Choosing a residential home designer is an important decision. You will have to live with the results of a new design for a long time, so it’s in your best interest that the ideas you begin with end with the results you desired. Because of this, you should take your time to find the right residential designer, one that matches your taste and budget. This step by step guide will give you tips on how to handle the decision-making process.
1. What is your style?: This is the first thing you need to identify. Before you start interviewing designers, decide what you want to achieve. Make a list of what you want and what you don’t want, then view possible websites for designers that match your style. Then gather your ideas and save it for your design consultation.
2. Look at portfolios: This is basic, but you will be surprised that people are willing to take a designer’s word for it without seeing a portfolio. No matter how convincing an interior designer is, insist on seeing their previous work. Portfolios will help you identify designers who match your style. Once you see their work, imagine living in the spaces they have created and determine if this is a space you like.
3. Meet the designer: Once you have a few names on your list, it’s time to arrange a face to face meeting. Take your design idea with you as it will give the residential home designer a clue of what you are looking for. Also, write down your questions. Some people leave a meeting and remember something vital they should have asked. Having a list of questions will ensure you get what you need answered.
4. Ask for references: Top notch designers who are confident in their work will gladly give you references to people they have worked with before. Visit the spaces they created (if the reference is ok with it) and see first-hand the kind of work you can expect. If you are confident in the designer’s skill, then hire them! Be sure to ask the reference of any challenges they encountered during the project and how they were handled.
5. Ask about the design process: Every interior decorator has a unique way of doing things. Ask the designer what their design process will look like. This will help you gauge whether your timing and the designer’s timing will match.
6. Have an open mind: It is difficult to meet the perfect residential home designer, but it is not impossible. Keep an open mind and entertain what the designer is expressing.
Choosing a residential home designer can be challenging. Studies have shown that a happy home is where you feel secure (69%), a place of relaxation (64%) and a place where you feel comfortable to be who you are (57%). Give the design team at Janet Brooks Design a call today.
