”What is my actual budget?”
This is a pretty important question to address with your partner or family before beginning any design project! Make sure you know your upper limit so that you can clearly communicate to your interior designer. This way, you will be able to rest easy that their gorgeous ideas won’t break your bank!
”Is there one room in particular I want to focus on?”
Remember that you can benefit from the expertise of an interior designer even if you are only looking to give new life to one room of your home. Most interior designers will welcome the challenge of working in a small space, so don’t feel like you can’t reach out for professional help just because your project is smaller. Narrowing down exactly which rooms you would like to focus on will also help your interior designer give you ideas on the rooms you are most concerned about!
“Do I want lots of colors or do I want a primarily monochromatic look?”
One way to figure out whether you are looking for a vivid color palette or a more subdued monochromatic look in your home is to take a quick peak into your closet! Our choices in clothing and jewelry can reveal a lot about our taste in decor and in home aesthetics. Be sure to explicitly let your designer know if you are looking for a colorful eclectic design or a more calming color palette.
“Where do I fall on the form to function scale?”
Is it more important for you that a side table has storage or that it looks stunning? Do you choose your rugs based on looks alone or on maintenance factors? Do you take time to sit in dining room chairs for a while before you purchase them to assess their comfort level or do you opt for the silhouette that speaks to you? These are all questions that will help you determine how much you value the function (ie: the practicality) versus the form (ie: the aesthetic beauty) of your furniture. Once you have an idea of your personal preference, share your thoughts with your interior designer so they can keep that in mind as they are creating ideas for you!
“Do I already have some ideas or am I starting from a blank slate?”
Are you looking for someone to come into your home and give you some direction, or do you already have a sense of what you would like to do? If you are just looking for another set of eyes and a bit of confirmation for thoughts that you have already put together for your space, it is pretty important to communicate that to your interior designer! They will factor in your ideas into their work and their suggestions if you let them know what you have been thinking about! Don’t worry, if you are at a loss and can’t even begin to imagine what might work in your space, a qualified interior designer will be able to suss out a style that fits you and your home!
“What furniture do I already have that I want to keep?”
Just because you are thinking of redecorating or remodelling doesn’t mean that you have to get rid of all of your existing furniture! Maybe there is a dresser that you have always wanted to convert into the base of a sink, or a piece of art that you have never been able to make work in your living room or a cuckoo clock that you wish would work in your entryway! Let your interior designer know about these ‘heritage pieces’ that you want to hold onto and incorporate into the new design!
“Do I want my decor to match my house or contrast with it?”
Whether you are moving into a new home or simply rethinking your current home, it is worth taking the time to see the house itself as a powerful player in the interior design process! The style of architecture, the natural light, the flow of movement through the house and even just the size of each room are factors that go into the statement that your home is already making (even without decor or furniture!). Let your interior designer know if you are looking for a decorative style that matches your home or if you are hoping to create a contrast between the house and its contents!
“Am I ready to remodel or renovate my home?”
Make sure that you are not caving to internal or external pressure to change your home! It’s always a good idea to breathe, relax and take stock of the aspects of your home that you really love. Take the time to determine whether you are ready for the ordeal of remodelling or redecorating your home. This will ensure that you will fully enjoy the process, secure in the knowledge that you made a wise and careful choice!
“Do I know what I like?”
This is the time to browse through any home design or decor magazine you can get your hands on! Tear out the pages you like and begin assembling a binder of ‘things you like’. Jump into Pinterest and Lux and Houzz and Instagram with an eye out for home decor that speaks to you, living rooms that make you yearn, bedrooms that make you say ‘yes! That!’. Ensure that you know what you like by figuring out what you don’t like! Establishing your personal taste, likes and dislikes, will help your interior designer enormously and will guarantee that you are more satisfied with their ideas!
