When Do Problems Come With Interior Decorators?
Maybe I am just getting older yet it seems these days more and more problems are coming to the surface as people hire an interior designer.
Before I was more focused on artwork I was in a construction background dealing with designers and owners regularly.
As time moved forward the real problem I discovered was consistent and existed in other areas of life as well.
A lot of the lessons learned from this period of time became the foundation of the policies I set into place concerning my artwork in how I interact with clients.
Mistakes can commonly be made with interior design. It stings when we make those mistakes but it stings even more when its from those we hire.
Interior Designer Problems From Day 1
A homeowner hired an interior design team to style their home and after signing the contract things began to go downhill. Among the issues which were faced was purchases that were made which the homeowner approved.
It did not take long for the budget to be pushed near the breaking point. This homeowner being a friend was complaining about how she was expecting the interior designer to let them know before the budget was being pushed too far.
Another issue she ran into was that purchases were being made from custom shops. This is not a problem unless the budget is at risk and things need to be returned.
Immediately I could feel the tension as the list came out with furniture, table, chairs, and windows that had been custom ordered. I sat listening to the story and begin to piece things together slowly from past experience.
One of the complaints my friend had was some of the chairs were also not the right size and the woodworking was sloppy. Naturally me being a wood artist this one was right in my wheelhouse.
I began to take a look at what was delivered to her. Yet I kept listening. Clearly she was beyond frustration and nearing the point of a mental breakdown.
The designer told her that she would benefit from their ability to get discounts on items and thus benefit from this savings. She began to point at things such as the windows which she believed cost too much and questioned if she had been lied to. Clearly things were not in a good place and for me it was a lot to digest at one time.
Failures Of The Interior Design Team
Clearly there had been failures by the interior designer. Among them the greatest was a breakdown in communication.
Indeed as budgets get strained something needs to be done and issues such as this need to be discussed. I totally sympathized with my friend in that regard, and this responsibility of communication falls on the professionals shoulder not the client.
Additionally I began to get a feel that this designer walked into a project that they knew would be strained or did not have the experience to see what was coming.
Based on the numbers I could gather it appeared that they were attempting to work with a budget near the 7 to 10% range of the homes value. Add to this the items which were placed as features within the home should have been selected if the budget were nearer to 15% of value.
Ignoring who said what, and who should accept responsibility, the numbers helped me to see issues on both sides. The greater responsibility lay with the interior designer.
A client hires them for their supposed expertise. Nevertheless this is not the whole of the story. I also know my friend and her high expectations.
Clearly the breakdown in communication with the lack of experience in the designers field led to them stumbling down the wrong path. They attempted to do the impossible by meeting expectations to make someone happy that the budget would not allow.
These issues should have been worked out early on before a dollar was spent. My friend needed to have her expectations crushed down to a size that would fit within reality.
This would have saved a later near mental breakdown after many thousands spent.
Failures Of My Friend With The Interior Design
Yes my friend had high expectations with the interior design. She knows this so it is not a secret.
To give an example we go to the wood furniture. Her complaints were about the quality. When I asked what was paid for the items they were in line with what I would expect.
The poor guy does need to make a living and if one wants perfection then at least pay the guy for it.
Expectations mean a lot. When one is expecting something but receives something else, naturally the individual feels cheated. Again this is a communication issue the designer should have dealt with.
It does help if one explores the common issues which a designer faces in helping them to fulfill their job.
Yet the craftsmanship of the woodworking for my friends furniture, while in line with the cost, was not perfection.
The greater issue was that some of the pieces were not of the right size. This the designer needed to fix.
The unfortunate part of this story is that my friend began to have her reality crushed down to size by the reality of what she was seeing in her new home.
It is far easier to do this in conversation before creating a problem within a home. She did get a discount on items which were purchased yet it was not significant.
What she decided to spend on was more premium rather than the middle of the road. Her budget barely qualified in some cases for the middle of the road, and the premium never should have been a consideration.
There is the additional issue that premium items tend to have less discount thus the appearance that the decorator lied to her.
Here I began to hear a lot of I want this, and I want that, but do not understand why it cost so much. This is why I do not often work for friends.
I told her that I would have never taken her as a client because she is stubborn. I am glad we have a good relationship and she understood what I was saying.
The decorator began trying to please due to lack of experience within a budget which was not sustainable.
Solutions Can Be Found With An Interior Designer
In trying to find solutions my friend took a route that she did not like but was better for her in the end. She left rooms off that were sacrificed so that she could get what she desired in other places.
I suggested this for in my opinion this is the most logical and best route to follow anyway. This is especially true when one is wanting a better quality within the home rather than the middle of the road.
In this way one can save money over time then go back to finish other rooms as it can be afforded rather than incurring debt.
It gave flexibility for more important areas such as the social areas and kitchen to have focus. Her master bathroom and other rooms settled for far less initially.
Sometimes we need to grow into things rather than having it all right away.
Creating a sketch layout with alternatives can aid in direction if a change is needed due to budget. Staying with simple designs within the home can also cut cost but allow future features and beauty to be used.
This also will allow for a shift in design to impact a smaller footprint of theme. Always work with what inspires you yet manage expectations to achieve the end goal.
As for the problematic furniture the interior designer did take care of the pieces which were not sized properly. My friends dislike of the quality remained, yet in my mind they were on par for the price.
In the end things worked out yet there were some adjustments that were required on both sides. This story can be common with many interior decorators that you can run into even if they have experience.
What To Look For In A Interior Designer
People like to focus on the contract they sign and yes this is important. Often enough these contracts are fairly standard so unless something sticks out unusually my focus would be elsewhere.
If you are looking to hire someone for your home, reading reviews or getting referrals is great yet insufficient. There really is not a way to gauge the most important quality until you meet them.
This quality is communication.
Personally I would accept someone with less experience that had greater communication skills than the decorator that has experience with less than desirable communication.
Within the discussion and submission of the estimate I am also looking for the acceptance of responsibility to the job they are doing. This they need to own as theirs for it is why they are being hired.
Early on I mentioned that the things I have learned over the years I set into the policy of how I work with clients concerning my artwork. My blades do not move until there is a clear picture and understanding between those involved.
This includes when applicable the approval of the design concept digitally before I ever cut a piece of wood.
You can find many suggestions online as to what to look for within an interior designer yet they all fall short. Nothing beats meeting these people and talking to them to see if you can work with them, and if they can work and communicate clearly with you.
If they cannot give you what you want do not throw them away just yet. Look into the why behind the answer of no as they suggest alternatives.
It may be their experience talking while your expectations could be too high. This leads to our next matter.
Educate Yourself On Interior Design Rather Than Just Outsource
Too often people wish to hire someone to just take care of a job. Life ties us up and we lack time to get involved.
Money can take care of things faster than we can, or so we think. Rather than throwing money at the issue we should take the time to learn about what we are walking into.
Certainly we should not need to become experts over every small part of the need we seek to fulfill, yet we should be knowledgeable.
Be willing to dive into interior design details to learn if our expectations are realistic. Have enough information to discover if the designer is as bad as our feelings suggest, or are you in error of wanting too much.
While in my friends case she never should have faced what she did we cannot always rely upon those we hire to keep us from falling into a tough position.
Human beings have the distinct aspect of being human in that we all make errors. This includes those who communicate well and have experience.
Being educated allows for you to further act as a backup defending your wallet and home to protect against legitimate error. Know the cost of things especially big ticket items and be willing to adjust accordingly or sacrifice if needed.
Stay Within Your Means Hiring An Interior Designer
If you have a half million dollar home, expecting to spend 75 to 100k for design is not unreasonable depending on what you are wanting.
Before a home is built or purchased the foresight is needed to see down the road and anticipate aspects such as this. It will help prevent frustration such as encountered by my friend.
Rather than hiring an interior designer it may be best to tackle this yourself, if you are capable. Not everyone is capable of this yet it does give a lot of freedom.
If the budget is not there for everything you want a plan can be set into motion for decorating to be phased in over a 5 year plan.
Do not be afraid to get involved no matter the path you take. Nevertheless always be realistic with your expectations. If this is not the mindset from the beginning you are only setting yourself up for a breakdown along the path.
Moving Forward
No one article can cover every aspect of what can be encountered. I could create a list of bullet points detailing things to look for yet this too falls short.
I always want to bring real world experience to a conversation rather than a rehash from other blog posts we can find on the web. This does not make those other blogs irrelevant, yet they do not capture the most critical points.
As you move forward into the future of your design always be willing to take the initiative to keep communication open and the details of the project flowing in. While we may like to shift this responsibility to a professional ultimately it is our wallet and our money.
Never be afraid to ask questions. At the same time be willing to listen to the why behind a no if that is the answer.
The end goal is for you to be happy with your choices and not need a therapist. Create a home that you love and enjoy for your family with confidence though communication.