HIRING A DESIGNER:

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE

So, you’re excited and eager to start your new home adventure and have decided to hire an interior designer. You have made a great choice, and we want you to feel confident in your collaboration. This process can feel daunting, but don’t let uncertainty put a damper on your dream!

We have prepared a few simple tips to make your interior design project easy, fun, and above all, successful. Once you’ve done your homework, you will have a clear idea of exactly what your home needs, and that makes the process much simpler

1.  KNOW YOUR BUDGET

Hiring an interior designer and maintaining a reasonable budget is absolutely possible! Stop and think about how much you can spend, not how much you want to spend. Be realistic and honest with yourself. Setting up a proper budget is the most important part of the whole process. Jot down your income and how much you can afford to spend per month. If you don’t have enough funds yet, create a savings-plan and bear in mind that homes can be completed, one project at-a-time.

2.  SET A REALISTIC TIMELINE FOR YOUR PROJECT

Second only to the budget is how much time you can set aside for the project. The scale of your interior makeover will need a specific amount of time. So, be reasonable. Hiring a designer for home renovation will require a big chunk of time and careful planning. Maybe you even have to live somewhere else temporarily. One-room upgrades can range from one day to months-long projects so be prepared to give up your creature comforts for that long.

3.  FIGURE OUT YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN STYLE

Think about how you want your home to look and function. Use the rest of the house as a reference for a one-room revamp so that the result is not out of place. If you don’t know what your Interior Design Style is, collect images of homes that inspire you online or in magazines. This will assist your designer in putting together the right look for your room or home. You can also start with the one piece in your home that you really like and would like to incorporate in your new design. This could be anything from a rug to a painting or scatter cushion.

4.  GATHER INSPIRATION

Finally, put together an inspiration folder. Save all your favorite interior styles, color palettes, finishes, furniture, and layouts. Pinterest or Houzz can be excellent platforms for collecting ideas. If you’re only updating one room, stick to images of similar rooms. Create a clear vision of environments, spaces, and details you love, as well as environments, styles, even color palettes you don’t like.

5.  BE PREPARED

Before your initial meeting with a designer, make sure you have copies of architectural plans or renderings with detailed room measurements. Photograph and measure existing furnishings you may want to incorporate into the new design. Bring your Inspiration images and ideas to discuss with your designer. These simple tasks will save time and budget that will allow you to be an integral part of the creative process.