What happens at an interior design consultation? Your guide to working with me
It’s an exciting prospect, considering a new design project for your home or some new soft furnishings to transform and refresh a room you love. But what actually happens at an interior design consultation? If you’ve never had one before, it can feel overwhelming to know what awaits you.
So I’ve broken down my process and given you this quick guide to working with me, so you know just what to expect.
Our initial design consultation
Ideally, our initial meeting should be face-to-face. As a designer, it’s really important for me to get a good look at the room you’d like me to work on. The size and feel of the space, where the light falls, where the doors are, and even any draughts, are all important parts of an interior design consultation.
You can also expect me to take some measurements and photographs of the room too, including the windows.
As well as the practical side of things, it’s an opportunity to talk to you about your ideas - your design likes and dislikes, and what the room will be used for. All of this goes towards putting together your brief. It’s okay if you’re not sure what you want - not everyone does!
Some clients like to share a Pinterest board with me, which helps pull those initial ideas together - it’s not an essential part of the process, but it can help me to understand the look you’re going for. You can include examples of curtains, blinds, colour schemes, and soft furnishings that go some way to help describe the look and feel of your project.
Finally, we discuss budget and timescales - this is an important step so we both know the expectations. All work is individual and bespoke, so having a clear plan moving forward, particularly a completion date for the project, makes everything run smoothly.
Moving forwards
After our consultation, I go away and put together your estimate, taking into account everything we’ve discussed when putting it together, before sending it to you for approval.
Once it’s been approved, I make a start on the project, creating presentation boxes to show you sample fabrics, carpets, and blinds. I also put together an electronic display board to show you my ideas for the room or furnishings we’ve discussed.
We then meet again so I can share the presentation boxes with you and you can really get a feel for what I’ve chosen. Honest feedback at this stage is crucial - don’t be afraid to give your opinion and tell me what you think. You have to enjoy the room or furnishings long after we stop working together, so it’s best to be as clear as possible with your likes and dislikes.
Once you’re happy, I can then get to work creating furnishings for your room or bringing the design together.
And before you know it, you’re enjoying your new space and the memories you’ll make there.
A team approach
In order to get the best out of the interior design process, teamwork is crucial. The best designs come from open communication and great feedback - the clearer you are with your thoughts on my designs and ideas, the better.
And don’t be afraid to come to your interior design consultation without any ideas at all - everyone is different and through my years of experience, I’ll be able to give you ideas and suggestions to get you started. Together, we can transform your room/space to be somewhere you enjoy spending your time and make your house really feel like your home.
If you would like to find out more about working with me, please do get in touch.