How to get your money's worth with an interior designer

Over 15 years in business, I have found that most homeowners really don’t understand how a healthy designer-client relationship is supposed to work. Their assumptions and habits are in direct conflict with a designer’s process. In this article I have compiled 4 tips to help you prepare to work efficiently with an interior designer and get the most out of your investment.

1.     DON'T CALL A DESIGNER AFTER THE FACT

This is probably the most critical of the guidelines. If you call a designer after plans are drawn, or after you’ve already purchased pieces for your home, you are cheating yourself when it comes to your ROI.

Designers are creators. Designers are analysts. And designers are artists. If you know you need help, call the designer first. Not after the plans are already underway.

On several occasions, I have had clients bring me in to advise them on how to “pull things all together” after finalizing one/some of their more critical selections. But here’s the thing:

I’m not going to tell a client who has just spent six grand on a sofa that their sofa doesn’t work. I’m not going to tell a client who has just installed twelve grand worth of vinyl plank in their home that they made the wrong choice. I’m not going to tell a client who installed their new cabinets in a silly format that they messed up big time. What would be the point?

If you really want to maximize your investment, don’t call a designer to point out your mistakes and then expect them to somehow magically correct them with what’s left of your budget. Call a designer to help you plan, and avoid costly mistakes in the first place.

2.     DON'T BE AFRAID TO TALK BUDGET

I had humble beginnings in the world of retail sales, and I can tell you that how interior designers operate is ENTIRELY different from a salesperson. Salespeople are trained to “Get the sale, no matter what”. Interior designers are trained to create a space that is tailored to the needs and preferences (and budget) of the occupant.

As designers, we care less about what your budget is, and more about whether you will let us do our job. We don’t upsell. We propose solutions. We don’t close sales. We manage projects. We aren’t interested in twisting your arm. We are interested in delivering optimal results.

When a designer asks you to provide a budget, understand that they are not interested in convincing you to spend more. They are purely interested in helping you toward the BEST possible outcome within your means. An experienced designer will listen to your budget without judgment, and if it is anything close to workable for the project scope, they will formulate a plan (for a fee). Talk openly with your designer about your actual budget, and you may enjoy the benefit of a realistic and attainable plan that is attractive and boosts resale value.

3.     DON'T "HELP"

One of the least productive things a client can do (when they’ve hired a designer) is go shopping. Whether browsing on Wayfair or at the local Pottery Barn, this is ultimately a path to chaos where designers are concerned. Packing your designer’s inbox with images and notes like “I saw this the other day, what do you think?” is probably one of the quickest ways to get fired by an experienced designer (yes you can get fired).

Even as creatives, designers love and thrive on efficiency. We get paid to plan, propose, and execute. Not to spend hours explaining why your suggestions and ideas don't work. A homeowner's instinct is often to be proactive and save the designer hours on research and design development, to "help" them with the design, and possibly save money on design fees. But typically all this results in is a sloppy design that takes longer to produce than if the client had simply delegated.

Ideas are inevitable. But bear in mind, the more ideas and thoughts that you pile on during the course of a project, the less likely it is that you'll have a professional result. Ideas and wishes are essential to share, but you need to do so in the initial design phase, not after plans are already in progress.

Designers are not for everyone. If you’re convinced that you need an interior designer, be prepared to DELEGATE. Thoroughly communicate your wishes and needs UPFRONT (go nuts with the Pinterest board and Instagram folders and share with your designer at the very first meeting), and then step back and let the designer handle the designing. An experienced designer will ask the right questions, and make sure that they understand the look you are after before they make recommendations. The most successful projects I’ve worked on were those in which the client was willing to relinquish control and trust the design process.

4.    DON'T SECOND GUESS

When it comes to design, there is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. If you hire a private chef to cook a scrumptious meal to impress all your friends at a party, you aren’t going to hover over them and question every method, ingredient, and garnishing technique. You’re going to discuss a menu with them upfront, approve a general plan, and then let them do their job. Designers work very similarly. We want to know what you like. We want to know what you expect. And in the end, we want to be allowed to do our job so that we can ensure the project is a success.

Brass tacks:

If you’re the sort that needs to be heavily involved in planning and project execution, a designer is not for you. If you’re the sort that needs to see and consider every option under the sun, a designer is not for you. If you’re heavy into DIY a designer is not for you. If you have a lot of time on your hands and are constantly perusing Instagram and Pinterest for ideas, chances are a designer is not for you.

If you’re the sort that can present an example of what you like, an itemized summary of what you need, declare a budget, and then delegate to the professionals, you may be a good fit for a designer. A professional and experienced interior designer will offer you the most DIRECT path from a design problem to glorious design success. But you will need to be ready to hand them the keys, literally and figuratively.

If you’re considering a home improvement project in the near future, and reside in the Bay Area, check out our renovation services page here.

If you'd like to learn more about how we can assist with your project, please send us an inquiry here.

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