Making the decision to hire a full-service interior designer is a big one. Not only is it a significant financial investment, but it’s also emotional. Because your home is a ridiculously important space, and you have to trust that your designer will see you for who you are and what matters most to you. So, how do you choose an interior designer from all the options? Before making any decisions-please, please, please interview 2-3 different designers just as you would if hiring a contractor for a big job. Here are four tips to keep in mind when talking with each designer. Complete with gifs, OF COURSE.
Do you love their work?
Head to their website and look at their portfolio. Are you in love with their work? No? Move along! Seriously, what are you still doing looking at their website?! Yes, interior designers can work with any design style. But, just like doctors have specialties, so do designers. Designers work their best magic when they stick to their zone of genius. Your project goals and their aesthetics must be a good match. You wouldn’t go to a dentist for your physical, would you? Now, that would be awkward. Don’t go to a designer with a neutral, minimal style and hope for an eclectic, colorful result. You’d just be setting yourself up for disappointment.
Did they make you feel heard?
Almost every designer offers a complimentary call (usually called a discovery call) where you can chat with them about your design goals, and they’ll share their process and how they believe they can best help you. After you talk with the designer, ask yourself: Did you feel heard when talking about your project and your frustrations with your home? No? Move along! You’ve got to feel confident that your designer will take the time to understand you. If you don’t feel heard during this first interaction with them, you can expect a whole lot more of that moving forward.
Does it sound enjoyable to spend lots of time with them?
It’s important to feel a connection with the person responsible for making every inch of your home delight you. Would you like to grab a martini or latte with this person? No? Keep searching sweetie! You’ll spend a lot of time with them, and if you can already tell you don’t vibe well, it will not be an enjoyable experience. Let’s face it. If you don’t feel uncomfortable getting personal with your designer, they’ll never be able to get to know you well enough to reflect your personality in the design.
What does the ol’ gut say?
Lastly, trust your gut; you know that thing is smart as hell. If you love the designer’s style but a little voice says, “Man, I don’t know about this.” — Listen to the voice in your head. It’s not worth going through hell because you love their style. Or maybe it would be for you because you enjoy a bit of torture. You do you!
Let’s Recap
And all of this goes both ways! Designers are feeling you out, too. They’re trying to determine if your project and their services and process are a good fit and that working with you will be enjoyable for them, too. What’s a dream client like for The Styled Domicile? You’re my dream client if:
- You’re crazy for color and funky patterns.
- You’re up for doing things differently. Cause who says a dining room HAS to be a dining room?!
- You’re tired of boring, cookie-cutter styles.
- You don’t take yourself or life too seriously. So naturally, you want your home to be playful and quirky.
- You want high-quality furniture with character that’ll last for years rather than items that anyone could buy from Target or Ikea.
- You want to create a space that celebrates who you’ve become and how weird and wonderful you are.
Alright, one more time for the people in the back. If you’re wondering how to choose an interior designer, ask yourself the following when considering each designer:
1). Do you love the designer’s work?
2). Do you feel heard when talking with them?
3). Are you excited about spending lots of time with them?
4). What does your gut say?
If you can answer “yes!” to all these questions, you’ll be on your way to confidently select the right designer! And if you sound like my dream client, I am DYING to talk to you.
+ view the comments
