Are you looking to hire a designer? Read these helpful tips that will help make the process of working with a designer easier. We understand that many homeowners have never worked with a designer before, so knowing what you are getting into is beneficial if you are planning on going down this road! The design process should never be stressful or painful! Our insight will make things easier for you as a homeowner.
Clear Communication
- We cannot stress this enough but clear communication between you and your designer is crucial to the success of a project!
- As a homeowner, it is important to let your designer know your design pain points so they can help you resolve these issues during design development.
- Let your designer know anything and everything! This includes things like information about the history of your home, your relationship with your neighbors, if you plan to stay in the home long-term, etc.
- Communicate if you have worked with a designer before. If so, let your new designer or design team know how the experience was and what you liked and disliked about it.
- Share details about your family and who will be primarily using the space. Sharing specific details about the needs of each family member is important so the designer can customize the space to fit their needs.
- Let your designer know who the main decision maker or decision makers will be throughout the project, so they know who to include in meetings, emails, etc.
- Let your designer know if you plan on living in the home throughout the project or if you will be moving out. This will help the designer build a game plan that is unique to you and your family.
- Details such as parking considerations, site signage, and access to the job site are important to communicate at the beginning of a project. Give your designer clear instructions about these items so there is no confusion when the project starts.
- Tell your designer your communication preferences. Are you more responsive to phone calls, text messages, or emails? Are there certain times of day that are better to contact you? Sharing these small details at the beginning of a project will help things run smoothly once the project gets underway!
- Be clear about your likes and dislikes, especially during design development! Your designer will not take it to heart if you dislike some of their recommendations!
Share Inspiration
- Your designer needs to have a clear understanding of your design style and design goals. Share inspiration images that you have gathered and be prepared to discuss what you like and dislike about each image.
- Organize your inspirational images to make the design process easier. Organizing them by type of space is the easiest way to go about this!
- Create a shared folder with your designer where everyone involved in the project can save or pin images. This also allows the images to be easily accessible for reference rather than getting lost in text messages or emails.
- Include photos of your current space to discuss architectural details or furniture pieces you would like to preserve or reuse during the design process.
- Interior design is a visual industry, and images are the key to clearly communicating your ideas!
Set Expectations
- Be communicative with your designer about design goals. It is important for your designer to understand what your ultimate vision looks like so they can help bring your ideas to life.
- Don’t be shy about discussing the budget. Set financial goals for selection items to ensure you stay on track with project spending.
- Set expectations with your designer from the get-go about timelines. Be very clear about your ideal start and end dates. Your designer can advise you if these goals are feasible.
Ask Questions
- Interior design, architectural, and millwork drawings can be complicated to read and understand. Don’t be shy to ask questions about drawings and create markups for your designer. Don’t approve drawings without understanding exactly what you are approving. Your designer is there to make the technical process easy for you and will guide you through any questions you may have!
- Oftentimes, design terminology will be used either on job sites or through the design development process. Don’t be afraid to ask questions throughout the design process to gain a full understanding of the procedures.
- Ask your designer about the design process before beginning the project. Every designer has their way of working, so be sure you know what to expect in the coming months of your project.
- We understand that homeowners are not used to being on construction sites very often. As a homeowner, be sure to ask questions at the job site if something is not aligned with your vision. It’s better to clear up these issues during the construction process rather than once the project is finished.
Meet Frequently
- Schedule frequent meetings with your designer to avoid surprises along the way. Designers will provide you with updates along the way, but it is good to have a scheduled time, at least once a week, to go over details and stay in the know.
- Online and phone meetings are convenient and more frequent during the design development phase, but it is also important to schedule in-person site meetings, especially during construction! Your designer will be able to conduct site walkthroughs and provide progress updates along the way.
Ensure Everyone Is Involved
- Avoid confusion and be clear about the main decision-makers from the start! This will allow your designer or design team to make sure the correct people are being informed of all issues that may arise. Your designer will also need one or two go-to contacts for general questions and decisions that need to be made quickly.
- If multiple homeowners are the main decision-makers for the project, then everyone who is involved must make themselves available to attend all meetings. This will avoid delays in the decision-making process and save time as your designer won’t have to reiterate important information discussed at design meetings.
