As you can imagine in the world of Interior Design and Decorating there is a constant stream of requests for services. I speak to several people a week who need some form of design consultation. All are very enthusiastic about their home improvement plans and have gathered loads of designer inspiration room images, eagerly hoping that with the help of an interior designer they can bring their vision to reality.

Generally I find most people have misconceptions or just no real concept at all regarding working with a designer, design fees and when to make that initial contact with a designer. Understandably so. If you have never remodeled a home or furnished an entire room at one time, you probably have no idea what the cost might be or how the process works.

I felt it was time that I revealed some important factors about interior design.

On the surface, interior design looks like anyone can do it, but it becomes very complicated very quickly and has a lot of moving parts that potentially can overwhelm the best of us.

I am admittedly, a little biased but I do believe some form of professional input is a good investment.

When investing in an interior designer please consider the following:

• Agree with your significant other on the project basics before calling a designer. You need to discuss and agree on the budget (yes, you need to think about this at the beginning!), scope of work, and timeline before enlisting a professional. Ensuring that your family is on the same page will get your design project started on the right foot.

• Have an open mind. Designers will present ideas you haven't considered, show you things you've never seen before and pull it all together effortlessly, right?! That's why designers are hired. Keeping an open mind to the creativity that exists inside the mind of a designer will give you an end result that is sure to leave you feeling so great about your space you couldn't imagine not hiring a designer for your next project.

• Create a need and a 'would love' list. With every project there are needs that exist and they must be prioritised, but let's face it, there are wants as well. Get as much as you can out of your renovation, new build or redecoration by preparing a list of both. Every detail matters. • Communicate with your Designer! Learn a little about your potential designer. You will likely work with this person closely for many months – it's a lot more fun if you connect and enjoy their company. As the old saying goes "Communication is the key to any successful relationship".

• Get a designer to review and provide feedback on architect's plans. This step is one that is missed most often by clients, mostly because they don't think of it or don't know. In the case of new construction or major renovations, we find that too often homeowners contact us too late into the construction process. Costly changes can be avoided if you allow your designer and architect to work together to create your dream home. I cannot stress enough how beneficial it is to have an interior designer review an architect's plans prior to construction.

Hopefully, these basic guidelines will help you begin a wonderful working relationship with an interior designer. Contact us to learn more about our interior design services!

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