How Clients Can Set Up For a Successful Interior Design Consultation
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Professional interior designers are highly trained in their field.
It is their job to remain current with trends and breathe life into a home. It is the top priority of an experienced interior designer to design a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
If you are considering hiring a professional, the first step is to schedule a consultation. The consultation is an opportunity for the client to optain access ideas, guidance, resources and expertise in order to make the decision to move forward.
The purpose of this blog post is to provide information on expectations during a design consultation, as well as what not to expect. I will discuss what is an interior design consultation, and the costs associated with an interior design consultation.
Related Reading:
How to Schedule a Consultation?
If I would like to schedule a consultation, how can I do that?
To start, contact me to book a free discovery call or fill out my design questionnaire. Appointments for an in-home consultation can be scheduled during this call. All payments must be made before scheduled appointments via check, charge, or cash. My consultation fee is $300 for about 2 hours.
The prerequisite free discovery call
In the process of designing, the design consultation plays a very important role. For prospective clients, I like to start with a complimentary discovery call that can be scheduled if preferred. I give them the opportunity to tell me an overview of their project goals, an opportunity to ask questions, and an opportunity to get a better idea of what will happen during this on-site appointment. In order to justify the fee I charge for design consultations, we must ensure our prospective clients receive value out of it. We recommend a discovery call before paying for a consultation to get a better sense of who I am committing to a consultation. During this call, define for the designer whether you hope to gain tips in order to put them into place yourself, or whether you wish to have the designer handle all the details.
Be prepared to discuss during the discovery call:
Whether you or the designer expect to use this meeting as a job interview or a working consultation? “If your goal is to select paint and finishes for a kitchen remodel, skip the full-home tour and use the consultation to work!,” says designer Julie S. Lampe.
Which areas of your home make up the project?
How much does the consultation cost?
What is the designer’s hourly fee, and do they offer flat-fee proposals?
Does the designer have a waiting list?
How long will the first consultation on-site take?
What is the designer’s design process?
Should I prepare the space as if company is visiting or leave it as is so the designer can see the issues?
How many rooms can we discuss during the initial consultation?
“If your goal is to select paint and finishes for a kitchen remodel, skip the full-home tour and use the consultation to work!”
Prepare for the Consultation (On-site or Virtual)
Image via Austin Wehrwein via Unsplash
An interior design consultation is the first meeting you have with an interior designer so they can get to know you and hear about your design goals more in depth than during the discovery call. You also get to know your designer’s experience as well. The consultation might be conducted on-site face-to-face or over a video chat.
Time investment: 2 hours
Money investment: $300 with $100 applicable to design project fee (Scroll down for an explanation.)
It is common for designers who offer consultations as a separate service to sell consultations for multiple hours, such as in 2-, 4-, and 6-hour increments.
Topics Covered:
Be prepared to discuss the following:
The scope of the project
The client’s hopes and dreams for their home
Business practices
Billing and payment methods
Tips to Be Prepared:
Know what your budget is.
Have a Pinterest board/vision board of inspirational images gathered.
Know your goals for this meeting.
Know which areas of y0ur home need improvement.
Know your timeline for the project.
Have an open and positive mindset.
Read the book “How to Work with an Interior Designer” by Judy Sheridan if you are considering a large or expensive project
Be prepared to answer these following questions:
What are you and your spouse/partner’s style preferences?
What are your paint color/fabric pattern/wood stain/metal color preferences?
What is your budget?
What is your project timeline? (Do you want to have this finished in time for __________?)
What are your favorite parts about your home?
What is not working for you in the home?
How do you use each room?
What is your lifestyle? (Health-centered, bohemian, nomadic, corporate, rural, urban, mountain, beach, party, solo, active, workaholic, etc.)
What are your lighting preferences?
I prefer for my clients to answer most of these questions before the date of our first meeting. It’s an easy, online questionnaire that assists me in creating value for our consultation. The goal for the interior designer is to gather enough information to properly put together the design service fee (investment) proposal. Remember what motivated you to call the designer in the first place, and remember that you are worth this investment. The design consultation is an obligation before beginning a project, however, having a design consultation does not oblige you to hire the designer.
“You are worth investing in your home.”
What to Expect in a Consultation
Goals of an interior design consultation
Find out before meeting in person what type of meeting this will be: more of a job interview or a working consultation where ideas will be offered. This meeting will be:
A opportunity to connect with each other on a personal level
An opportunity to see if you will be able to work harmoniously
An opportunity for the designer to listen to you to share all your hopes and dreams for your project during the house tour
An opportunity for the designer to see what’s working and what’s not working for themselves
An opportunity for the designer to explain business practices
An opportunity to learn about the design process
An opportunity to talk about budget and billing
Tips to be Prepared Beforehand
To be prepared for your design consultation, be able to describe your vision to your interior designer. Your designer will have an easier time understanding your style if you bring in a selection of images, fabrics, and product samples to show him or her. Bring vision boards to your consultation if you have multiple rooms in your brief and want each room to have its own personality, this may be created and displayed in Pinterest. View a tutorial for creating such boards in Pinterest.
Know your vision, making a list of areas and items that you want to discuss
Gather inspirational magazine clippings, or a Pinterest board of images, as well as favorite types of fabrics, patterns, and product samples
If not using an online source to gather these items, create a vision board for each room
Read this article for tips on how to use Pinterest for gathering ideas
Find out if your designer prefers for the house to be prepared or whether they want to see the house as it usually is (which could help them understand the priorities in functionality)
Create a list of questions that you want answered during the consultation about the project and about your design professional and how they work
Understand that this is the first official step of complete the design process
Image via Dane Deaner on Unsplash
So what's included in the design consultation?
You will have the opportunity to discuss your challenges with the existing space, learn about how you would like to use it, what your lifestyle is, and how you would like to feel in it during the design consultation. I prefer taking a tour of your home and asking questions about what works and what doesn't for you in each room. As visual people, it is helpful to view the spaces in order to know what works, and what the areas of improvement are. Some designers might take measurements of the home at this time, however, I wait until the next step in the design process to do so.
Then we together determine what areas you would like me to focus on for the scope of work we are about to embark on. As part of my value-added service, I am willing to share grand ideas with clients during the consultation. There is nothing concrete about these ideas. In some cases, they may need to be tweaked to fit the budget, or they may be deemed not the best solution after further thought.
You as the client have the opportunity to talk openly about what you envision for your home without fear of cost or other factors that are not yet known. It is our norm to discuss a variety of topics including layout, materials, millwork, lighting, art and window treatments, as well as furniture pieces, lighting, lighting and other architectural elements. Our verbal discussion of these elements is in the room, while actual selections are made later in the design process. Designing a space can takes place over a period of time as one element impacts another, so I cannot do it in a couple hours.
A design professional might also take this opportunity to discuss the budget for purchasing. Remember to differentiate whether this includes the design fee or not. Your designer might presume that this is excluding the design fee. At this time, he/she might express whether this is manageable, or offer suggestions to do it in phases as your budget allows.
You may be shown any ideas we have compiled or other sources on the Internet help you visualize what we have in mind, but it is often not exactly as what we would design for you. My goals is to create something totally catered to your needs and wants, totally original.. It is for this reason that a design plan must be developed later to meet your unique requirements.
Tips for success during the design consultation:
Have your list of questions at hand
Ask your designer to explain any terms that you don’t understand
Have your list of priorities at hand
Take notes
These are the deliverables from Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors LLC:
A complimentary discovery chat beforehand
An investment of $300 with $100 applicable to your design fee.
A chance for the designer to see your space
An opportunity for you to discuss your challenges with the space
An discussion of what is required to accomplish the goals and prioritization of projects
A discussion of the designer’s suggestions to fine-tune your vision, perhaps a sketch or floor plan drawing
A discussion of issues that the designer anticipates won’t work for your project
A date for which to expect a design fees proposal
You may als0 enjoy reading:
“Designing a space can takes place over a period of time as one element impacts another, so I cannot do it in a couple hours. ”
What To Not Expect for an Interior Design Consultation
It takes considerable time, like it would with a complex puzzle, to analyze all the working parts of a space, and how each part affects the next. Making a beautiful and functional space involves may layers, much like the layers of an onion. This is not McDonald’s type service, and thus your design process might take weeks to months. Sometimes it’s best to allow the designer the space and freedom for ideas to percolate and in order for the best outcome to come to fruition. I believe you deserve the best and a rush job won’t serve those intentions. Thus, sometimes clients ask for my input on some options that I may not be able to answer right there and then, and it will take some time to brainstorm. (If you do have McDonald’s type tastes and finances, then I suggest trying a fast-turnaround service such as Modsy, although you might be left “high and dry, without warning.”
Do not expect within a 2-hour design consultation:
Selections of color, paint, lighting, furniture, etc.
Re-arrangement of furnishings and decor
More than 3 colors of paint options (however, I always select paint color as the last step)
Why Do You Charge a Fee for a Consultation?
Image via Depositphotos
For a consultation that lasts up to two hours, Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors LLC charges $300 with $100 applicable toward future design fees. This $300 fee must be paid prior to the meeting via check or charge. In the past, I have not charged for the initial design consultation, withholding my ideas for after the contract is signed. This is a disservice to clients as they do not receive any value from the meeting, but also to myself as a design professional, whereas I could honestly be using this time more constructively than wasting it on tire-kickers. I would rather have the fee be upfront and transparent, instead of working it into the overall design fee proposal. I have found that there is respect for each other’s time when a design fee is charged for the consultation. Also, clients are more prepared and committed to the overall design process when undertaking such an investment. You are worth the investment.
“ I would rather have the fee be upfront and transparent, instead of working it into the overall design fee proposal. ”
What Happens After the Consultation?
After the consultation occurs, I follow-up with meeting notes for your review. A date has been set for the design fees proposal, however, if you know beforehand that you will not be hiring me for additional help, then be honest and respectful of my time before I spend hours customizing your proposal. My proposal will also include an approximate timeline for the project, as well as an estimate for decor and furnishings. For a in-depth look at the design process, click here.
Don’t Forget to Read:
Ready to schedule a free Discovery Call?
If you like what you see on my website, and are considering an in-home consultation, then take the first step today by contacting me to schedule your complimentary discovery call that will be about 20 minutes. Use this contact form, email me, or text me. Or choose to fill out the design questionnaire!
Sources:
What to Expect from An Interior Design Consultation, https://humanity-home.com/what-to-expect-from-an-interior-design-consultation/, Humanity Home & Cabinetry, 2011-05-14
The Design Consultation: What's Included And What's Not, https://www.veronicasolomon.com/post/the-design-consultation-what-s-included-and-what-s-not, Veronica Solomon, 2019-05-25
Free Interior Design Consultation - What to Expect and How to Prepare, https://vevano.com/resource-center/free-interior-design-consultation/
How to Nail the Initial Interior Design Consultation | Houzz Pro | Houzz Pro, https://www.houzz.com/pro-learn/blog/how-to-nail-the-initial-interior-design-consultation, Annie Thornton
Design Consultations: What Can You Accomplish in 2 Hours, Really? - Julie S Lampe, https://paradigmfl.com/2020/08/06/design-consultations-what-can-you-accomplish-in-2-hours-really/
What To Expect From Your Interior Design Consultation — Decor By Demi, https://www.decorbydemi.com/the-decorum/what-to-expect-from-your-interior-design-consultation
4 Secrets To A Successful Interior Design Consultation - C Color, https://ccolor.com/blog/secrets-to-a-successful-interior-design-consultation/, C Color
Types of Lifestyles Suitable For You - Pulse, https://www.pulse-clinic.com/types-of-lifestyles-suitable-for-you
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