Looking to hire a New York Interior Designer? What to consider before signing that contract:
1. Is the designer qualified to practice? Make sure the interior designer is properly licensed by New York State. Ask your Designer for their NYS license number or go to the New York State office of Professions to check if the designer is on the list.
2. Are they experienced in the type of project you're doing? Check the interior designer's website, testimonials and references. Always ask your friends and colleagues if they've worked with a designer and have someone they had a good experience working with. Meet with at least three designers and check your "gut" feeling. You're entering into a very intimate relationship and you must be able to trust the person you're hiring no matter how many magazine covers they've been on.
3. Have they sent you a contract? A proper (and legal) relationship with an interior designer begins with a contract that clearly states the responsibilities of both parties and the framework for what the budget and time frame the project will be. The fee structure should be clearly outlined and understood, including the pricing for materials and furnishings, as well as hourly rates and retainers if applicable.
4. Do you feel that the designer understands your style? Make sure you feel that the interior designer is addressing your goals, concerns, hopes and needs. It helps tremendously if you have some inspirational references like photos, magazine ads, color swatches and drawings will give your designer an idea of what your expectations are for the look and aesthetic you are aiming for. The more you can communicate before the work starts, the better.
5. Are you open-minded? Be prepared for suggestions you wouldn't have thought of - the fresh, professional perspective is one of the main reasons you hired an interior designer in New York to begin with!
6. Do you have a realistic budget? Things almost always cost a bit more than what you had expected. It’s the nature of the business, not a rip-off. Extra time, labor or materials are often necessary to complete a project, so try to be somewhat flexible with you initial budget as long as the escalation seems reasonable and you feel your designer has stayed on task. Having the designer review all of your Contractor budgets and payment requests can save you unnecessary change orders a Contractor might charge.
7. Enjoy the process! Improving your environment is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable process. It helps to hire a professional to handle the details for you and to make sure things go smoothly and comes in on time and on budget. A professional interior designer can make that happen for you!
If you've been thinking about bringing us on to design your dream home- now is the time! You can contact us to schedule your consultation and we can get the process started. Thank you for following along with us, and we will see you next time!
