Thinking about hiring an interior designer for a project you're working on? We put together some tips to help you prepare, so you can get the most out of the partnership. We get that it's a daunting task. First, you're tackling a big project - maybe it's the first one or maybe it's larger than your last one, but regardless, it's a big investment!
Second, you're contemplating bringing in a stranger help create your dream home. Stranger Danger! (Kidding...but seriously, we get the anxiety of an added party!) So hopefully these tips will take some of the stress out of your engagement, and allow you to really take your project to the next level.
- Prepare, prepare, prepare. You don't have to know exactly what you want, but you should be well acquainted with what you do and do not like. Spend time on Pinterest finding images of spaces that you like. Take pictures of restaurants or hotels that you like. Think about how you want the space to make you feel. Think about colors you love and hate. Maybe this feels like a waste of time, but all of it helps inform the design process. Doing this leg work up front will help your designer get it right early in your engagement, and mitigate uneccessary rounds of revisions.
- Know your budget. No really, you need to know your budget. Think about what you're willing to spend on the whole project and where the cut off is for you. Of course, set some of that budget aside for unforeseen issues that might arise during construction, but having a budget set from the beginning will make your work with a designer more efficient. Otherwise, prepare for an inevitable back and forth along the way as you and your designer try to find where that line is.
- Be realistic. If the only pictures you're saving are of large, open kitchens and you're renovating a small galley, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Realistic expectations are the key to a successful project. That said, if you're saving those images because you love something about them--wall color, cabinet style, countertop material--that's perfectly fine!
Choosing to work with a designer can really make a huge difference in the outcome of your project. We hope these tips will help you be prepared, so the entire engagement is smooth and beneficial.
