Selecting an interior designer or an interior decorator requires research since they will assist you in deciding where to spend a good amount of money on your home.
You need to ensure that you hire someone who is reputable and understands your style and budget.
Here are some points to consider when hiring an interior designer or interior decorator.
photo courtesy of kaboompics.com/photo/4031/designer-colour-samplesDesigner or Decorator?
First, decide whether you need an interior designer or interior decorator.
First, decide whether you need an interior designer or interior decorator.
If you will be doing anything more involved than selecting paint colors, wallpaper, or furniture, a licensed interior designer would probably be more appropriate than a decorator.
If you just need help with your decor, you can hire a decorator or an interior designer.
Anyone can wake up in the morning and decide to be a decorator, just as anyone can decide to be an artist, so make sure to learn about the professional experience of the person you are hiring. You might want to view their portfolio, ask about their past jobs, ask about how long they have been in business working for others and themself, and/or ask for references.
In most states, in order to be a licensed interior designer you must have a college education in interior design, experience working for a licensed interior designer, pass a difficult 2 day long examination, and complete continuing education every year.
Where to Find a Professional
Do you have a friend, family member, or acquaintance who has used an interior designer or interior decorator? If so, ask them about their experience and perhaps see if they would mind you using the same designer or decorator.
Do you have a friend, family member, or acquaintance who has used an interior designer or interior decorator? If so, ask them about their experience and perhaps see if they would mind you using the same designer or decorator.
If using a friend's designer or decorator, make sure to view their portfolio to make sure the styles are diverse, else you may get a home that looks very similar to your friend's home.
Also, check out professional interior design websites, such as ASID.org (American Society of Interior Designers). You can do a search for interior designers in your area. You can usually view their online portfolio, learn about their experience & expertise, and view their rates.
Another popular website to find interior designers and decorators is Houzz.com.
Of course, you can always do an internet search for interior designers and decorators in your area.
Fees
Make sure you discuss the fees for using an interior designer or decorator.
Most decorators will mark up products that they sell in order to make a profit. If this is how your interior designer or decorator works, then make sure they are not just trying to sell you something that you do not need or suggesting you purchase a more expensive item to make more commission. This is especially true for "free" interior designers that work at furniture and accessory showrooms who are actually salesmen who have a sales quota to meet each month.
Hiring an interior designer or interior decorator at an hourly rate (without any markups for items purchased) may be more economical, fair for both the homeowner and designer, and allow you to have a professional that is truly interested in getting you exactly what you want and need.
You might prefer to use an interior designer or decorator who offers a set price for their services so you know how much the services will end up costing. Make sure to read all of the fine print when using a set price to make sure you know what is included and what is not included. Learn what the cost will be if you require services in addition to the ones offered for the set price (such as an additional meeting or a revision to the proposed design).
Do your research before hiring the cheapest designer or decorator. An experienced professional will charge more for their expertise and efficiency while an inexperienced person will have to reduce fees because their skills are untested and probably take more time to complete tasks.
Do your research before hiring the cheapest designer or decorator. An experienced professional will charge more for their expertise and efficiency while an inexperienced person will have to reduce fees because their skills are untested and probably take more time to complete tasks.
Styles
Make sure that your interior designer or decorator has a wide variety of styles in their portfolio to showcase how they bring their clients' styles to life, not just repeat the designer's style in someone else's home.
Make sure that your interior designer or decorator has a wide variety of styles in their portfolio to showcase how they bring their clients' styles to life, not just repeat the designer's style in someone else's home.
You will want a unique style for your home that nobody has seen before, not another version of the same style that the designer has done for the past few years.
Some lesser experienced decorators use photos of their own home as their portfolio. While the end result is often beautiful, they might not have experience working with clients, staying within a budget, or other important skills that are required to be a professional.
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