The Best Way to Find and Hire an Interior Designer
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Some people think of interior design as a DIY profession, but you can save time and money and get better results when you hire an expert. Sure, anyone can buy a sofa and paint the walls. But professionals know how to put together a truly impactful home—and avoid pitfalls along the way. You wouldn’t balk at hiring an electrician or plumber, would you?
Given the personal style element, though, it can be harder to find an interior designer you love. Will you see eye to eye? Can you afford them? Will they be able to do your project on time? Answers to these questions, and more, are crucial when you’re researching designers to find the right fit for your personality, workflow, and project scope.
Thankfully, the right way to hire an interior designer doesn’t have to be a mystery or take a lot of guesswork. To provide some clarity, we asked San Francisco interior designer Ansley Majit of L+P Interiors to share how she prefers to be contacted and build a relationship with new clients. Read on to learn how to find an interior designer and prepare for your first meeting, with guidance straight from the source.
How Do You Decide Which Designer Is Right For You?
“It’s really important that there is a level of ease between client and designer,” Majit explains. “My advice to anyone interviewing a designer is to take note of how comfortable you are during and after the conversations you have. If you leave the interactions feeling good and feel comfortable and trusting enough to ask questions and get appropriate answers back, it’s probably a strong partnership fit.”
The most basic qualification is that you and your potential interior designer’s styles and aesthetics match, or at least coordinate. Look through their portfolio or scroll through their social media accounts to get a good feel for their work. If you’ve been looking at real estate listings lately, take note of any you love and find out what designer worked on them. If you love their past projects and think they could be the right fit for your project or home, it’s time to ask for their help.
How Do You Reach Out to a Designer?
Phone a Friend
“Most of our clients are referrals from past projects or even architects,” Majit says. “A phone call or email is typically a good place to start, but I think it’s important to always connect with the client directly (as opposed to speaking with a contractor, architect, or project manager).”
Fill Out a Form
Many designers’ websites have a simple contact form to make it easier for clients to approach them. Requesting information like project budget, scope, and timeline, this form gives the designer a concise overview of what you need. That way, they can quickly identify if their availability and services align with your project.
Take a Test Run
Services like The Expert allow people to book one-hour consults with top interior designers as a sort of test run. While this can be great for quick troubleshooting, like determining the right drapery fabric or paint color, these time slots can also serve as an introduction to the designer you’re considering. Think of it like a speed date, and use this time to ensure your communication and work styles are complementary, in addition to any aesthetic vision questions you may have.
How to Prepare for Your Project Proposal
Know Your Budget
The cost of an interior designer varies from firm to firm, but you should be willing to share not only the total budget you’ve allotted for your project but also the amount you’re willing to spend on elements like furniture, wallcoverings, and luxe additions like custom fixtures.
Come With Visuals
For Majit, visual elements, like mood boards and floor plans can be great for eliminating confusion in some of those early meetings. “It helps me understand what clients are drawn to, and it gets rid of any confusion around language that might mean one thing to them but something else to me.” Reference imagery or material swatches you love can help get you aligned in terms of stylistic vision and project vibe. Of course, this isn’t mandatory, if you don’t have the design knowledge or access, you can simply bring a floor plan and let the designer take full ownership of the project from there.
Identify Any Non-Negotiables
Do you hate the color green? Floral wallpaper? Zellige tile? Once you’ve found the designer you want to work with, it’s important to set any design boundaries you have. This can also help the designer know if the project is going to be a fit for their firm. For example, you wouldn’t hire someone known for their maximalist pattern play for if you are going for a neutral, minimalist vibe.
What Not To Do
Reach Out on Social Media
Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are all handy tools for staying connected and finding inspiration, but direct messages can easily get lost. Plus, they can sometimes disappear or deactivate, leaving no trace of your interaction. Like any home renovation or project, it’s important to save a written trail of updates and correspondence with your designer, something that can be hard to accomplish via social media messages.
Second Guess the Process
Interior designers are highly skilled at seeing the bigger picture, and as a client, it can be difficult to do the same. You need to place an immense amount of trust placed in your designer from the start, and if you doubt or constantly question the process (especially after approvals have been made), it can hinder the entire project. “Doubt can have a domino effect,” Majit explains. “It doesn’t mean that we can’t pivot, tweak, or refine along the way, but when a client loses sight of the plan, it can slow the timeline down and lead to more significant redesigns.”
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