Interior designers are not all the same. Many have different ways of working and it is essential that the designer you ask to take on your project ticks a number of boxes that are right for you. As well as being creative and imaginative (of course) it is also imperative that your chosen professional is flexible, capable and experienced and most importantly, a good listener! I offer free initial consultations for my services to ensure that my clients are comfortable and confident with proceeding and so that I can be sure that their expectations can be met and questions asked. Below are 5 questions that you should be sure to ask your potential designer
Interior designers portfolios are generally a lot larger than the ones you see on their websites! This is for various reasons but is mostly because, either a) understandably, their clients wish to keep their privacy or b) the projects were run by the designer whilst working for another company. If you would like to see my full portfolio, please contact me and I would be happy to send a pdf version via email.
Make sure your prospective designer has experience working with the property, styles, and budgets that are required for your project. Ask for photographs, stories, project sizes and budgets and importantly, don’t be afraid to ask detailed questions.
One of the most important (and exciting!) parts of working with an interior designer is seeing designs come together for you and your home. Floor plans, mood boards, sample boards and 3D visualisations enable you to get a really good grasp of how the finalised project will look and feel. Ask your designer what methods they will use for each space so that you know what to expect as it will very from room to room as well as for different levels of service.
A good designer will work within your time and financial constraints, as well as inform you of what isn’t possible in the early stages. I truly feel that there is absolutely no point in being shown unrealistic proposals that don’t align with your budget, timeline or requirements.
Your project is incredibly personal and important to you; so you need to be sure that the professionals that you hire have enough time and resources to dedicate towards it. I am very careful to uphold the quality of my services and do so only by taking on a set amount of projects at any one time.
If you have any questions about the flexible range of services I offer or how we can work together, please get in touch! Leave a comment below or contact me here.
I like that you point out that a good interior designer will tell you what things are not possibly in the early stages. I can see why this would be good because it would show that they are realistic and aren’t scared of disagreeing with you. My mom is wanting to remodel a couple rooms in her house to give a more full look. I’ll have to mention this to her as she is calling around for who to help her design it.