Choosing an Interior Designer

If you are thinking of working with an interior designer, be aware that the relationship is, by its very nature, intimate. Given this, you reap immeasurable benefits when you take some time upfront to consider just what it is you want from this person you're about to invite into your life. As with any relationship, clear communication can go a long way to alleviating any misunderstandings. Here are a few questions to ask yourself, questions to ask prospective designers, and some hard-won tips we've picked up along the way.

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Assess Your Work Style

Before you pick up the phone and start calling prospects, spend a few moments thinking carefully about your preferred method of working. This little bit of soul searching will go a long way to ensuring you hire the right person, and will help to lay a solid foundation for a successful working relationship. For starters, think carefully about your answer to these questions:

At what level do you want to be involved in the creative process? Do you want to be consulted on the nitty-gritty, day-to-day details, or are you more interested in big picture issues?

Similarly, at what level do you want to be involved in the product research?

Are you looking for comprehensive, "soup to nuts" guidance, or do you consider yourself design-savvy and only in need of assistance with color, space planning and resources?

Are you a visual person or a tactile person? Will you be satisfied with a designer showing you photos of products, or do you prefer to see and feel everything before deciding whether it is right for you?

Do you prefer to be shown many options or fewer?

Are you open to the input of others?

Are you able to make choices with confidence, or do you tend to vacillate?

What are your expectations in terms of a timeline

Determine the Scope of Your Project

The scope of a project to some extent dictates the qualifications and experience required of the interior designer you are hiring. If you are building a new home or addition, or undertaking a major renovation to existing space, you are likely already working with an architect. This is good. Architects and designers often work in concert, balancing the aesthetics of the home's structure, or "bones," with the interior furnishings and finishes. You may want to get your architect involved in the selection of the interior designer—whether it's recommending someone he or she has already worked with, or using one of the interior designers the firm may have on staff.

If you're redecorating a single room or have a limited budget for a space that does not require structural change, you may not need an interior designer at all. You may be happy hiring a specialist, such as a color consultant, who can work with your existing furnishings and help you revamp the space with new paint color and fabric selections.

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