Designing from Within
Some things you need to know about
working with an interior designer
By Donna Elle
At some point, many homeowners face a decision to remodel, update, expand or renew their biggest investment: their home. Typically, one begins with architect and builder, plans and permits, subcontractors and schedules. Quickly enough, standing inside your newly constructed space with its white plastered walls, freshly cut woodwork, newly installed windows, wall receptacles and hardwood floors is the painter asking YOU for color selections! Unless you have had prior knowledge or a taste of this experience, you may find yourself running around for countless hours attempting to find solutions without justification and most likely will join the majority and say: Where do I go from here?
Having a qualified and experienced interior designer under contract during all phases of your project can prove very rewarding. Outlining your needs from the beginning of the project and gaining insight and assistance from a designer can prove invaluable if done in a mutually satisfying way.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Business always comes before the creative part. Once you have determined and agreed upon the scope of work, a contract outlining your expectations should be articulated. This agreement will represent your intentions and what the designer will accomplish on your behalf.
Designers work in various ways. Some may work on a flat fee, which usually works well for all parties if the scope is specifically defined. In this instance, a value is assigned at the beginning of the project so both the client and designer understand the parameters of the work. Others may prefer to work in increments of time, and those who are not in a rush may prefer to pay by the hour. In the end, the contract terms need to be fine-tuned and understood by all parties who will be living in this new space. Ironically, this is the most pivotal phase because once the contract and terms are mutually agreed upon, the rest of the project will just simply unfold.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Having designed interiors for homes since the early 1980s, I have come to view myself as an interpreter for clients’ needs. It’s not about what I like; it’s about what my clients prefer and then working the design program technically. Through a brief series of interviews and textile testing (what I refer to as “an ink blot test”), I derive a sense of masculine and feminine nuances that prove invaluable to the successful outcome of the project. Sometimes the clients don’t agree on certain intentions for their home’s layout, and this is where I will fine-tune their wish list into a palatable and compromised solution.
Good designers will individually prepare their clients with a series of pertinent questions to identify issues and create solutions that will enhance and portray the lifestyle needs of the client. In addition, a preliminary budget is provided in the contract to address the major issue of cost.
Understanding the clients’ priorities assures their needs will be met. For example, the client may want to spend more of the budget on finishes for woodwork, walls and floors than on the casegoods, upholstery or window treatments. An allocation will then be allowed for each of these segments. This information up front allows the designer to research and retrieve appropriate solutions in particular price ranges. Sometimes it’s necessary to educate the client at the beginning as to what are considered mid-range to high-end selections to get them acclimated to certain conditions.
From the time the contract is signed, a series of meetings are conducted in a strategic manner to either troubleshoot while the project is still on paper or to rework an existing layout that is geared to a more satisfying arrangement than the client could have designed. Many design-related issues—such as natural and artificial lighting, color, scale and proportion of furniture, space planning and storage for optimal use—are all handled by the professional. At any point, a good designer can come in and manipulate a space to work in another dimension that will ultimately solve a problem for the homeowner.
EVERYONE MEETS IN THE MIDDLE
Working on a project while it still exists on paper is the optimal time to bring in an interior designer. For example, it’s simpler in both construction and cost terms to lay out an electrical plan so the lighting and motorized window shades communicate with each other rather than retrofitting the plan once the home is built or renovated. Although anything is possible, it’s easier on the pocketbook and more satisfying if it’s done from the planning stages. That’s why I promote designing from the inside out. It’s my job to get clients to think about their needs inside the space rather than to troubleshoot from an “I wish I had thought of that before” standpoint. Allowing your designer to work on your project from the inside out allows for the builder and architect to work from the outside in with everyone meeting in the middle. In this way, everyone communicates and listens to the client’s needs. When this concept is followed, most projects result in a harmonious experience for everyone.
Donna Elle, an allied member of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), is owner of Donna Elle Interior Design, Loft Living Design and Nantucket Windows. She has projects on Nantucket, Cape Cod and in Boston. You may view her web sites at:
www.nantucketwindows.com
www.loftlivingdesign.com
www.donnaelle.com
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