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Get the Job Done Right
How to Choose an Interior Designer
By Nancy Phillips LeRoy
Determining your needs is the key to finding the right designer for you. Depending on the size of your project, this person could be in your life and your home for a long period of time. The best experience will occur where there is mutual trust, appreciation of one another and clear, direct communication.
Ways to Find a Designer
- Word of mouth: Ask your neighbors, friends, family and co-workers if they have any recommendations.
- Go online: The American Society of Interior Designers has a designer referral site at http://www.interiors.org.
- Showhouses and model homes: Visit designer showhouses and model homes and jot down some designs you're attracted to. Get the name of the designer and make the contact.
- Yellow Pages: Browse them both online and in your local phone directory.
The Phone Interview
Now that the identification process is complete, prepare a brief description of your project and a list of questions you want answered. If you're going to interview several designers, ask each one the same questions so you can compare their answers and your feelings about each one. Some suggested questions for the candidates:
- Are you a designer or a decorator?
- Is this a project you would be interested in?
- Do you have any experience with this sort of project?
