So you’ve decided to hire an Interior Designer—good move! You’ll need to learn the basics of choosing the right design professionals, establishing a budget, outlining the details of the contract, considering your lifestyle and communicating your challenges.
Choosing the Right Designer: Beyond the Portfolio
Professionally trained Interior Designers have undergone extensive training in the various elements of modern and historical design, art and architecture. That being said, not every designer’s talent is right for every project. As with every profession, designers tend to develop personal styles that carry over into their projects.
Referrals are the best way to find a designer, so if the home of a friend or colleague appeals to you, by all means ask them for the designer’s number! You can also visit Web sites to get a better feel for the designer’s talent and personal style. You’re looking for someone you instantly trust and respect, who communicates excitement about your project, no matter how big or small, and who trusts and respects you as well.
Establishing a Realistic Budget
No matter what the amount, your designer should help you get the best value and the highest quality possible. Be wary of anyone that summarily dismisses your grand ideas based on budget alone: A first-rate designer will work hard to achieve your key design goals, perhaps by spreading the job out over time or suggesting alternative solutions for your project.
A great benefit of using a professional designer is that she has access to materials unavailable to the general public, so no matter what your budget, your home will feel unique and very “you.”
Your designer will also manage the entire process, whether it involves space planning, lighting design, purchasing, ordering, selecting finishes or monitoring the construction and installation of the project elements.
Outlining Terms of the Contract
In addition to the legal aspects, a contract summarizes the plans you’ve been discussing such as your budget, design fees, accountability regarding subcontractors (painters, carpet layers, etc.).
You’ve selected the designers and signed the contract – now comes the fun part!
Your home environment should complement and support the way you and your family really live – or really want to live. If your spouse loves to cook, you might knock down a wall so the under-used formal dining room becomes part of the kitchen. Many families make the mistake of letting the layout of the home dictate their activities vs. reorganizing the space to embrace their lifestyles.
To ensure that your designer understands how you live now and how you want to live, share as many details with her as you can.
Do you like the present color palette? Does it need updating?
Are they any rooms that feel cramped or stuffy?
Any rooms that feel empty, cold or unwelcoming?
Is adequate, well-organized storage a problem?
Are your bathrooms functional, pleasing spaces?
Do you or family members have special needs (e.g. grab bars, easy-entrance shower stalls, etc.)?
Does your home balance open space and private areas?
If you normally come into your home through the garage, does that area welcome you?
A designer works best when you share your “wish list,” express your ideas, and then keep an open mind. For example, one homeowner hired a designer to help her reorganize her tiny office so she could be more productive. Contrary to TV, where designers admonish clients for questioning their plans, real-life designers understand that you’re the person who ultimately needs to love the space. Hiring a designer is like giving a gift to yourself! You made the smart decision to hire an Interior Designer, you’ve been smart about the planning process, and now you can rest assured that the time, money and energy you spend returns truly smart, stunning results!
A. A Career in Interior Decorating
Welcome to the world of interior decorating!
You will meet interesting people, and because many people who hire interior decorators are wealthy, you will likely spend time in many beautiful homes and businesses. If you start your own decorating business you can enjoy the freedom of being your own boss. (Unlike becoming a certified interior designer which has strict requirements including two to five years of post-secondary education in interior design.) You can become an interior decorator immediately.
If interior decorating sounds like the career of your dreams, here are 5 steps to breaking into this fabulous job, based on the FabJob Guide to Become an Interior Decorator published by FabJob.com:
1. Train your eye
Since you are interested in a career as a interior decorator, chances are you already have a "good eye" for design. Seek out beautifully decorated interiors to look at. You can find numerous examples of beautiful interiors in design magazines or in your own community by visiting show homes, open houses for sale in wealthy neighborhoods, furniture showrooms, historic homes, art galleries, and offices of professionals such as interior decorators and corporate lawyers. You can learn decorating basics through courses, books, web sites, and even by speaking with retailers of products used in home decorating (paint, carpet, lighting, hardware stores, etc.)
2. Practice at home
Most interior decorators get their first decorating experience working on their own homes. Your friends and family members may already have asked for your advice about decorating, but if they haven't yet asked you to actually decorate their homes or businesses, why not offer? Some occasions your family or friends may want to redecorate are when they experiencing transitions in life, such as: marriage or co-habitation (help them merge two households into one), moving into a new home, childbirth (offer to decorate the baby's room), hosting a special event such as a wedding or dinner party, starting a home business (you could decorate their new office), and selling a home (explain how a well decorated home can attract buyers).
3. Prepare a portfolio
The most important part of an interior decorator's portfolio is photographs of interiors you have decorated, so make sure you take "before" and "after" photos of every space you decorate. Your portfolio can also include letters of recommendation and "design boards" (poster boards onto which you have pasted pictures and samples of materials such as fabrics, flooring, wallpaper, etc.) to show clients what you recommend to decorate a particular room. Even if you plan to start your own interior decorating business, you can learn about the business and meet potential clients by starting with a job in the industry. Companies that hire people with decorating talent include home builders, manufacturers of furniture and housewares, hotel and restaurant chains, retailers (furniture stores, home improvement stores, antiques dealers, housewares stores, etc.), plus interior design and decorating firms.
4. Start your own business
Many interior decorators dream of being their own boss. Free basic business advice is available from organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Administration. Suppliers are companies that supply the products and services you need to decorate. They include manufacturers of furniture, wall coverings, flooring, fabrics, etc. as well as contractors who do painting, carpentry, installation, etc. While some decorators charge an hourly rate or a flat fee, others charge "cost-plus." This opportunity to save money on decorating may convince clients to hire you.
5. Get clients
Your potential clients could include home builders, new home buyers, wealthy home owners, professional couples, advertising agencies, art galleries, bed and breakfasts, boutique stores, corporate head offices, hotels, law firms, restaurants, spas, and many other types of businesses. One way to market your services is by networking with professionals who can refer business to you, such as real estate agents, architects, antiques dealers, art dealers, home renovators, and owners of businesses that sell home furnishings. Successful interior decorators continue to learn new decorating techniques. You can also impress clients and have an advantage over your competition by becoming certified as a professional interior decorator.
B. Shape Your Moods With Architecture Interior Design
White crown molding along the baseboards of an older home shows that this home owner is a person who appreciates craftsmanship and who likes lavish things. When it comes to architecture and interior design, award-winning professional interior designer Russell Versaci says it is all about the "Eight Pillars of Design," which are: invent within the rules; respect the character of the place; tell a story over time; build for the ages; detail for authenticity; craft with natural materials; create the patina of age; and incorporate modern conveniences. To "build for the ages," high quality building materials should be used. Molding, roofing, windows and details should follow the old character of the house to "detail for authenticity."
Materials like wood, stone and pine have a vibe that synthetic materials just can't match, Versaci adds, which is what he means by "natural materials." To "create the patina of age," it's okay to leave some elements of the home old and weathered or vintage-looking; weathered bricks, salvaged mantles or antique door knobs, for instance. Lastly, the home should be outfitted with modern heating, plumbing, air conditioning, computer wiring, hidden control panels and security systems.
Award-winning interior design company Fougeron Architecture understands Russell Versaci's ideas about architecture interior design perfectly. In San Francisco, he renovated a dark warehouse office complex into a light, breezy, modern office building. To keep with the existing neighborhood, he added a glass penthouse, used high-quality building materials and built up vertically. Architecture interior design is an ever-evolving study. Bathroom design is leaning toward creating home spas with whirlpools, dual-head shower stalls, double vanities and saunas. Innovative designs for kitchens almost always add a utilitarian chef's nook or breakfast bar. The future points toward innovative designs.
Choosing the Right Designer: Beyond the Portfolio
Professionally trained Interior Designers have undergone extensive training in the various elements of modern and historical design, art and architecture. That being said, not every designer’s talent is right for every project. As with every profession, designers tend to develop personal styles that carry over into their projects.
Referrals are the best way to find a designer, so if the home of a friend or colleague appeals to you, by all means ask them for the designer’s number! You can also visit Web sites to get a better feel for the designer’s talent and personal style. You’re looking for someone you instantly trust and respect, who communicates excitement about your project, no matter how big or small, and who trusts and respects you as well.
Establishing a Realistic Budget
No matter what the amount, your designer should help you get the best value and the highest quality possible. Be wary of anyone that summarily dismisses your grand ideas based on budget alone: A first-rate designer will work hard to achieve your key design goals, perhaps by spreading the job out over time or suggesting alternative solutions for your project.
A great benefit of using a professional designer is that she has access to materials unavailable to the general public, so no matter what your budget, your home will feel unique and very “you.”
Your designer will also manage the entire process, whether it involves space planning, lighting design, purchasing, ordering, selecting finishes or monitoring the construction and installation of the project elements.
Outlining Terms of the Contract
In addition to the legal aspects, a contract summarizes the plans you’ve been discussing such as your budget, design fees, accountability regarding subcontractors (painters, carpet layers, etc.).
You’ve selected the designers and signed the contract – now comes the fun part!
Your home environment should complement and support the way you and your family really live – or really want to live. If your spouse loves to cook, you might knock down a wall so the under-used formal dining room becomes part of the kitchen. Many families make the mistake of letting the layout of the home dictate their activities vs. reorganizing the space to embrace their lifestyles.
To ensure that your designer understands how you live now and how you want to live, share as many details with her as you can.
Do you like the present color palette? Does it need updating?
Are they any rooms that feel cramped or stuffy?
Any rooms that feel empty, cold or unwelcoming?
Is adequate, well-organized storage a problem?
Are your bathrooms functional, pleasing spaces?
Do you or family members have special needs (e.g. grab bars, easy-entrance shower stalls, etc.)?
Does your home balance open space and private areas?
If you normally come into your home through the garage, does that area welcome you?
A designer works best when you share your “wish list,” express your ideas, and then keep an open mind. For example, one homeowner hired a designer to help her reorganize her tiny office so she could be more productive. Contrary to TV, where designers admonish clients for questioning their plans, real-life designers understand that you’re the person who ultimately needs to love the space. Hiring a designer is like giving a gift to yourself! You made the smart decision to hire an Interior Designer, you’ve been smart about the planning process, and now you can rest assured that the time, money and energy you spend returns truly smart, stunning results!
A. A Career in Interior Decorating
Welcome to the world of interior decorating!
You will meet interesting people, and because many people who hire interior decorators are wealthy, you will likely spend time in many beautiful homes and businesses. If you start your own decorating business you can enjoy the freedom of being your own boss. (Unlike becoming a certified interior designer which has strict requirements including two to five years of post-secondary education in interior design.) You can become an interior decorator immediately.
If interior decorating sounds like the career of your dreams, here are 5 steps to breaking into this fabulous job, based on the FabJob Guide to Become an Interior Decorator published by FabJob.com:
1. Train your eye
Since you are interested in a career as a interior decorator, chances are you already have a "good eye" for design. Seek out beautifully decorated interiors to look at. You can find numerous examples of beautiful interiors in design magazines or in your own community by visiting show homes, open houses for sale in wealthy neighborhoods, furniture showrooms, historic homes, art galleries, and offices of professionals such as interior decorators and corporate lawyers. You can learn decorating basics through courses, books, web sites, and even by speaking with retailers of products used in home decorating (paint, carpet, lighting, hardware stores, etc.)
2. Practice at home
Most interior decorators get their first decorating experience working on their own homes. Your friends and family members may already have asked for your advice about decorating, but if they haven't yet asked you to actually decorate their homes or businesses, why not offer? Some occasions your family or friends may want to redecorate are when they experiencing transitions in life, such as: marriage or co-habitation (help them merge two households into one), moving into a new home, childbirth (offer to decorate the baby's room), hosting a special event such as a wedding or dinner party, starting a home business (you could decorate their new office), and selling a home (explain how a well decorated home can attract buyers).
3. Prepare a portfolio
The most important part of an interior decorator's portfolio is photographs of interiors you have decorated, so make sure you take "before" and "after" photos of every space you decorate. Your portfolio can also include letters of recommendation and "design boards" (poster boards onto which you have pasted pictures and samples of materials such as fabrics, flooring, wallpaper, etc.) to show clients what you recommend to decorate a particular room. Even if you plan to start your own interior decorating business, you can learn about the business and meet potential clients by starting with a job in the industry. Companies that hire people with decorating talent include home builders, manufacturers of furniture and housewares, hotel and restaurant chains, retailers (furniture stores, home improvement stores, antiques dealers, housewares stores, etc.), plus interior design and decorating firms.
4. Start your own business
Many interior decorators dream of being their own boss. Free basic business advice is available from organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Administration. Suppliers are companies that supply the products and services you need to decorate. They include manufacturers of furniture, wall coverings, flooring, fabrics, etc. as well as contractors who do painting, carpentry, installation, etc. While some decorators charge an hourly rate or a flat fee, others charge "cost-plus." This opportunity to save money on decorating may convince clients to hire you.
5. Get clients
Your potential clients could include home builders, new home buyers, wealthy home owners, professional couples, advertising agencies, art galleries, bed and breakfasts, boutique stores, corporate head offices, hotels, law firms, restaurants, spas, and many other types of businesses. One way to market your services is by networking with professionals who can refer business to you, such as real estate agents, architects, antiques dealers, art dealers, home renovators, and owners of businesses that sell home furnishings. Successful interior decorators continue to learn new decorating techniques. You can also impress clients and have an advantage over your competition by becoming certified as a professional interior decorator.
B. Shape Your Moods With Architecture Interior Design
White crown molding along the baseboards of an older home shows that this home owner is a person who appreciates craftsmanship and who likes lavish things. When it comes to architecture and interior design, award-winning professional interior designer Russell Versaci says it is all about the "Eight Pillars of Design," which are: invent within the rules; respect the character of the place; tell a story over time; build for the ages; detail for authenticity; craft with natural materials; create the patina of age; and incorporate modern conveniences. To "build for the ages," high quality building materials should be used. Molding, roofing, windows and details should follow the old character of the house to "detail for authenticity."
Materials like wood, stone and pine have a vibe that synthetic materials just can't match, Versaci adds, which is what he means by "natural materials." To "create the patina of age," it's okay to leave some elements of the home old and weathered or vintage-looking; weathered bricks, salvaged mantles or antique door knobs, for instance. Lastly, the home should be outfitted with modern heating, plumbing, air conditioning, computer wiring, hidden control panels and security systems.
Award-winning interior design company Fougeron Architecture understands Russell Versaci's ideas about architecture interior design perfectly. In San Francisco, he renovated a dark warehouse office complex into a light, breezy, modern office building. To keep with the existing neighborhood, he added a glass penthouse, used high-quality building materials and built up vertically. Architecture interior design is an ever-evolving study. Bathroom design is leaning toward creating home spas with whirlpools, dual-head shower stalls, double vanities and saunas. Innovative designs for kitchens almost always add a utilitarian chef's nook or breakfast bar. The future points toward innovative designs.
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