How to Hire the Right Interior Designer
The process of building or renovating can be overwhelming and you may feel like you are in over your head - you feel like you need a buddy system to help you get through the numerous decisions opinions around you. Have no fear - your Interior Designer is here!
Having a trusted professional on board should help you make the decisions with confidence and enable you to move forward with confidence. Getting the right designer for you is crucial to your experience - let’s take a look at a few common mistakes people make when hiring an interior designer;
Not knowing what to ask for - If you don’t know what you want, it will be hard to get it! Come prepared with some ideas about what you want, or what you don’t like about what you have now and want to change - we work to make your home or business better and to achieve your goals - but we need to understand your wants, needs, likes and dislikes so come prepared to talk about yourself a little!
Not knowing the differences between designers - just like other professionals, not all designers have the same credentials / expertise / experience or specialty.
Some of the credentials to look for are the following - in Canada and the U.S. - look for Interior Designers of Canda (IDC), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Design Association (IIDA) or the state and provincial organizations. NCIDQ - Professional Accreditation Examination means they have passed their exams for minimum required professional ability.
What is their expertise? - Design principles may be universal but expertise can vary! Do they work in large office buildings typically - may not be a good fit for your home or cottage. Do they design beautiful homes? May not be the right choice if you are opening a new restaurant and want them to know all about commercial high traffic environments - you get the picture!
Do they have any references for similar work? Not all projects are the same but there is some commonality between types of projects - Hotels require a different skill set than summer lake houses - do they have any experience with your type of project / area?
Not meeting your candidates - you can always overide your research and go with your gut - but ask a few questions first to make a better informed decision - and meet with the designers to get an idea of how they work, and how you interact. Don’t underestimate the value of meeting your designer candidates face to face - show them your project and see how they react - you need to trust your designer - make sure you click!
Once you have a short list or favourite - make sure you get a written proposal the includes their understanding of scope and their estimated fee for the work as well as a description of the process they work with. You can certainly ask questions and most designers will change the scope according to your comments, as long as it fits their model and requirements. Finding a fit on this is also important. Know what you are getting into both timewise and financially.
I hope this helps you understand more about the process of hiring an interior designer! We are always here to help if you want to discuss a project with us or talk about working with you and your team.
Good luck! Jill