FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does an interior designer do? What are your everyday responsibilities when working on a project?
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An interior designer is responsible for all the things that occur once you step through the front door of a building, essentially! An interior designer makes the interior space functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing by developing space requirements and selecting all elements essential to the building’s inside spaces. This would include finishes, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, decorative fixtures, as well as furniture and décor.
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WHAT TO EXPECT: THE INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTATION
The interior design consultation is an opportunity to see your home first hand and start the conceptual process. It’s a time to listen to your decor dilemmas, learn more about your vision for the space, how it fits in with your lifestyle, etc.
This means that we will take a tour of your home together; we will discuss what is working for you in each space and what is not. We will hone in on those problem areas you want to address for the scope of work we will embark upon.
The next step in the interior design consultation is discussing the budget. Most times clients do not know what their budget should be. The final step in the design consultation is discussing how we work.
Clients are always encouraged to write down possible questions ahead of the consultation to make sure you are prepared. It may also be helpful to take notes during the meeting to ensure you understand what is being presented since this can be an overwhelming time.
WHAT TO NOT EXPECT: DESIGN CONSULTATION
Good design is about considering the space overall and how each element relates to each other. Its about layering pieces. This often takes some thought and time to develop. This could include pulling fabric and color swatches together or creating a concept board that shows how each piece relates to each other.
In other words; design takes time and an actual design cannot be achieved in a 1-2 hour consultation. While interior designers can instinctively stand in a room and feel what it needs, we also can turn that initial concept into something more brilliant if given the time. You deserve our best designs and we need time to make sure those ideas work for you.
There is no physical altering of the space during the design consultation. This means we don’t hang art or re-arrange any furniture. We also do not provide any notes, paint color suggestions, etc.
The interior design consultation plays an important part in the design process. It essentially allows you to gain ideas, guidance, resources and expertise to help you make decisions and move towards the next step.
What are the differences between an interior designer and an interior decorator?
Decoration is defined as “the furnishing or adorning of a space with beautiful things”. Interior design is defined as “the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building”. To put it quite simply, an interior designer can decorate but an interior decorator may not design! Designers must adhere to code and regulatory requirements for spaces and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability, while decorators don’t need to adhere to strict regulations.
What are the differences between an interior designer and an interior decorator?
WHAT DOES AN INTERIOR DESIGNER DO?
What are our everyday tasks in completing a project?
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An interior designer creates a space that is functional, flowing, and aesthetically pleasing by selecting elements that are essential to the building’s interior needs. This would include elements such as paint, storage, hardware finishes, flooring, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, decorative fixtures, as well as furniture and décor. Our everyday tasks include finding inspiration and creating visual representations of what we have envisioned for our client's space.
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IS THE CONSULTATION FREE?
Yes, the consultation is currently complimentary to all! Please find the booking page or give us a call to schedule your first step in the design process.
WHAT TO EXPECT: THE INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTATION
The interior design consultation is an opportunity for our team to see your home first hand and begin with some immediate ideas. It’s a time for us to listen to your decor dilemmas, learn more about your needs for the space, and how it fits into your lifestyle.
Once we take a tour of the space that we will design, our team will put together a proposal for our vision of the space, considering all the concerns of the client. The next step in the process is discussing the budget. It is good to have an idea of what you are willing to spend to transform your space prior to booking your consultation, yet if you have no idea what it is going to cost, our proposal is here to help. Lastly, it is up to the client as to how they would like to move forward.
Potential clients are always encouraged to ask any questions ahead of the consultation to make sure our team is prepared upon arrival.
WHAT TO NOT EXPECT: DESIGN CONSULTATION
Design takes time and any design cannot be achieved in a 1-2 hour consultation. While interior designers can instinctively stand in a room and feel what it needs, we also can turn that initial concept into something more brilliant if given the time. You deserve our best designs and we need time to make sure those ideas work for your needs. There is no physical altering of the space during the design consultation. This means we don’t touch the space until we have agreed to move forward with the design process. We also do not provide any notes, paint color suggestions, or space planning advice first hand, as these are part of our design presentation. The design consultation is the first step into transforming a space and lays the first brick of foundational trust between the designer and the client. It essentially allows you to gain some ideas and expertise as to how your space can be transformed.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET MY PROJECT PROPOSAL?
Approximately one week.
DO I NEED A PERMIT TO DESIGN MY HOME?
It depends. For an interior decoration or remodeling, there is no permit needed. Yet for any exterior remodel or construction there is most likely a need for a permit. Our company has experience in how to go about requesting permits for residential and commercial spaces and we can certainly help our clients with this once they begin the design process.
What are the differences between an interior designer and an interior decorator?
Decoration is defined as “the furnishing or adorning of a space with beautiful things”. Interior design is defined as “the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building”. To put it quite simply, an interior decorator can decorate but they may not design! Designers must adhere to code and regulatory requirements for spaces and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability, while decorators don’t need to adhere to strict regulations.
DO WE OFFER COMMERCIAL DESIGN?
Yes. Our company has experience in a wide range of commercial interior and architectural design. A few examples being a children's coding school, a night club, and a store front. From a small remodel to an entire new construction process, we can handle any size project.
DO YOU SUBCONTRACT?
Generally, yes. We work with a team of subcontractors that have been consistent in our projects for over 10+ years. This means when you sign on to a project with Decoré, you have at your disposal a team of experienced workers in every department from decore to new construction.
DO MY DESIGNS COME WITH 3D MODELS?
Each project varies in the needs of the client, in the case of renovation services, yes we provide our designs in 3D CADs in order to portray our visions. Not only does it bring our designs to life, but these 3D images also help the client make decisions that they are confident in.