How to get the most out of working with an Interior Designer
Hiring an interior designer is a financial and emotional investment. The relationship can be an enriching and transformative experience for your living space or it can be a total disaster! Last week’s blog went over how to hire the right designer for your project, so go back and take a quick look if you missed that one. The rest of you have hired an incredible interior designer and here are a few insights on how to make the most out of your new partnership!
1.) Trust the Process
Over the course of the past 25 years I have worked on countless projects in both residential and commercial interiors. Like many professional design studios, we have a defined and structured process we follow to ensure there are no costly mistakes and our clients get a fully thought out design solution. When we are asked to skip steps and speed up timelines, it jeopardizes the design process AND the end result. You are paying for a professional service and you deserve to get professional looking results….so please, please trust the process!
2.) Trust the Designer
I’m highlighting trust again because it is so important in getting the maximum out of your project! You hired an interior designer to do the job of guiding you through the process and making professional recommendations. If you choose not to implement those recommendations, then you are wasting your hard earned cash.
If you selected a neutral paint color and you think it’s better than the one your designer selected, guess what…it’s not. Trust your designer and go with their years of “in the field” experience.
3.) Have an opinion!
I know I said “trust your designer” in tip number two, but I’m not saying you can’t have an opinion. In fact, you should have LOTS of opinions!
We ask clients to provide feedback as part of our design process and it’s VERY important to give your honest feelings about whatever we are presenting. It’s critical for you to provide feedback to get the design solution that meets your functional requirements and aesthetic preferences. Trust me, you won’t hurt your designer’s feelings and if you do, then it’s not a good fit and you should find someone else.
4.) Be honest about your budget
Clients often feel like they shouldn’t share their “actual” budget hoping the client won’t spend the “actual” amount. If that’s your situation, then this is the wrong budget number for you! As designers, we know what things cost, both products and labor, and we can design to your budget if we know what that budget is. If you tell us x, but your willing to spend y, let us know! Then we can show you options in those price brackets and you are in the driver’s seat to make the best decision!
5.) Clearly define your goals
Help us help you! Identify what you like about your current space and what you don’t like. What do you wish you could do in this space both functionally and aesthetically. Do you wish you had a place to organize mail? Kids homework? Do you wish your bedroom felt more like an oasis? These are all space goals that will help your designer come up with a killer plan for renovating and decorating your space!
