Selecting an Interior Designer

When the time comes to renovate your space, the “to do” list can become unmanageable rather quickly. Employing the services of an interior designer to manage the redecoration process, offer suggestions and bring their vast knowledge of the industry to bear can only mean the very best of results for your new look.

Like any other contractor, an interior designer has both the experience and the instincts for their work, but how does one go about selecting the right interior designer? More often than not, you will be setting out on a long-term working relationship with your designer, so it’s very important that the relationship works from the very beginning.

When you begin the process of researching and interviewing interior designers, keep the following points in mind:

Certification: Most states require a certification to allow a contractor to work as an interior designer. The National Council of Interior Design Qualification exam covers design, project management and building codes, rounding out the skills you need in your interior designer. Find out your states’ certification requirements and ensure that your potential interior designers have the education they need to server your needs.

Style: Every designer is going to have some personal sense of style, but they should also be able to suspend their preferences to fit the goals and ideas you envision for your space. In order to get a sense of a potential interior designer’s style, be sure to ask for a portfolio of their previous work. If the contents therein don’t seem to fit your likes, ask if they are able to bend their normal practices to fit your vision. If not, move on to the next candidate.

Budget: Every design project is going to vary in costs. This being said, some interior designers only work for projects of a certain size or budget. When you sit down with an interior design candidate, discussing their budget limitations and the details of your project will ensure that the relationship will be mutually beneficial.

The American Society of Interior Designers notes that there are three payment structures that are commonly used by interior designers.

• A flat fee based on the scope of the project.
• An hourly rate.
• A Cost-Plus arrangement. In this scenario, the interior designers will act as a buyer and facilitator for your new design elements and charge a markup based on the costs of each item.

The kitchen design team at Neff of Chicago is renowned for their customer service, their unsurpassed knowledge of the industry and long list of contacts of some of the most incredible manufacturers in the interior design market.  Let them guide you to your new kitchen design.