I’m Robyn DeZego, an interior designer, and have been for more than a decade. I have been interviewed by many clients and I want to share what I think you should look for when you are in your initial consultation.
When you set up the first meeting, it is important to have your partner or spouse with you during the consultation. Don’t judge a designer if they charge you for their initial visit, this will allow them to start sharing their creative designs immediately!
If possible, take a tour through the house. Are you hiring someone to design your entire house or just one room. As you tour the house, does your designer take notes, photos, and measurements? This shows the level of interest as well as the experience of the designer. Some designers prefer to record the meeting instead of taking notes allowing them to focus on the task at hand as well as allowing them to give you their full attention. This also allows them to listen to what you are staying instead of focusing on how to spell a word.
Pay attention to the fact if the designer shares ideas on the spot, do they make paint suggestions? Do they ask you how you feel about existing walls, furniture, accessories? If the person you are interviewing has confidence, they will not be afraid to share their ideas.
It is important to feel like you can trust this person, it is easy to figure out if the person is listening to you. It is likely that you and your spouse/partner have different design tastes, so pay attention and make sure they are listening to both of you. You are going to be working closely with this designer throughout your project, make sure you like them and they treat you like a person, not a project.
Does the designer tell you that your design choices are wrong or do they gently lead you in another direction. It is important that after your designer is done, that you feel like yourself and happy in the space. Good designers understand different styles and don’t try to make you feel like your taste is terrible.
If it is important to you, ask them if you have a degree. If it doesn’t matter to you based on the portfolio of work your designer presents either in a file or on their website, then don’t ask. There are many famous designers that don’t have degrees, but their experience and their client testimonies speak for themselves. Joanna Gains said during a panel discussion at a recent Hight Point Furniture Market that she looks back at her early work and sees the mistakes she made early in her career because she didn’t go to school for design. Continuing she shared that she had learned so much during the time that she has been in the design world that she couldn’t have learned in school.
Think about your budget, some clients think that if they don’t give their designer a budget that they won’t pay more than they should, this could not be further from the truth. If you have an unrealistic budget, it is important that you know this early in the process. Especially if you are in a new city, what you pay for a design in Pocatello Idaho will be vastly different than what you pay for a design in Naples Florida. It is frustrating to both you and your designer if you don’t give them a budget and you find out that you can’t afford to do everything that you want to do. In the end here you have paid for an interior designer to provide ideas that you can’t implement. Also, ask your designer what their payment structure is, do they charge by the hour, or by the square foot. If you are working on a whole house project you may be miles ahead of you pay by the foot, you could end up working with the designer for over a year and an hourly charge could end up far more than a project design fee. Remember, you’re hiring a designer because you need their help, they are expensive, but if you love your home in the end, they are worth every penny!
Important, if you hire a designer, it is OK if you want to go shopping with them, but only do so once. After that, if they are good, … let them go! If you insist on being a part of every choice from the beginning, it will only slow your designer down and stifle their creativity.
Finally, if the designer doesn’t have client testimonies on their website, it is OK to ask for them. Most people look at reviews when shopping online, why wouldn’t they want reviews when hiring a very expensive designer.
Designing a new home should be exciting and fun! Finding a designer that fits with your personality and requirements is important. If you have a question, ask it, a good designer won’t mind and will patiently answer questions until you feel comfortable! This is your home in the end and the goal for a designer should be to help you feel happy in your new space!
Happy Decorating!
ADDRESS
441 10th Street North
Naples, Florida 34102
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