design firm for your project!
1. What is your design process – how do you get from an initial phone call and consultation to a finished home?
Understanding your interior designer’s design process is the difference between a project that runs smoothly and a project that hits a million road bumps along the way. We like to provide our clients with a step-by-step design process in our welcome packet so that they understand how we’re getting from point A to point B without any confusion. You can take a look at our generic design process under our services page here!
2. What is the investment? How much do you charge for your services and furnishings that you source? Is there an additional mark-up on the furnishings over retail pricing?
The first thing you should do when getting started is to determine how much money you need upfront and if there are any ongoing costs. Some interior design businesses require a large initial investment, while others can be operated on a shoestring budget. You’ll also want to look into the pricing structure – how much do you charge for your services and furnishings that you source? Is there an additional markup on those products? What is included in the service, and what costs extra?
3. How do you take my design style and opinions into account? Will my home be truly reflective of me and my style?
A great interior designer understands how people live and how to adapt a space to the needs of the client. In addition, the designer must be able to take a client’s preferences into account and incorporate those into the overall design plan. Design is a very personal process, so our goal is to represent your personality, style and vision through a comfortably sophisticated, well-designed home!
4. Do you design with children and pets in mind to ensure our furniture will last?
When you’re designing your home, it’s important to take into account the people who will be spending time there. While most interior designers do focus on the preferences of their client, there are other considerations that are just as important. For example, if you have children or pets, you’ll want to design your home in a way that accommodates the activity levels of both. We like to provide our clients with stain resistant fabrics and finishes so they’re able to go about their day to day activities. Check out a few of our projects that include those types of fabrics here!
5. Who are the team players and how are they involved?
Good design is a process that involves many stakeholders. Depending on the scope of your project, these include you, your designer, contractors, tradespeople, and even the manufacturers from whom your decorator sources goods. While it’s not necessary for you to know all the players and how they interact, it should be clear to you ahead of time who’s responsible for what. Are you expected to supply certain information or materials? Will you need to be home at certain times so that contractors can get in? Clear communication will save headaches down the road and allow everyone to do their jobs well.
When it comes to hiring an interior designer, the more information you have at your disposal, the better equipped you’ll be to make your decision. By asking these 5 important questions, you’ll get the information you need to make the best choice for your situation and needs. If you’re looking to hire an interior designer today, let us know via our contact form – we’re happy to help!
