Designer Primer: Expert Tips for Before You Sign on the Dotted Line

Use this search feature to quickly find the information you’re looking for.

Interior Designer Primer: Expert Tips for Before You Sign on the Dotted Line.

The ins and outs of successfully retaining an interior designer.Ideally, this is a person whose tastes mesh with yours and who is willing to work within your budget. Yeah, like this could accidentally happen...

To increase your odds for a match made in interior heaven, consider the following:

Before Making The Call

* Start a project file.

* Decide on the room you want to do now - and those you'll do later.

* List the activities that go on in each room.

* Create a list of styles you like - and those you don't like.

* Clip and save appealing pictures from design magazines.

* Create a timetable for the project.

* Ask friends for the names of decorators they've enjoyed working with.

Before Hiring

* Interview at least three candidates.

* Take the time to look carefully at each person's portfolio.

* Compare past work and budgets and make sure they're compatible with your plan. Choose the person with whom you are most comfortable.

Before Spending

* Determine what you can afford to pay for the combination of furnishings, installations, and advice.

* Figure any structural improvements, such as refinishing floors or repainting walls, into the budget.

* Comparison shop to get an idea of the market price of items, such as a new sofa or dining-room table, that you'll be adding to your home.

* Figure in the cost for a professional's services. The following are the most common ways these professionals bill for their services:

-- Cost-plus: The decorator buys materials, furnishings, and services at wholesale and sells to you at retail, pocketing the 15- to 20-percent difference as a fee.

-- Retail basis: You buy the furnishings at market prices and pay the professional a percentage of the manufacturer's net cost as a fee.

-- Flat fee: You pay a set fee agreed upon in advance to cover the job from sketches to installation.

-- Hourly charge: You're billed hourly for sketching, shopping and supervising; rates vary by service performed.

Easy Weekend Face-Lifts

Making the Most of Decorative Objects Already In Your Home

Beyond Designers: Return to Easy Home Decor

If you find this website useful, please consider helping with its production with a donation of $10. To say 'thank you' for your generosity, we will give you the info packed e-book for parents considering a family pet – and those who already have one – “Taming the Family Zoo”. Your e-book link will be sent to you with your donation receipt.