If you’re thinking about hiring a professional to help you with your home renovation, you’re in the right place. I’m about to answer the top three questions all of my clients ask before renovating to create their dream home!

#1. What’s your design process? How much time does each part of the process take?

This question is critical to understanding what to expect as you move forward working with an interior designer. Although most designers follow a similar process, you must understand your designer’s progression from initial ideas through completed space.

Here’s what you can expect when you work with An Inspiring Home:

BEFORE YOU’RE A CLIENT:

• Discovery Call - We start with a 15-20. min Discovery call where we learn about your project and timeline. We'll share the different options for working with us, what we think is best for you, and how soon we can get started.
• Consultation - The first step in working with us is a paid consultation. Our consults are up to two hours long, during which we come see your home, talk about your style, your wants and needs, and how you want to live in your home. We'll offer some suggestions for moving forward and then take some rough measurements and photos.
• Proposal & Scope of Work - Seeing your space at the consult allows us to prepare a scope of work, including estimated costs, a timeline, and a contract. Then, we will present this to you over a 30-minute Zoom meeting where you can ask any questions before starting. We usually have this ready to go 2-3 days after your consultation.

ONCE YOU’RE A CLIENT

• New Client Onboarding - we have a very organized system for managing our projects and client information. Upon receipt of the signed contract and design fee deposit, we upload all of our client's information into our system. We ask our clients to find inspirational photos of rooms they would love to help us get going in the right direction.

• Kick-off meeting - Then we take our client's style and design information, source photos, and bring samples to our official project kick-off meeting. This 2-hour meeting takes place at our client's home, where we nail down the likes, dislikes, and detailed style information. Here, we'll take detailed measurements so we can get started designing.

• Design Phase - This phase usually takes 4-6 weeks, depending on the size of your project. We take all the information we've gathered and start designing your dream space! First, we start with the floor plan and create a concept drawing. Then, we begin sourcing materials, finishes, fabrics, and furnishings based on our kick-off meeting. We'll gather samples to show you at the presentation and all the drawings and mood boards we create. Finally, we're ready to present your design to you!

• Project Management - At this point, we're meeting with the contractor at your house and discussing everything so they can give you a final quote. Then, it's time to place orders while the contractor starts on any demo and construction. We will plan any site visits with the contractor and work alongside them to ensure your project keeps heading in the right direction. The management phase can take 6-10 weeks for furniture-only projects or 8-20 weeks or more for construction projects. It's so exciting to see a project come together.

• Installation - Typically, 1-2 weeks after construction, we’ll be ready to install furnishings. We use a white glove delivery service and install all furnishings in 1-2 days. We ask our clients to leave the house for the day so they can come home and be surprised! Everything is styled and just waiting for you to come home so you can relax and enjoy.

#2. How will we communicate throughout the project? How frequently will I hear from you?

You don’t want to feel left in the dark at any time during your project: why isn’t my interior designer calling me? Is anything happening? Are they even working on my project? 

These thoughts can be very anxiety-provoking, and in our experience with our clients, it’s more often that “no news is good news.” But you’ll want to make sure you understand the interior designer’s process and key milestones, so you aren’t worried if you don’t hear from them during a certain phase. Once you know their process, you’ll fully understand everything they’re doing behind the scenes to keep your project on track.

Another important thing to be aware of is your preferred communication style and your designer’s. If you prefer phone calls but email is how your interior designer and their team communicate best, you may need to adjust your expectations OR find a designer who is readily available via phone.

You’ll also want to know who you’ll be in contact with throughout your project. Is the interior designer the main person you’ll contact if you have questions? Or is there a designated support person at their office who will handle most communication, so nothing gets missed?

At An Inspiring Home, we pride ourselves on our proactive communication. We provide weekly email updates to keep our clients informed throughout the process. We let them know the items we've sourced, what we're expecting to happen next week, the furnishings that have arrived, any delays, and any questions we need answered. Our clients always know what to expect, and we can minimize surprises and delays.

#3. What happens if there are issues during the process — like something gets delayed? Or if something goes wrong with an item or furniture, I purchased through you?

You’ll want to understand how your designer handles issues and reacts when something goes wrong. Ask about their approach to handling issues and concerns and their timing for doing so.



It would be great if there were no hiccups throughout your project, but knowing how things will be resolved is good if and when they happen. A good designer will proactively assist with finding a resolution to any issue throughout the design and implementation process. 

At An Inspiring Home, we work with our receiver and furniture vendors to resolve furniture problems. If something is damaged, we have it repaired or replaced before delivering it to your home. For renovation/build projects, we work with the contractor or builder to resolve any issues.

If you are considering hiring an interior designer and have enjoyed learning about our design process, we’d love to hear from you. The first step in our process is to schedule a Discovery Call. Then, we’ll be in touch with more information.

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