Whether you want to update a single room or are starting from square one in a new home, designing a stylish and functional space can feel like a major undertaking. Perhaps you have a vision, but you’re not sure where to start or how to bring it all together within your budget. Or maybe you don’t have any idea of what you want. Either way, it might be worth hiring a professionally trained interior designer to help you identify what you’re looking for, plan a layout, or assist you in choosing and installing fabric, furniture and accessories. Interior design is an intimate process, so it’s important to choose an experienced pro you can trust. But other factors — especially your budget and style — will play a role in your decision, too. Here’s how to find a reliable and skilled interior designer, and how to ensure a smooth process from start to finish.
Where to look
As with other pros, word of mouth is a good place to start. Buffy Cromwell and Denise Boggs, Island Furniture’s Owners, are interior designers in Grasonville. They suggests asking friends, real estate agents, etc. for leads. Social media sites are another option. Buffy recommends entering “interior design” and your city or neighborhood in the search bar on Instagram to get a sense of your options. Most interior designers can work with a broad range of styles and budgets, says Buffy, but you can tell whether designers are comfortable and experienced with your style by browsing their portfolios. At Island Furniture Studio it is their goal to design the clients space so that it reflects their taste and style and the way that they live.
What to consider
Most pros will do a free chat over the phone before scheduling an official consultation. Denise says those calls offer a great opportunity to further meet the designer, inquire about the typical price range for a project of a similar scope, and ask for client references. Some interior designers work on a per hour schedule while others work on a retainer and contract fee schedule. You will want to know which you are getting prior to the start of your project so that you do not exceed your budget in just fees before you have even have purchased any of the products specified. You want to make sure that the designer has an understanding of what you want as the client . Are you a single young professional, married couple with children or retired. You may also have a second home that you want to look totally different from your primary residence. The more you communicate with the designer of what the scope of your project is will allow the designer to create a space that reflects your style. Some designers offer turnkey services, taking the brunt of the work out of clients’ hands. Island Furniture Studio offers this service.
BOTTOM Line
As you interview designers, pay attention to how they communicate. There’s no right or wrong way; the goal is to find someone you want to work with for the duration of your project. “Finding an interior designer you want to work with is a lot like dating, You want to trust and like the person you’re working with.” It is important to Island Furniture Studio that they design for you the client and that you are loving the space that you are living in. It is also important to have a realistic idea of your budget. Saves time for the client as well as the designer.