Things To Have Ready Before You Talk To Your Designer

What do you need a designer to know?

A lot of interior design can be very personal - I mean, duh, it’s your home. That means that a lot of it can be very specific to each project. We decided to add a little list of our own that might help you, help us, help you.

BUDGET - This words scares everyone. Literally everyone, no matter the budget they have in mind. The reality is, saying the term “no budget” isn’t realistic and likely will waste everyone’s time and money getting you to a point where you finally want to say your actual budget. First: Your budget is not indicative of your finances. No one judges. The budget for this project is the budget you’re willing to spend on this specific project. It’s very important for your designer to know that. I can only speak for me, but until we have a budget working, we don’t have a design working.

WHERE YOU WANT/NEED DESIGN HELP - I know this seems like something that is obvious, but it’s not always. If you’re not sure where you want to start as far as a design (i.e. you have multiple spaces, but budgetary ability to start with only one or two of them) then tell your hopeful-to-be-designer that from the get-go. I’m more than happy to offer a one-hour consult or design-in-a-day package to someone who needs help getting a plan together for their home renovations. Sometimes it can be helpful having a professional help you figure out what would make the most sense for your home.

IF YOU HAVE A PLAN TO RENO OTHER SPACES SOON - This one has come up a lot in open floor plan designs, but can be equal no matter your home, because ideally you want a cohesive style. For example, you’re doing a full kitchen remodel and wanting to lean super modern, but the rest of your home is going to have renovations (or not) years from then. It’s important for you to tell your designer so that they can plan accordingly. If the rest of the house is going to be George Jetson modern within a couple years, then we will lean in, but if the likely scenario is that you want to space out your renovations, then the designs made have to gear toward a space that could be transitional to each design. The designer will have great ideas. Let them.

BUDGET - I’m just saying it again for our friends in the back.

IDEAL START TIME - Most designer’s have a schedule of clients that may not be as immediate as one would think. So, if you’re hiring someone today, but don’t actually need a start until later in the year, it’s important to explain that, because while they may have time now, their schedule might be getting a little fuller in the months to come. Yes - a designer wants clients and work, but we also want clients to enjoy the experience and an overwhelmed/overworked designer is no one’s friend.

PURCHASE READY - You and your designer need to have a plan on being ‘purchase ready.’ I know a lot of designers, myself included, have a window of when purchases for the sourced pieces can be made within your design fee. If you’re not in a space where you’re ready to commit to that, I would have your ‘Ideal Start Time’ be when that is. Otherwise, you may be charge additional fees for design time and/or resourcing, since leads times and other factors might change overall. Another option would be virtual design, where you get to purchase project at your own time.