You’re Ready to Make Your Pinterest “Dream Home” Board a Reality, Now What?

So you’ve filled your “Dream Home” Pinterest board and saved tons of beautiful images in your Houzz Idea Books, now what? You look at your living room and think, “I don’t want to just start ordering furniture and place the pieces in the expected spots only to realize the scale and proportion are wrong. How high should I hang the drapery? What’s the ideal rug size for this room? If I invest in this gorgeous sofa, will the fabric and frame be durable enough to withstand the regular use this room gets? Where should I place this amazing painting we purchased on our anniversary trip that’s that’s been gathering dust for years because my husband insists we have the TV above the mantel? And Grandma’s chair has so many special memories, but it looks dated in our space yet I can’t part with it.”

It may seem overwhelming to marry your interior design ideas and your existing situation into one cohesive space, but that’s exactly what an interior designer can do for you!

Most interior designers have been rearranging furniture and adding unique details to our living spaces for as long as we can remember. At some point in our lives, we decided it’s time to make a career out of our passion. Many of us chose to pursue a degree to learn the importance of proper lighting, space planning, color theory and textiles. We remember the intense pressure we felt as we attempted to get the finishing touches on our presentations prior to defending our designs to a panel of professors and onlooking classmates. During our design program, we competed to work with the best interior designers in our area to serve as an intern hoping to later apprentice under their creative talent and business skills. After working for a skilled designer for years, we stepped out on our own to start an eponymous firm.

You know our interior design background, now what?

It’s time to choose the interior designer that is right for you. You might think that glancing at the beautiful images in their portfolio would be the best way to go and that’s a start, but what will distinguish your interior design experience during the next three-months-to-a-year or more is the designer themselves. Your designer will determine how well your lifestyle and preferences are incorporated into the design. They will be the ones to handle the inevitable bumps in the road, as well as manage the timeline and the budget. You invite an interior designer to come into your home and your lifestyle which is an intimate experience. Integrity, service, communication and problem-solving skills should be the top qualities you glean from researching an interior designer.

You know the important qualities you’re seeking in an interior designer, now what?

The “About” page on an interior designer’s website is a great place to begin getting to know them. This page should give you a glimpse into their priorities and their philosophy. Next read what their clients say about them. Can you find examples where the interior designer solved a problem, communicated well, made decisions in the best interest of the client and delighted them through the design experience? Look for a page on their website that explains the process of working with them. It is a good indicator of how they communicate and manage your expectations. Lastly, speak to them. Most designers know the projects that are a good fit for their services and will be able to explain how those services will work for you.

I hope this post took some of the mystery out of working with an interior designer. If you are interested in learning more about me and my services, I invite you to take a look at my website and click here to schedule a Complimentary Discovery Call with me.

Fondly,

Anna Kucera

Owner | Principal Designer

Gracious Living by Design