You’ve been thinking about it…you’ve talked to your friends…you’ve been tooling around on the Internet looking at different designers’ websites…
You’re ready to live in an outrageously beautiful home. You’re ready to hire an interior designer.
Before you start making calls, though, I suggest asking yourself the following 5 questions. Having run my interior design business for 11 years (!), I know they’ll help prepare you for the adventure ahead.
1. Why do I want to change how my home looks and feels?
Why? What’s driving this pursuit of domestic fabulousness? Is the reason simple: your wall colors are bumming you out? Have your children gone off to college, and you want to re-think their bedrooms? Has your home never felt right to you? Do you simply need a change in your life? Any and all reasons are legit.
2. How many people would I like my home to accommodate?
A mundane but important question. How many people do you want to be able to seat in the living room? How many people eat breakfast at the kitchen table? When you have dinner parties, how large are they?
3. In designing your home, What are the three things you value most: beauty, style (as in, being stylish), quality, durability, budget, trend-setting, your time, convenience, etc.?
Answering this question will help you choose the right designer. Some specialize in child- and pet-resistant spaces. Some are budget decorators who will “design on a dime.” If you have a demanding job, you need a full-service firm — a turnkey operation that can handle every aspect of the design and implementation process.
4. How much money am I willing to invest in my home right now?
I can’t overstate the importance here. Your designer will ask you this question, and you should have an honest answer at the ready. Otherwise, your designer is giving you her best guess of what you’re comfortable spending.
If you’re saying to yourself, “How do I know what my investment level is before I know how much things cost?” email admin [at] bossycolor [dot] com and we’ll send you our Estimated Cost of Home Furnishings Worksheet. (That really needs a catchier name, doesn’t it?) It will give you an idea of how much it can cost to furnish different types of rooms top to bottom.
5. How will a redesigned home impact my life?
Dream a little. What will your life look like if you have an outrageously beautiful home that reflects your taste and life experiences? Will you entertain more frequently? Will you be energized? Will you feel more at peace?
I hope these questions are helpful, Gentle Readers. Go forth and bossify!
Bossy color | Annie Elliott interior design is a full-service design firm in Washington, D.C. We create outrageously beautiful homes for fascinating people — starting with color.