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mdrive

Questions for anyone who has used an Interior Designer

mdrive
11 years ago

Hi everyone...

I know this forum is FULL of extremely artistic and talented people who have the 'knack' of putting a room together...

I am not one of those people....

If I see a picture of a room, I can usually either eliminate it or lust after it quickly...which tells me I have rather defined tastes, but have no clue in how to begin to execute on design...

Which brings me to using an interior designer....I am really perplexed at HOW one finds a designer....I spent some time on Houzz looking at the work of designers in my area, and frankly I was not impressed at the portfolios...there is ONE designer whose work I admired, but these were obviously extremely high end homes...(talking million plus, obviously I have champagne taste on a beer budget)

I'm at this stage where I really do not want to purchase the furnishings I need without some help....yet going about finding professional help seems extremely random and difficult....

I went to the ASID website looking for even a 'list' of designers in my area, and it was a joke (just a miserable website)

So my question to those who have used professional services (and even those who chose not to) is HOW does one go about deciding if and how one goes about finding design help...

thank you to all....this is a fantastic forum

Comments (14)

  • chispa
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I interviewed 2 from Houzz. My main criteria was that they answered readers questions and provided information about the project they had "advertized" on Houzz. I really liked one of them, but I ended up using a more local ID that I met at a community event. I also had a construction project, so having an ID that was close by was very helpfull when something needed to be fixed or I needed to make a quick decision.

    Do you have charity/fundraising house tours in your area? They are usually supported by local IDs and some have their business cards at the showcased homes.

  • mdrive
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thank you chispas....the designers whose work was posted on houzz wasn't exactly inspiring to me....(except for the extremely high end design company)....

    in the old days we could go to see the work of designers in 'display homes' but with the building industry so much in disarray, it's rare these days to find those...

    i guess i could check into the house tours...i'm new in the area so i'm not really into to this....(sources like yelp, etc are not bringing up much to see)

    i spend a LOT of time on houzz and pinterest but i've yet to find a designer who is local with images there...extremely 'hit or miss'

    i just perused the houzz 'portfolios' and quite frankly a lot of what i saw depicted looked like work done in the early 90's....i know this economy has been particularly hard
    on designers, so i wouldn't surprise me that the work appears dated...

    i'm tempted to contact the high end design firm (since they say on their website they welcome small jobs)...judging from the extravagant designs, i'm dubious, but it may be worth a call

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The best way is to ask around, and then ask to see their portfolio. While in theory of course, an ID should be able to take the cues for any style you like, I find that in practice a lot of them of them repeat the same rooms again and again. It is just easier if their own aesthetic matches yours.

    Once you find someone you like, be very clear about how she is paid and when and for what the meter will be running.

  • mdrive
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thnx, mtndredux...

    my husband is going to ask a couple of clients with fantastic homes, and hopefully i can get a referral...other than that 'asking around' is pretty difficult since i have only recently moved to the area...

    i spend endless hours on houzz and pinterest looking for a 'room to replicate' and thus far have been coming up empty...

    seriously that would be a fantastic option if i can hone in on one

  • HoneyMooMoo
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi desert - I found our designer through a builder - I loved how one of their model homes was decorated and they gave me the name of the design firm, they do a lot of model homes and high-end homes in our area. Our budget was very limited, I wanted help with paint colors, window treatments, rugs, accessories, I didn't think they would be interested in such a small job but took a chance and contacted them. Turns out they did consultations for $600 with a $400 credit towards any service or merchandise purchased. That included a designer coming over for a consultation and coming back with a proposal with swatches, fabric, pictures, etc. We then picked ala carte what we wanted to do and could afford. She was so talented and it made a huge difference in steering me in the right direction and pulling our home together, and she was not at all snobby that we weren't spending a ton of money. You might check out some model homes in your area. Good luck!!

  • chispa
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Desert, for the fundraising house tours check the local schools/PTA and women's social groups. Members of that particular group will volunteer their homes to be part of the tours. They usually pick new builds/remodels, unusual architecture and/or nice interior decor. Usually around 5-8 homes with the tours taking place during one day only.

  • dakota01
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Offtopic - But, how do you search on houzz for a designer in your area?

  • mdrive
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    honeymoomoo....that sounds excellent....i think a search for model homes locally is a good idea....i would love to find a designer to work on that basis...it would be SO worth the consultation fee assuming i can find one whose work i feel compatibe with....i just don't think we have too many of those model home around here these days, all it takes is one though!

    chispas, thanks.....i'll do web search for house tours, and see what i can come up with...i'm familiar with an historical house tour here, but that's about it

    jeannie...if you click on the 'professionals' tab, you can enter into the search boxes 'interior designers'and your area...

    i came up with a list of about 90...many had websites where you could get a look at their projects..

  • daisychain01
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm in the process of buying a new sofa and want to redesign my room around it. I've gone to a mid-range design store. In order to get my business with the sofa, they are helping me pick other elements and decide on wall colour, slipcover fabric for my old chairs, etc. This is a family owned small business whose owner and employee love design. I can tell they really like helping me achieve my vision. Maybe you have something similar in your area?

  • patty_cakes
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Desert, don't expect an ID to know what *your* expectations are. If you don't offer some sort of direction, aka.style preference, he or she won't know where to start and possibly do whatever suits *their* fancy. There's a fine line between hiring someone to do the job, and loving what they've done. *YOU* still have to be the one in charge, otherwise your home will not reflect your personality.

    "i'm tempted to contact the high end design firm (since they say on their website they welcome small jobs)...judging from the extravagant designs, i'm dubious, but it may be worth a call" Costly doesn't necessarily equate you're being satisfied OR a talented ID.

  • mdrive
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    patty...

    i definitely have a direction....i really like sarah richardson's work...i 'm going for coastal/casual look, heavy on neutrals but am willing to be relatively open to accent colors...i tend toward an organic vibe....but i want the rooms to be polished at the same time....does that make sense?

    i'm one of the types who can eliminate looks quickly yet do not seem able to assess properly which elements i need to achieve the decorating style i find the most visually pleasing.... i purchased the 'meghan method' after reading some good reviews here, and while i thought the book was quite informative, it was actually SO detailed that i had a tough time distilling down to a starting point!

    i really think i could benefit from an ID's experience and a 'fresh' pair of eyes to help guide me

  • mdrive
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    daisy....thus far i've been to ethan allen, arhaus, and a local firm that offers in house design and sells mid to high end furnishings... i haven't really 'connected' yet with the sales persons respectively...

    finding someone who seems compatible with the vision i have seems to be quite the challenge...i thought by looking at the portfolios online at least one would 'jump out at me' but still having the 'meh' reaction to what i've seen thus far....
    sometimes i wonder if my expectations are too high due to my exposure to forums like gardenweb and houzz, pinterest, etc! i have a pretty high level of anxiety about purchasing the upholstered pieces especially...seeing the scads fabrics and textures is daunting to say the least! i would dearly love to be able to purchase 'off the floor' but i know that's not a very high probability

    :)

  • Saypoint zone 6 CT
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You might try looking in the phone book or do an online search for workrooms that do drapery, upholstery and slipcovers and such, and call them to ask for some names of area designers with whom they have worked in the past. Also, ask at paint stores and locally owned building supply stores, custom kitchen cabinet companies, and lighting stores. People who are in related industries have lots of opportunities to run in to each other, or do business.

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