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Friday, September 2nd, 2016
FFDM Vintage Classics: This bedroom balances the beauty of wood, glass, white sheets and pillows, as well as art.
Just like marriage, you also need to find out if the interior designer that you’re about to hire is a good fit. Find out your style then let this expert help you; but before you sit down and discuss your design project with your choice, there’s that phase when you need to thoroughly get to know this person.
Step One: Know Your Designer’s Style
It is crucial to know your style but it is also equally important to know the interior designer’s signature style. If the portfolio that he or she shows is filled with traditional design, then you should think twice before you propose a modern home project.
Step Two: Look Through Numerous Portfolios
Let’s say that you already know what you are looking for and that you are now targeting a handful of designers. Try to see who among them share your design preferences. Look through several portfolios and imagine yourself living or staying in one of the spaces that they designed.
Step Three: Set Up a Budget
It is important to find out how much you are willing to spend before you begin your construction or remodel. There are designers who ask for a fixed fee while others ask for an hourly payment. These are factors that you need to consider when narrowing down your list of candidates.
Step Four: Schedule a Meet-Up
As soon as you have narrowed down your list to just a name or three, then it’s time to meet these experts face to face. Majority of interior designers do not charge for this session but it would also be great if you ask about it as you set up the appointment over the phone.
Hooker Furniture Home Office 42-in Leg Desk provides the perfect contrast to the whitewashed surroundings.
As you sit down with candidates, ask for references whom you can contact. This is so you would be able to gauge the designer’s capacity through his or her past works. Ask about costs that are specific to your project, how long it would take before the project is completed, and just about any question that you could come up with.
Think of specific questions then write everything that you both have discussed on a sheet of paper.
Step Six: Be Open-Minded
It is rare for clients to love every bit of element that the designer used on a project. Even if the two of you have the exact same style, you still need to prepare for that moment when you won’t agree on a certain detail. Always keep an open mind and don’t immediately close your mind to what your designer is suggesting. Give his or her idea a chance.
Make sure, though, that this expert is not pushing you to make any decisions. Suggestions can be made so you have to be open to other ideas.
Step Seven: Compare Your Notes
When you’re done meeting with the designers, it’s time to compare all the notes that you made. Compare the numbers (estimates) that these experts have provided, their references (past projects), and whether or not you click as a working team. Always keep in mind that the cheaper or priciest option may not always be the right and best choice.
You can only sign the contract as soon as you know who you would hire. You should know how much you would pay, what responsibilities you would give to the designer, the timeline, and your budgetary limits.
Step Nine: Create a Plan
Now is the time to go about with your plan of attack. Know where you would begin. Several rooms may need to be redesigned so find out which materials you would soon buy. Choose with the help of your designer.
Modify the plan if needs be.
Tags: finding interior designers, hiring an interior designer, how to find an interior designer, interior designer characteristics, interior designer interview, interviewing interior designers, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips
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Tuesday, August 16th, 2016
FFDM American Cherry
If this is something that you still haven’t considered, then it’s time that you seriously give it much thought – hiring an interior designer is the smartest decision that you can make when it comes to beautifying your home.
Interior designers serve a lot of purpose for current and would-be homeowners. Whether the homeowner knows where to begin or not, these experts can help conjure design ideas where there were none and can execute a long-desired plan.
If you’re too busy to take on a DIY interior design project, then know that there are a lot of benefits if you hire a professional to do the task instead.
Much Savings
You might find it unbelievable that hiring a designer could help save you money yet there are costly mistakes that can add to the ever-growing expense. Hiring a pro becomes much more crucial when you’re prepping your home that’s about to be sold. This move can help you boost buyer appeal and could potentially make your home stand out from competition.
An Expert Assessment
An interior designer can offer professional assessment. This initial assessment would eventually lead to a workable plan. An interior designer will know what order to follow during the entire project duration. In essence, you are hiring an extra pair of eyes that is well-trained to notice stuff that you won’t even imagine being there.
An interior designer is also trained to keep the project within budget. You get to save time and effort since this expert knows suppliers and other contacts that will make your home project more successful.
A Willing Middle Man
An interior designer would be better able to act as a liaison officer between you and the contractor or architect. This is important in time and money management. Every interior designer has been trained to scrutinize all the things that you might overlook. Furnishing and lighting needs should be addressed prior to the beginning of the project. Furniture placement can affect the eventual locations of the floor outlet; this is an example of professional assessments that are missed by DIY enthusiasts.
FFDM Viniterra Collection
Numerous Resources
There are many things that are readily available to interior designers that the public are not even familiar with. In short, they have connections that not a lot of people have. Making use of these resources and merchandise can help make the place look more collected and pulled together. Apart from the vendor resources, designers also have a lot of industry contacts. They can save you from headaches caused by problematic contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc.
Interviewing the right interior designer also means you should ask the right questions. Here are some of the most asked interview questions –
Tags: benefits of having an interior designer, benefits of hiring a contractor, finding an interior designer, how to find an interior designer, interior designer benefits, interior designer interview, interviewing an interior designer, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
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Tuesday, June 14th, 2016
. Hooker Furniture Living Room Imperial Regal 3-Piece Stationary Sectional is the anchor to the rest of the design elements.
Building or remodeling a home is a huge emotional and financial investment. This project will also require a lot of your time especially when you want to be closely involved with the decision-making process. Setting your expectations prior to the beginning of the project will make you better prepared. Here are the 10 questions that you should ask your design contractor during his interview –
What Is the Project Schedule?
Setting the project start and end dates is not enough. The schedule is actually an outline that will give you a bird’s eye view of the sequences, tasks, timing and the deadlines. This is the benchmark so you’ll know when things are not keeping up with the deadlines.
Who Are Going to Work on the Project?
Depending on the structure of the interior design company, the answer to this could vary. Remodelers often make use of the lead carpenter system where the superintendent leads the day-to-day work. This is also known as a staff member since he works physically, too.
Ask who among the team members will be opening and locking up. Ask also who will be the contractors’ supervisor.
How Will You Keep the Property Safe?
This is a question that you need to ask before anything is demolished. Answering this will also assure you which parts of your home will be cordoned off. You also need to know how you will move about in your home.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is how all the stuff such as furniture, books, vases, drapes, and others could be removed from the construction area. You wouldn’t want any of them to collect dust or, worse, be damaged when the construction starts.
How and How Often Will We Communicate?
Set the mode of communication for the entire team. Would you need to call every day or would e-mails suffice? There are contractors that like to communicate on a weekly basis but are you amenable to that?
Which Part of the Project Is Problematic to You?
The contractor will always have something to say that will oppose what you planned. It is best to talk about the elephant in the room so that change orders won’t take place in the middle of the project.
Ask him what worst case scenarios he was able to bail out of in the past.
What Happens Should a Change Order Take Place?
Document change orders in writing. Remember that these have a way of catching up in financial terms and having paper trail is the best rebuttal to the contractor’s question on number of hours added, etc.
When Will You Need Me to Make Decisions?
Ask for an organized list of the things that you need to make a decision on. The list should give you a concise direction of what and when a decision is required from you.
Can I Call You After Hours?
It is important to know how you will get in touch with your contractor during emergencies. Exchange your numbers with the contractor’s landline, cell phone and work phone. Make sure that getting in touch with him won’t be a crisis.
When Will the Additional Meetings Be Held?
Even when there are weekly meetings, there could still be additional meetings where you would be required to attend. Installation of electricity, setting of tiles, is such activities that require your presence.
What Documents Will Be Given to Me After the Project Is Finished?
There are interior design projects that may require some kind of paperwork apart from the contract. This is especially true when you have to tear down walls or build new ones in your home. Documents also include the list of subcontractors, their contact details, etc.
The Winners Only Bedroom Slat King Bed BCQ1002K, the nightstand, the drawers, even the carpet all blend to create this harmonious bedroom.
Tags: design contractor, hiring interior designer, interior design contractor, interior design team, interior designer, interior designer interview, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, searching for interior designer
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Monday, June 13th, 2016
This sample dining room set up by Hooker Furniture blends wood, metal and other materials beautifully.
Have you ever thought of renovation or the creation of a home as an exciting journey? Well, it should be an electrifying experience but in reality, most would-be homeowners dread having to take on such a huge project. Creating home from scratch – if done correctly – can help you discover who you are, what you actually want, and what environment you would like to live in. This is, essentially, your shot at defining your relationship to your family, your community and more so yourself.
So, are you ready to get down on your knees and begin this journey?
Every Journey Has a Plan
Just like any other journey, you must begin it with some planning and research. You would want to know what the end result would be and, of course, how much it is going to cost you. Don’t even begin to think that you’ll be able to finish this project alone because no has. A helping hand is not just a welcome idea but a needful aspect throughout the course of your building your home.
Planning requires goal setting. As a would-be homeowner or someone who wants a totally new look for his home, you must have goals. Effective goals are comprised of both functional and decorative elements. Each is crucial and must be recognized.
Make two plans for your project – Plans A and B. Should Plan A fail to make sense, then there’s always your backup plan.
The Cynthia Rowley 7064-011CR Windsor Tight Seat Sofa sits comfortably in a sea of like and complementary hues. The pop of color, now and then, is a fresh sight to behold.
Ask the Right Questions
Whoever thought that creating or designing home from scratch requires a series of questions? First, you need to know what you would want to achieve. This can be summed up in a theme for most people. Knowing your ultimate choice between contemporary and traditional makes a huge difference in the elements that will be bought and brought in.
It is also important to ask where you would want to be. This is that end result that you have been asked to envision. The layout should help give you a mental picture of what your home would look like when finished.
It is also vital to know the cost of the entire project. This is a good way to prevent scenes where you’d end up being cranky because the project turned out to be thousands of dollars costlier. Being realistic would help you plan a budget that works, else, you would be left to the mercy of unscrupulous individuals.
Make good use of an Excel sheet where you could have a bird’s eye view of what has been spent so far and where the cost is going.
Round Up Your Team
Remember, this is your project. Gather professionals who have proven their worth in terms of interior design. Just like a lawyer shouldn’t represent himself in court, then so should you take experts who will take on your project.
The team leader is you and your right hand should be the lead interior designer. This expert will be your guide, advocate, therapist and counselor throughout the project. It pays to find the best team from the onset. The right guide also ensures that the journey that you have embarked upon will be an enjoyable one.
You might also add some team members now and then. There are specialists among these experts (e.g. a kitchen and bath designer) that will be better able to help you. Every extra member will cost you more but it is an added guarantee on the success of the interior design project. Once you gather these experts and they are willing to help you out then, rest assured, that you will have a smooth-sailing journey ahead.
Tags: finding an interior designer, hiring an interior designer, hiring interior designer, home renovation projects, home renovation tips, how to hire an interior designer, interior designer interview, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, redecorating, redesign, remodel, remodeling, remodeling a home, remodeling your home, remodeling your house, renovation and remodeling, renovation guidelines, renovation project, renovation tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, The Interior Designer | No Comments »
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