Archive for the ‘Dc interior design’ Category

Steps to Hiring an Interior Design Professional

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Suppose you have a new home, or a home that you wish felt like a new. Yet time is scarce, and decorating an interior space takes lots of it. There’s the shopping, for instance, going store to store to find just the right couch or shade of paint. Keeping up with trends is hard to do, too, as is finding trends that can be lived with for many years. If it all sounds daunting to you, then consider hiring an interior designer.

There is nothing too difficult about hiring someone to do your interior design. The first step is to find an interior design expert. Word of mouth is not only how to build a business, it is also a great way to find a business. If someone can give a recommendation, great! Besides that, the other way is to do an Internet search. Look over the portfolios on websites carefully. Does their style match yours? Remember, a great looking home does not necessarily need to mimic popular, trendy styles as seen on TV or in magazines. After all, this is your home, not the set of a TV show!

Concerned about cost? There are few interior design firms that advertise their costs outright, although they will usually mention how they charge for their services. A consultation may or may not be free. Once hired, costs can be figured either by retainer, a set fee, by square foot, or by the hour. Which is best depends upon the size and scope of your project. Call up an interior design expert for more details.

Consultation is the first step in the professional interior design process. This involves the designer coming into your home to see what they are dealing with, showing their portfolio, and discussing costs and ideas with you. A consultation is a good opportunity to see if the interior design professional is a good fit. When hiring, you will sign a contract with the interior designer. Look it over very carefully.

Once an interior design professional is hired, be sure to let him or her know exactly what you love and also what you could never live with, be it polka dots or red stripes. This helps avoid frustrations later on as the design expert will spend a lot of time carefully creating plans for your interior. Do not worry about being criticized or bullied into a particular interior design plan, either. Unlike on TV, real interior design professionals always keep an open ear and are eager to please their customers.