Communicating With Your Designer - Part 1

You're a homeowner with a room or more that needs updating, freshening up, or a complete remodel.  You have a vision, but you're overwhelmed with the choices and don't want to spend a lot of money making mistakes.  You also don't want your project to extend indefinitely.

Oh Captain my Captain by Denisstiel

An interior designer can save the day!  Yes, we are super heroes.  We fight lines at home decor stores, protect your lifestyle and vision, and battle the never ending media ads that tell you their product is the best.  All kidding aside, we can help.







In order to help, your designer needs a lot of information from you.  That information is somewhat personal in order for someone you may have just met (your designer) to 'get you'.  Don't let that prevent you from picking up the phone or sending an email to several designers letting them know you want a consultation.  A free consultation is often offered.  Not only are you looking for someone you can trust, designers need to get a feeling about how your relationship can work.  If either of you decide for any reason that your project will not be successful doing it together, you have only used up perhaps an hour of your time.  Often that time will help you formulate and focus your thoughts about what you want, so that time is still valuable.

Okay, now you have the designer's attention and an appointment is scheduled.  How can you prepare for your meeting? This won't be hard if you have already collected numerous magazine clippings, Pinterest boards, Houzz ideabooks, or just kept in mind all the public places you've been that have design elements that you would love to incorporate in some way into your home. Show/discuss these with your designer at the consultation.  Their keen, educated eye will find the thread that binds the chaos into the story that makes up your unique style.  If you haven't done any of this, just be prepared for many questions around what you like to do or wear, what you like in general, and more.


The consultation was informative and fun. You get the feeling the designer now knows you and others that will live in the space you want to makeover.  You decide to go forward with hiring your designer.  This is usually where budget is discussed at a high level.  Be open and honest with your designer about budget.  You should share your dreams for the outcome of the project, but be realistic with how much you can afford to invest in the end result.  If you have no idea what the remodel will cost, your designer will have models from which to work and can give you a dollar range to start the discussion.  You will discuss where it makes sense to spend and where costs can be cut without sacrificing the end result.

There are many ways to build up to your dream room.  A few ways include starting with the basics (room layout, paint, existing furnishings re-purposed), or spending less on furnishings now knowing you can spend more later, or add a few items on your wish list that will make an impact, yet go well with current items you own.  If you invest in completing the project all at once, you'll be able to relax and enjoy your home likely sooner, than later.  No way is wrong.  You and your designer will work out the best approach together.

Hiring a designer to come up with a design for you will typically involve a non-refundable retainer fee.  You are paying for their creative abilities as well as the time it physically takes a design team to come up with the best layout and color scheme and to research and shop around for products that support the vision and budgetary needs for your space.  You will likely sign a contract for this design phase which outlines how many design versions are included, when the design will be available for review, and some basic agreement on how and when the designer can have access to your space for taking pictures and measurements.  If you come up with other ideas or changes in your plans in any way, contact your designer immediately.  Changes early in the design phase are always the easiest to accommodate.  It is their job to provide you with options or explanations if your changes cannot be included, or given their expert opinion your changes are not recommended to be included.

Be patient.  You hired them for their knowledge, experience, and creativity.  You trusted them in the beginning, so keep that trust going.  Be prepared for the exciting next step...seeing your personalized design in a form that gives you hope and anticipation that you will have a space in which you can be proud.

Check back for part 2 of Communicating With Your Designer
in early 2018 where I will show you the
various forms a design presentation can take.

For your next project, contact Brenda Szarek
AutumnLightInteriors@gmail.com
or view my website www.AutumnLightInteriors.weebly.com