Designing for the home or office can be a daunting task. If you are considering hiring an interior designer this article will, hopefully, provide you with additional information and suggestions that will, so that you will have greater knowledge and more tools with which to enter into this professional relationship in a positive and productive manner. If this is your next step, you may find a great deal of stress removed and the decision-making process easier. Remember, however, that you will still be involved along the way. Designing for the home may not always be easy, but with the right help you can make your home a “castle” and even have fun along the way.
Designer versus Decorator
First you will need to examine the scope of work required in order to determine whether you need a decorator or an interior designer. So, let us review exactly what an interior decorator and an interior designer do, and draw some distinctions. An interior decorator is categorized as a professional specializing in the area of home improvement but has not received the degree to qualify as an interior designer. The interior designer is required to complete extensive regimen in drafting, design and structural foundation courses, through either an undergraduate or graduate degree program that is accredited with the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER), and subsequently recognized by the American Society of American Interior Designers (ASID). Certification through ASID is not required by all states, but many designers seek certification as an added feather to their cap since it establishes to clients that the interior designer has achieved the appropriate level of education and professional experience to provide design and remodeling recommendations for the home or office. The interior designer is subsequently better positioned to work with licensed contractors and to have a more informed design base for the extensive work required in upgrading, renovating, or simply stylizing a home. Therefore, part of this initial decision of designer or decorator can be made after determining your needs and the level of expertise and services required.
Interview
Next, it is critical to hire a professional who can fulfill these needs, while maintaining or reflecting your style. One way to tackle this problem, or opportunity, is to interview, and contact the references of, different designers to determine their background, style tendencies, budget requirements, work ethic and standards. Since the designer usually becomes privy to your personal finances and relationships, it will be important to establish a trusting relationship from the start. If you have unrealistic expectations in terms of time or budget this relationship will be strained. One way to avoid this is to have a contractual agreement so that all of the expectations are understood by both parties up front. This should determine in writing the fees, policies and mark-up percentages for purchase by the designer to the client. (This last point is very important to include for your benefit.)
Client Meetings
Initial meetings should enable you to obtain as much information as possible, and required, about the appropriate style and direction of the project, prior to any actual work taking place. This mutual understanding will help you to refine your style, so that the design selections required can run more smoothly. It will also help you have fewer instances of buyers’ remorse, while making the whole procedure generally more fun. After all, part of the goal of this whole exercise is to enjoy the process, however stressful it may be.
At this point, you should have information about all associated costs for the pieces and materials you have selected, or shortly after the choices have been made. This would include, for example, the price per yard of fabric, price of pieces, and importantly, shipping costs and any ancillary charges (customs duties, etc.). You will also need to anticipate lead times or production schedules as they relate to receipt of items or installation and return requirements. Often there is a penalty or “restocking “ fee imposed on the designer if a change of mind takes place leading to a cancellation order. You, as the client, are usually responsible for this penalty after approving the item; so make sure everyone is pleased about the decision. You will also be required to provide a deposit to the designer to initiate the order of the item or material in question. This is standard procedure. The balance will be due upon receipt of the item or material during installation.
Budget
Many designers have a budget limitation requirement that is agreed upon, in writing, prior to accepting a project. Whether your budget is high or low, I would recommend that the designer provide you with a “high”, “medium” or, perhaps, “minimum" range of price options for your consideration. This would initially take more time, but would provide you with useful alternatives. It will be not only very possible but perhaps preferable to mix and match price points. For me, this provides my clients with options while allowing them the opportunity to see for themselves the differences in quality, side by side. The client is thus more informed, and decisions can be made more easily, on the basis of considered judgment. As the designer gets to know your requirements it will not be necessary to provide you with wide ranges of choice, unless you specify otherwise. The designer may eventually, in the fullness of time, be able to read your mind. However it may take some time to reach such a symbiotic point.
Design Fees
Hourly Fee: You can negotiate the design fees based on an hourly fee, with separate fees for additional project designers working on his/her team as needs require. In addition, administrative fees may be applied to process the orders follow-up on the paperwork requirements.
Flat Fee: Some designers provide for a flat fee option for a certain period of time to complete a project. This can be negotiated for on a room by room basis or for the entire house or apartment. In addition expect administrative fees to process the orders and follow-up paper work requirements.
Discount and Product Pricing
If you are using an interior designer you will be exposed to discounts, inasmuch as interior designers usually receive trade discounts. The standard, which must be included in a contract is 12% to 15% above net prices. Some designers, however, will ignore this and charge 100% or more. Be careful what you negotiate. One of the many great perks of working with an interior designer is access to discounts from trade-only showrooms. It gets you out of the retail market so you will be able to acquire much more value for your money. The budget trade-off is that you will need the designer to provide this access to designer trade showrooms which provide better quality for the price at discount; and the further benefit is that you will have a professional eye, familiar with the showroom milieu to determine what is appropriate to you budget and style. In addition there will be the benefit of someone who knows how to put it all together, while working out the little details along the way.
Potential Pitfalls
My considered advice here is that no matter what, remember, remember, that problems, little difficulties, obstacles, all solvable in the fullness of time, occur along the way. Some preventable, but some usually not. A good designer will work with you along the way to ensure that the entire process from start to finish runs as smoothly as possible. Considering the number of people, objects and materials of various sorts, and the coordination involved, there are bound to be some minor glitches. In the case of installation problems, such as faulty, damaged or the wrong items it helps if the designer is present to approve or reject the delivery. Otherwise be very discriminating as regards to the item in question as it enters the door. It will necessary to determine whether the problem was at the factory or in the shipping or delivery process. Once the item is signed off for it is much more difficult to get assistance for replacements, at least in general. This should be handled on the spot so that no blame is passed on to you for any damage, error or malfunction. If you or your representative are on the receiving end of any such goods contact your designer and assist her to providing as much information on the damaged item as possible so that she can work out the issue and get it resolved. Remember it is never good news, after all the work leading to installment to learn that something is not quite as it should be.
Time Restraints
As with anything involving home improvement, time is always a factor, a commodity. I would say, as a general rule, everything takes longer than expected. This should be taken into account. The only way around this is to hire a very, very competent interior designer who has the many contacts and resources upon which to draw in order to complete the work as quickly as possible. Although rush purchases are possible, there is the usually higher price to pay. With the good designer, however, much of the pain in the process can be alleviated, and the delays minimized. Keep in mind that a successful project usually entails more work than most people outside of the industry can ever realize. Although the actual process of selecting and creating a “look” is by many standards the easiest part of the design process, it does require adequate time. Adjusting expectations to allow for the interior designer to allocate sufficient time to be able to develop and implement a refined plan will lead to the ultimate success of the project. It will certainly benefit the client-designer relationship as well. On the flip side, so to speak, the designer needs to be considerate of your time, budget and individual style requirements and financial constraints. If these issues are handled up front it will be easier for the designer to proceed with shopping in the appropriate showrooms for your style and budget.
Final Note
If you have a good designer, she will work not only to create an appropriate and functional "look", but also to complete each phase of the interior design process as smoothly as possible. However, it is also as important that the client allows the process to evolve organically. I will even go so far as to suggest to approach this venture as some attempt to approach life: with a great deal of patience and appreciation of the larger picture.
By Sharon Hess
