HOW TO WORK WITH
A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL
(OR WHAT YOU
SHOULD KNOW BEFORE CALLING!)
By
Leslie Shankman-Cohn,
ASID
Before I begin, I’d like to make
it very clear that, at least in Tennessee,
anyone can call themselves a “designer”.
I am only using the two terms here for illustration
purposes to help differentiate between two
levels of qualifications. So, before you
burn me in effigy, or roll my house with
toile paper and bullion fringe, I would
like to make a formal statement: Just because
someone does not have formal training, or
is not registered, or is not a member of
a professional organization, DOES NOT in
any way mean that they are inferior or not
a wonderful designer. On the other hand,
just because someone might meet any or all
of those qualifications, unfortunately doesn’t
guarantee that they are a good designer.
(Whew! Now that I’ve gotten that out,
let’s start.)
The kids are back in school and the holidays
are coming. Somehow your house and its interior
just don’t seem so wonderful anymore.
You’ve TRIED to change things around,
but the new fabric really doesn’t
match now that you brought it home, or the
sofa that looked GREAT in the furniture
store, now looks a little cramped in your
great room. You’re over trying to
do it yourself…you’ve made
too many costly mistakes. It’s time
to call in the professionals. But who? How
do you find the right one? Where do you
start?
The first step is to realize that you
need the help of a design professional.
What are some of the signs? When you want
a wonderful space filled with beautiful
things without having to spend all your
time shopping and wondering if you really
like what you are selecting and whether
it will fit, and if it’s reasonably
priced. When you like a variety of styles
but are not sure how to group them together.
When your current furniture arrangement
requires an infusion of inspiration. When
you’d like to use the collectibles
you own and love in a completely different
way. Maybe, it’s as simple as you
just want to throw EVERYTHING out and start
again!
OK, now you’ve come to the conclusion
that you need some guidance. Why should
you call a professional designer? A good
designer can help you to develop an overall
design theme and plan (even if you don’t
do everything right away). The designer
can recommend where to spend most of the
money, and where it is easy to “fake
it, make it, or fix it”. They have
proven resources and can help you to get
the best value for your money while avoiding
costly mistakes.
There is some homework that you should
do before you even call a designer. First,
have a “semi-clear” plan of
what you’d like to accomplish. Next,
know what your REALISTIC budget is, or at
least approximately. (You will NOT impress
the designer if you give them a falsely
high or low budget. Remember, this is a
partnership between you and your designer,
they cannot do the job that you deserve
if you give them incorrect or unrealistic
information). You should know what colors,
styles, and effects that you like, or at
the very least, those you don’t like.
It is also helpful to know what time frame
you would like the project to be finished
within. Again, be realistic and flexible!
You’ve done your homework, you sort
of know what direction you want to go in,
and you might even have a realistic budget
and time frame. You’re now ready to
find that perfect designer! Where do you
look? Visit Show Houses; note what you liked
and who designed it. Solicit personal recommendations
from friends, associates, and family. Word
of mouth is the best form of advertising!
You might also call the local referral service
of the American Society of Interior Designers
(ASID).
Before you decide on one particular designer,
you might want to interview several designers.
Some questions that should be addressed
during that interview include:
- ·
Ask if the designer is a “registered
designer” with the state, and if
they are a member of any professional
associations.
- ·
Ask to see the designer’s portfolio,
but remember that the pictures in it reflect
other people’s tastes– not
the designer’s, and probably not
yours!
- ·
Ask about the types of services that the
designer can provide.
- ·
Ask for a list of references.
- ·
Ask about the designer’s availability
for your project.
- ·
Ask how billing will be handled.
During the interview process you might
hear the terms “designer” and
“decorator”. What’s the
difference? Designers have formal training
and many have taken (and passed) a grueling
three-part national qualification test,
given by the National Council of Interior
Design Qualifications (NCIDQ). (By the way,
a designer can’t even qualify to sit
for these boards unless they have a degree
and or six years of verifiable experience
in the design field!) They quite often are
members of professional organizations such
as The American Society of Interior Designers
(ASID) or the International Interior Designers
Association (IIDA). They may also be registered
as a professional designer by a state run
licensing organization. (In Tennessee it
is the Tennessee State Board of Architectural
and Engineering Examiners.) These organizations
not only promote, but also expect professionalism
and ongoing continuing education. (Again,
in Tennessee, it’s 24 hours of continuing
education every two years, to be exact!)Decorators
do not necessarily have any formal training
and have no overseeing organization to regulate
the level of professionalism. The best way
that I know how to put this into perspective
is to look at the difference between, say,
a Doctor and a Nurse- practioner or an attorney
and a paralegal. Both are VERY capable at
what they do, but there are major differences
in their training and qualifications.
After the interview, you then need to
ask yourself the following: Are you comfortable
around the designer? Do your personalities
work together? Does the designer listen
when you express your needs? Can the designer
work within your budget? You must feel that
you can communicate openly with your designer,
and they with you. Ultimately, it’s
only the open client/designer relationship
that works. The client must feel free to
communicate with the designer and be comfortable
with the knowledge that the information
that they share is privileged and confidential.
The more up front a client is about his
or her dislikes, budgetary constraints,
and lifestyle needs, the more easily a designer
and client can begin the kind of partnership
a truly successful design project requires.
If you are contemplating a project that
requires new construction, It’s best
to hire a good architect AND a good designer
at the same time…. BEFORE you start
any planning. This becomes, basically a
“team” approach to design…the
architect, designer, and YOU. Problems get
solved before they occur. For example, you
won’t end up with light switches in
the middle of the wall just where you want
to hang a picture! Upon start-up of a new
construction project, it should be mandated
that there be a meeting of ALL the trades
involved…builders, plumbers, architect,
sub contractor, designer, etc., once a week
so that there are no surprises. Everyone
stays informed about what the next step
is. Such interaction of different disciplines
heads off any problems of communication
breakdown. These sessions are good for problem
solving BEFORE things go wrong. Each member
of the team brings their own expertise to
the table, brainstorming, leading to incorporation
of new and exciting ideas that might not
have been presented otherwise. This open
communication also promotes a good work
relationship between the different disciplines.
Instead of working against or in spite of
each other (or for their own interest or
ease) the team works together enhancing
each other, for the betterment of the total
project. Which in the long run, gives you
the best advice and smoother working relationships
with all involved. Not to mention less headaches!
Whether you are buying, renovating, or
building a new house… your lifestyle
needs change… you feel you need just
a little guidance or full project coordination…or
you are just contemplating a furniture purchase
or room re-design, even the relatively small
initial investment of a professional consultation
can be valuable.
|