You don't have to be rich to hire an interior designer. In fact, professional advice can stretch your budget and help you avoid mistakes, saving money in the long run. Let a designer find just what you need--or didn't know you needed--to bring your dream home to life. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Collect magazine clippings of the style, color, fabrics and furnishings you like and decide which existing furnishings you wish to keep. Sketch a simple floor plan.
2. Visit show houses and model homes or read local publications to find designers whose work you like. The American Society of Interior Designers (interiors.org) has a free referral service to locate members near you.
3. Interview each designer to assess compatibility--you'll need to work well together. Review portfolios and ask for references.
4. Determine each designer's fees. He or she might charge for a consultation, a flat project fee, an hourly fee, a percentage of the project cost, or cost plus (wholesale plus markup). Fees vary widely by location, reputation and experience.
5. Set the project's scope and budget. Ask about ways to save money to cut the overall cost of the job. Maybe you can do some of the painting yourself. Find out if you can spread out a big project and do just one or two rooms at a time.
6. Sign a contract before work begins. Clarify what services the designer will provide, when he or she will be on site, whether the designer or someone else will oversee the work, all budget details, how you will be billed, and the projected time frame. Clarify in your contract how cost overruns will be handled.
Tags: each designer
