Hiring an Interior Designer to work with you can feel overwhelming. Where do you even start? After all, you are trusting this individual with one of, if not THE, most valuable and treasured asset you own - your home. There are many factors to bear in mind when deciding which Interior Designer to work with so let me take you through some key considerations.
Trust and communication are key
This may seem obvious, but you have to work with someone you trust. You are hiring a designer to help you to create a home that you love and so you have to trust them to guide you through this process. At the root of this is working with someone who you gel with. Many designers, like myself, will offer a free discovery call whereby you can share details of your project and the designer can provide an overview of their services to you. You will soon know whether this is someone that you could see yourself working with. In some cases and depending on the size of your project, you could be working with this person for a number of months and therefore, it is important that you find them approachable and that good communication is practised by both the client and the designer - no matter how good an Interior Designer is, they can't read your mind!
What's your style?
Interior Designers will work to an individual client's brief, although they do sometimes have a signature style which runs through their work. You may find when searching for an interior designer online for example, that they have a portfolio full of period properties, yet you are living in a new build house - they may not be the designer for you. The key here is to ask for examples of their work or peruse their website and/or social media channels to get a feel for their work and style and whether this fits with your vision for your home.
What's your budget?
Whilst people often feel uncomfortable talking about money, it is so important to work out your budget and to be honest in communicating this to any potential designer you wish to work with. They will help you to form realistic expectations based upon this and whether they can work within your budget. Their previous projects should give you some indication of their costings and the type of project they normally work with. Some designers only work with high-end projects whereas others work with a range of projects and budgets.
What's your location?
Current technology means that designers can work anywhere in the world, however you need to consider how you would like to work - are you happy to work remotely with a designer or do you want someone nearby who can visit your home and attend face-to-face meetings? You'll also need to consider this based on the type of service require. If you require a project management service, you're likely to want someone on-hand to attend regular site meetings whereas, if you require some simple inspiration, a mood board sent electronically may be enough for you. A quick search of Google, Houzz or Bark will allow you to find reputable designers in your area.
Do your research
Finally, do you research. Ask for recommendations, look for genuine reviews and if you wish, speak to a number of designers before making your final decision. Make sure that services, payment agreements and terms and conditions are clearly outlined so that everyone is clear on the detail as this negates the need for any awkward conversations further down the line.
The chances are that you will have a gut feeling who is right for you based on your initial contact and communication - it you feel like a particular designer is the right fit for you, then they probably are.
If you would like to discuss an upcoming project, then please feel free to get in touch either by completing the contact form on my website or via email at amy@amynewtoninteriors.co.uk and as always, please get in touch with any questions,
But for now, take care.
Amy