8 Questions to ask an Interior Designer
Before working with an interior designer, you’re bound to have many questions running through your mind, but which are the important ones to ask? Which ones will ensure your design comes to life in the way you want it to?
To help you, I’ve put together 8 questions to ask an interior designer before commissioning them to work on your project.
1 What services do you offer?
Now, this might seem like a really obvious question, but it’s one that’s definitely worth asking. All interior designers are there to create not only aesthetically pleasing interiors but also practical and functional spaces for you to enjoy. But most designers will also specialise in a particular area of design or in a particular type of property.
Here at Willow and Bert, we specialise in bespoke, beautiful handcrafted curtains, blinds, and other soft furnishings.
2 How would you describe your design style?
As your tastes will be unique to you, an interior designer will have their own style that is unique to them. It’s worth asking your designer about it and what inspires them to create the work they do.
There’s nothing more I enjoy than bringing some of my inspiration to you when working on a project - be it one window, one room, or an entire house to finish, I can help. I’ll share inspiration to fit your precise requirements, all the while taking your own creative vision into account too.
3 How will you present your ideas and designs?
All designers will have their own process for doing this, but often it will be a mixture of samples, mood boards, and electronic designs. Your interior designer will also share whether this is done in person - something I think is really important - or online. Don’t be afraid to share how you would ideally like this process to happen.
To share my designs with you, I create presentation boxes to show you sample fabrics, carpets, and blinds. I also put together an electronic display board to show you my ideas for the room or furnishings we’ve discussed.
4 How does the process work?
In order to manage your expectations, it’s best to ask this question early on. Interior designers will then be able to share exactly what their process looks like from start to finish so you feel confident in the journey ahead. One important step is for your designer to visit you in person to get a good idea of the space you’d like them to work with.
Most designers will have processes in place for projects of different sizes, so will be able to talk through the one that best represents your situation.
If you’d like to find out more about the process at Willow and Bert, you can read this blog post which explains it further.
5 How much do you charge? Can you work within my budget?
Sharing your budget with your interior designer, even in the initial stages, will ensure a much smoother process going forward. All designers will have their own rates or design fees which they’ll be able to share with you. As with anything, it’s always best to get a range of quotes from different designers so you can then make an informed decision about which one you’d like to work on your project.
The more defined and clear your budget options are, the easier it is for the designer to give you an accurate estimate/quote for the work you’d like them to do.
6 This is my timescale - are you able to work within that?
As much as budget discussions are important, so are conversations about timescale. Most designers will already have projects they’re working on, so a degree of flexibility may be required here. Again, the clearer you can be at the start makes everything far easier to manage and your designer will be able to give you a realistic completion date.
It’s always best to get in touch with a designer with plenty of time ahead of you to make sure you can agree on a timescale that suits you both.
7 How involved do I need to be?
Everyone’s preference - and availability - for being involved in their design project differs. It’s important that you’re able to be part of putting together the brief, in order for your project to come in on time, on budget, and exactly how you were hoping it would.
You might feel as though you want to be deeply involved, and that’s understandable because it’s your home. But it’s worth remembering that a designer will need the space to deliver the brief you’ve both created, so trust the process and you’ll soon find it all comes together just as you wanted.
8 Do you welcome feedback from clients?
Absolutely! Please, please do feedback as much as you can. Your feedback is as an integral part of the design process. Why? So your designer can deliver the project brief exactly as you’d planned. Communication is key to successful design. It’s absolutely fine to change your mind about something - we’d rather know so we can adapt and change things along the way.
Finding an interior designer who’s right for you
It might take a few conversations before you find an interior designer that feels like the right fit for you and your project. Take the time to get to know them prior to your meeting - have a look at their portfolio on their website or the posts on their social media channels. Read reviews and seek recommendations.
Go into the process feeling prepared by using the questions above too - it will help you feel confident that you’ve made the right choice when it comes to adding an exciting new design to your home.
If you’d like to book an initial consultation with me, you can contact me here. No matter what the scale of the project I’d love to discuss it with you.