The ideal client is one that has money/resources to facilitate a complete vision, appreciates design, but doesn’t want to micro-manage every selection. They will trust the process that is laid out to them and allow the designer the freedom to be creative and push ideas that they’d normally try on their own. The ideal client wants a complete design, not 1 or 2 one-off items selected or just a paint consult, etc. They are also not too formal; meaning they like good design, but don’t have to be so high-brow about every selection. They like nice things but also want to live in a way that allows their family to live comfortably. The words “elevated casual” comes to mind. They can have a sense of humor about things in their home and want their space to reflect themselves and their family, not just be generically nice.

As a professional designer, I will choose items that are appropriate for the design concept and your stated goals. I will not be offended if you don’t like certain pieces, so it’s not an issue to revise selected items. After 3 revisions, it will prompt a discussion/pause so that we can realign together for the rest of the project. The best way to give constructive feedback to your designer is through specific comments. IE. Saying “I’d like to see something better” is not as helpful or efficient as “I’d like to see something with a less geometric pattern”. It could get offensive if you repeat how much you love your beat-up LazyBoy lounger so much more than what we came up with. Without any sugar coating, if you are not ready to part with your old crappy stuff, don’t spend money on a designer to help design your home.

I think it’s best to assemble the design team (interior designer and architect as they apply) right away. This will go a long way in defining the project scope so it can then be shared with a construction team. Then quickly after Concept and Schematic Design phases, getting the GC or builder on board is a good way to start budget discussions early in the project. It’s important for the architect, interior designer, and construction team to all be aware of the projects design, budget, and timeline goals.

For smaller projects, interior designer may be able to execute project without the assistance of a GC or architect. This can be discussed at initial consultation and figured out based on scope.

Maybe both! Depending on the scope of your project, you might need to assemble a team of both an architect and an interior designer. To makes things the most simple to categorize: If you are wanting to move walls, build something entirely new, or make other significant building envelope changes, an architect and/or engineer will likely be responsible for obtaining applicable city permits and preparing the required city submittal drawings. On projects that are paint color changes, light fixture swaps, cabinet updates, surface swaps, or other aesthetic changes, you likely only need an Interior Designer and a competent General Contractor to execute the work.

It’s easy to confuse interior design with interior “decorating”. They are extremely different. Interior design is a technically-based service which incorporates the necessary details and documentation so that a space can be communicated to a General Contractor or other industry trades. For example, picking out a wall tile is only 1 step of many to actually get that tile integrated into the actual design: Where does it go? Where does it stop/start? What are the trims? How does it interact with plumbing fixtures/alignments, etc. etc. While interior designers DO decorate, we are also trained to work alongside architects and builders to get things done in accordance to building codes and industry standards.

Most projects involve a bit of design (think physical changes to a space) AND decoration (think furnishings and styling).

To-the-Trade discounts are not shared. The reason for this is because the special to-the-trade pricing is how we keep business afloat and pay for the design time and overhead that it takes to create your project.

We get paid in 2 ways: through design time and products sold. But rest assured, when you utilize our services, you will not pay above retail market price for an item.

If there is retail “member-pricing” listed for an item, we share the same member pricing with you. For items like that, “ahem… RH”… we will be transparent about an added charges needed to be added to account for the vendor coordination time.

Everywhere and anywhere! I think the most interesting spaces have a collected look; meaning to create a space that doesn’t look like everything came from a single source. As it relates to furniture, typically “shopping” will range from to-the-trade vendors, some retail stores, local boutiques, antique/flea markets, and even some items from your own inventory if you have anything really special you want to incorporate into the final design. I appreciate a high-low mentality… if we save money on some items, then it might allow us to get that really awesome splurgy item that brings the whole space together. Just like our clothes… a little Valentino mixed with a little Zara… why not if it works?! As it relates to construction materials, we will select from a huge range of online and local suppliers that can support the design in quality, function and ease of construction. Using materials that are sourced locally can also help with lower shipping costs, vendor availability, and using materials that can withstand weather and other local factors.

Your designer is working hard to keep your project moving along. When payment for logged work is not received on time, we must stop working even when we really don’t want to. We are on a roll! The goal is to keep the efficiency going and your project moving, so the stop/start motion of waiting for a payment is a real pain… for everyone involved. The due date for each invoice will be noted at the top of each invoice. If you have a question on any item noted on an invoice, don’t hesitate to reach out so that you can still get your invoice paid on-time and avoid delays in your project. Late fees may be charged for invoices not processed by due date (see your design proposal for specific late fees that may be applied).

You can shop for furniture and other items on your own, but it will be redundant use of time if you are already hiring a professional to prepare a complete vision for your space. For the areas of the home that we are working on for you, we ask that you do not select items because that selection may not be a fit for the design, space, or budget. If there are additional items that you’d like to purchase on your own, it is most efficient to do so after the full design has been presented and executed…that way you can see what other items, if any, would be meaningful to you after seeing the full package. During the initial Visioning Process, you’ll have a chance to show anything that you specifically hope to be incorporated into the design process, then we will guide you on what’s best for the overall project.

Great! I love the opportunity to showcase a high-quality heirloom or other item. It’s a great way to add personal character and unique history to the space. The pieces will be reviewed, counted as “client inventory” then used as appropriate for the new project. Please keep in mind that your broken, plastic laminate bookcase from when you were 10 years old does not count as an “heirloom”.

There is a a reason designers choose to work with trusted vendors that will keep your project on-track and of tested standards. If you find something for a lesser price, trust that there’s a reason I am using another source for your project’s benefit. It may be lead-time, return-policy, or other reasons that it’s worth using the vendor as specified. Do not send us web links to items from discount websites. If you are ordering your own furniture items (designer is not procuring on your behalf), it is still recommended to use the specified vendor.

When clients reverse-image search so they can find the same/similar items for a few bucks less online, it is a huge waste of time and a little disrespectful to your designer’s time. For the savings you found, you will likely pay the equivalent for your designer to re-evaluate the new option or vendor, re-document the product and vendor information, and share the information with trades/GC for updated pricing. It is also scary, yet not uncommon, for knock-off vendors to “steal” imagery of the actual manufacturer’s product to sell a substandard version. The headache of dealing with returning an inferior product is not worth saving a few dollars. Your GC might have to charge you twice for installation as well if the item has to get swapped out again due to quality issues.

There are so many factors that go into vetting and getting the correct product and associated parts ordered for your project. Some common reasons a price may appear higher on your invoice include: the item requires specialty fittings to complete the installation or operation of the item (ie. rough-in valves for plumbing fixtures, specialty light bulbs or wire/rod extensions for light fixtures, hidden brackets or other hardware for installation, etc.) We work with our vendors to make sure that the individual items include all the necessary pieces and that is not always included. We do the research and make sure the other unincluded parts are also invoiced and documented as part of the design as needed.

If seasonal sales are important for your project goals, purchasing product on your own and on your own timeline is a better option for your project. See “The Half-Tin” Package when selecting which design package is perfect for you. We do not hunt down sales for items on un-vetted websites or vendors with questionable customer service and return policies since we also do not charge clients to maintain a daily watch over holiday or other seasonal vendor sales. The sales are volatile and not reliable for budget planning. They are also not often in alignment with your projects timeline of when is most responsible to purchase items as a complete and approved package.

You might be shocked how little of our hourly rate that we actually get to take home as income. As a designer, the hourly rate has to cover a multitude of things that are related to getting your project completed. Just to name a few things that come right off the top before we see a dime: insurance, gas/electricity for car to drive to meetings/vendors/job sites, computer software, presentation software, computer insurance/theft protection, sharefile and other document storage, printing costs, etc. Design fees are expensive but will save you money and time later as construction progresses. You want your designer to make a good hourly rate so that they can be committed to your project and keep things moving for you and/or the construction team.