Does the title “Interior Designer” evoke images of bossy women, rattling off fancy designer terms you’ve never heard of – and spending your money by the bucket? Does it scare you to think that an interior designer will come in and make your house look like she wants it, and not how you want it to look?

Julia Sugarbaker

Yeah. Me too. Before I got into this industry, the only impression I had of an “Interior Designer” was that from the high maintenance and opinionated (albeit funny) women on Designing Women. And then, of course, from HGTV. In these scenarios, the designer is front and center and the client is secondary. (Although in Designing Women, I’m not sure they ever had a client?!)

I’m here to tell you that this scenario – of the Interior Designer being bossy and leading the charge and spending all of the client’s money – could not (or should not) be further from the truth. A good Interior Designer or Decorator puts the client first.

In reality, our job is to “climb into” the minds of our clients, learn what they want and then translate it into designing or decorating the spaces we were hired for. Oftentimes our client doesn’t know what they like, so we go exploring together – via images from Houzz, Pinterest, Instagram or shelter magazines. And this isn’t just about how things LOOK. We need to create spaces that are FUNCTIONAL.

And it is up to the client to approve or revise the suggested design.

Formal Dining 3D Rendering

When I am talking to prospective clients, I liken our results to a pair of shoes…they may look great, but if they aren’t comfortable, you’re not going to enjoy them!

A good designer will work within the budget that is agreed upon…it IS our job to coach a client to understanding what level of product they can get for the amount of money they want to spend. Custom. Semi-custom. Retail. And how quickly they want their project completed also plays into the conversation. Just like Fed Ex, there is an exponentially increased cost for wanting something completed “overnight” but if you’re not in such a hurry, the rates are more reasonable. And a good Interior Designer does not agree to a budget and then come back with her hand out looking for more money to deliver what was promised. Sure, there are unexpected issues that arise, and budgets need to increase, but that will depend on the size and scope of the project – and the clients should be advised to the possibility in advance.

Once we understand what our client wants and how much is in the budget, the fun begins. It is where we make a house a home. We do not design or decorate to our preferences, we infuse the style of our client throughout the space. We create solutions that are beautiful and cater to the tastes and needs of the client. Interior design is a very personal service. The trust we are granted by our clients is overwhelmingly humbling.

That house…

So if you are still scared by the title “Interior Designer”, don’t imagine us running around in high heels, making things pretty and demanding more money. That “reality television” couldn’t be further from the truth. We spend a lot of time searching for the items that most represent our clients and their needs – and we definitely wear comfortable shoes when we install and reveal the spaces! So if you need a little or a lot of assistance with your house, please give us a call. We don’t bite! (972)248-4733