Re: Re: What does an interior designer do?

Work out what proportion of your budget you are happy to spend. eg 10%

Pick a house or hotel that you like the design of then contact the designer.

Find out if she’ll do anything for your budget. Agree exactly what they will do for the money.

They should be asking you what kind of effect you want to achieve and the practicalities of your needs like whether it has to be baby-proof etc. If they don’t do this you are paying an artist and anything could happen. Part of your fee goes on paying them to listen to you and come up with ideas.

Some provide you with a sheet of paper (sometimes framed) with bits of fabrics, wallpaper and paint that they intend to use so you can see how they go together. You can ask them to draw you up a sketch of how the room will look. You can ask them for a few choices as with any designer.

If you are loaded you can then let the designer execute the design, buy materials, hire contractors and project manage the job. They will make commission on this and you can get badly screwed during this stage. The designer may not be so hot at project management.

I reckon it’s definitely worth paying for the ideas stage A lot of designers enjoy this stage most.. You could spend your decorating budget and end up with something that doesn’t work well practically or aesthetically.

I have been in about 8,000 houses in London where the proud owner with thick rimmed specs showed me his or her Eames lounger and Corbusier sofa. You don’t want that.