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Thursday, April 5th, 2018
Coming very soon: Hooker Furniture Dining Room Miramar Point Reyes Voltaire Display Cabinet.
You have probably heard many horror stories from your friends who have hired interior designers. Working with experts can be a real pain in the @#$ sometimes but you actually have the power to change the game. If this is your first time to become the client of an interior designer, then you need to know a few expectations and concerns that could come your way.
Be Realistic with Your Expectations
With that said, don’t expect your home to look like the posh home of a Hollywood celebrity with limited budget and time. Those reality TV shows have hurt many designers because, now, they are expected to deliver quality despite the tight schedules that are given to them. In the real world, those techniques just might not work.
Remember that those house flipping shows that you see on TV often have a team of designers and laborers who work hard behind the scenes. The salaries of these people are paid for by the show, hence, the recipients of the homes that they create just need to pay for the cost of the materials plus some labor costs. Of course, adding more people to help you with the project can help expedite the schedule.
Remember that each project is diverse. Your best shot at having a lovely home according to your liking is to anticipate your budget as well as the project duration. You also need to sit down and be upfront with the designer about what you want from the outset. Of course, you also need to listen to their advice as some of the things that you want might not work aesthetically.
Shop for the Right Expert
Just as not all homes are created equal, not all designers are also the same. Every designer has his or her own quirkiness, personal preferences, and business practices. To ensure the success of your project, it is crucial that you and the designer agree on what will be done. It is important to interview the candidates before you sign anything.
In the world of interior design, this interview is what’s referred to as a consultation. As you consult with the experts, try your best to meet with them in person. Know also if their visit is paid or unpaid. Use this consultation to ask them about their past projects, business practices, as for as for their preferred billing and communication methods.
This is also the right moment to tell the designer about what you prefer. Feel free to show them a few photos of your preferred styles. Ask them to use these as inspiration for the project. Don’t be shy to admit a few quirks of your own. By the end of the consultation, you and the designer should have already arrived at an agreement.
Discuss the Bill
This is a necessary part of every interior designer-client consultation. Most of the interior designers work with a contracting company while there are also those who manage their own businesses. With the latter, they are free to create their own business structures, hence, you have to know if they charge hourly or by project.
This needs to be clarified before the first nail is driven in, so to speak. You just have to be aware of the services that you are going to pay for.
Talk of Communication
Another aspect that you need to clarify is how you can establish good communication. Let your designer know that you might not know a lot about design but your preferences should be considered highly during the project completion.
The best designers are not afraid of decisive clients. They, in fact, feel that their jobs become tons easier because they have someone to help set the tone for them. Also, designers who are willing to listen to their clients tend to end up with happier clients.
Tags: hiring an interior designer, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, searching for interior designer, working with interior designers
Posted in Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | Comments Off on To the First-Time Interior Design Client (Here’s A Guide)
Thursday, February 8th, 2018
Maitland-Smith Accessories Set Of Four Rainbow Shell And Violet Hammer Shell Butler Set With Polished Brass Accents: The Pantone Color of the Year is Ultra Violet. Your designer knows that and he should be able to concoct the right furnishings for your remodeling project.
If you are thinking of redesigning your home or are just about to set up your first one, you may be wondering whether you need the help of a professional, licensed interior designer. Hiring an interior designer is an intelligent decision if you have already invested a good amount of money in your home. The best designs serve an amazing purpose not only for you and your family but also for future plans that you might have to sell the property.
The Sensibility behind Interior Design
Please toss aside the notion that interior design is just for the rich and famous. You don’t have to be a Hollywood actor or a sports star just to need the help of interior designers. When you logically think about this, you will actually save a lot of money as you go on with the interior design project.
Everyone also deserves to have an amazing space. Your home should be able to bring you joy and comfort. It must not just look amazing but also a reflection of who you are, where you come from, and what your beliefs are in life.
Breathtaking Interior Design Isn’t an Accident
A lot of people get confused or are intimidated by the very idea of getting in touch with a professional interior designer. You might be overwhelmed by the idea of working with someone else. Also, you might think that these designers might not understand your concepts, or worse, they could look down on you for not having a sense of style.
When your thoughts start to go down those paths, stop yourself. Interior designers are experts that can guide you to the best style that suits you.
Interior Design Saves You a Lot of Money
You might reason out that interior designers are actually costly but they can save you money because they help you avoid pricey mistakes. Interior design is especially essential when you will sell your home in the future. The expert can help you boost the buyer appeal and even set your home apart from the competitors.
Hiring an interior designer can also help you keep away from painting accidents or having to take the furniture back all because you did not do the measurements correctly.
Interior Design Saves You Time
Just like saving some money, you can also save time when you hire an interior designer. Since designers have a trained senseofn what should be done and when they need to be done, they will be able to anticipate obstacles long before they happen.
Interior Design Will Give Your Professional Assessment
As soon as you agreed to hire a trained interior designer, you will know what plans to work on. This expert went through design school and even has a few apprenticeships up his sleeve. You must also keep in mind that interior designers have studied both the art and science of interior design and they know how to apply both concepts into your home.
Having a trained eye such as theirs means they are able to assess if something is wrong with the design or if a design element happens to work. That immediate consult is an advantage that is hard to put a price tag to.
The order of implementation for the design plan is also followed because someone who is professionally efficient is there to help you.
Interior Design Means Having More Contacts and Resources
Do you know how difficult it is to find the best resources when you don’t have the right connections? Hiring a designer means you do not have to worry about finding your own electrician, plumber, and construction workers.
Since your designer has been in the business for quite some time, he is the right person to contact with regard to a one-stop shopping for manpower.
Tags: benefits of having an interior designer, hiring a designer, hiring an interior designer, interior designer benefits, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, reasons to hire a designer, why hire a designer, why hire an interior designer
Posted in 2018 Trends, Accents, Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | Comments Off on When Do I Need An Interior Designer?
Friday, September 2nd, 2016
FFDM Vintage Classics: This bedroom balances the beauty of wood, glass, white sheets and pillows, as well as art.
Just like marriage, you also need to find out if the interior designer that you’re about to hire is a good fit. Find out your style then let this expert help you; but before you sit down and discuss your design project with your choice, there’s that phase when you need to thoroughly get to know this person.
Step One: Know Your Designer’s Style
It is crucial to know your style but it is also equally important to know the interior designer’s signature style. If the portfolio that he or she shows is filled with traditional design, then you should think twice before you propose a modern home project.
Step Two: Look Through Numerous Portfolios
Let’s say that you already know what you are looking for and that you are now targeting a handful of designers. Try to see who among them share your design preferences. Look through several portfolios and imagine yourself living or staying in one of the spaces that they designed.
Step Three: Set Up a Budget
It is important to find out how much you are willing to spend before you begin your construction or remodel. There are designers who ask for a fixed fee while others ask for an hourly payment. These are factors that you need to consider when narrowing down your list of candidates.
Step Four: Schedule a Meet-Up
As soon as you have narrowed down your list to just a name or three, then it’s time to meet these experts face to face. Majority of interior designers do not charge for this session but it would also be great if you ask about it as you set up the appointment over the phone.
Hooker Furniture Home Office 42-in Leg Desk provides the perfect contrast to the whitewashed surroundings.
As you sit down with candidates, ask for references whom you can contact. This is so you would be able to gauge the designer’s capacity through his or her past works. Ask about costs that are specific to your project, how long it would take before the project is completed, and just about any question that you could come up with.
Think of specific questions then write everything that you both have discussed on a sheet of paper.
Step Six: Be Open-Minded
It is rare for clients to love every bit of element that the designer used on a project. Even if the two of you have the exact same style, you still need to prepare for that moment when you won’t agree on a certain detail. Always keep an open mind and don’t immediately close your mind to what your designer is suggesting. Give his or her idea a chance.
Make sure, though, that this expert is not pushing you to make any decisions. Suggestions can be made so you have to be open to other ideas.
Step Seven: Compare Your Notes
When you’re done meeting with the designers, it’s time to compare all the notes that you made. Compare the numbers (estimates) that these experts have provided, their references (past projects), and whether or not you click as a working team. Always keep in mind that the cheaper or priciest option may not always be the right and best choice.
You can only sign the contract as soon as you know who you would hire. You should know how much you would pay, what responsibilities you would give to the designer, the timeline, and your budgetary limits.
Step Nine: Create a Plan
Now is the time to go about with your plan of attack. Know where you would begin. Several rooms may need to be redesigned so find out which materials you would soon buy. Choose with the help of your designer.
Modify the plan if needs be.
Tags: finding interior designers, hiring an interior designer, how to find an interior designer, interior designer characteristics, interior designer interview, interviewing interior designers, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips
Posted in The Interior Designer | No Comments »
Friday, July 29th, 2016
1586-80151A-GRY1 Lulu Shaped Console Table 4056CR Henry Exposed Wood: Achieving this look is easy if you know which design elements to balance. Don’t know what to do? Hire an expert.
A lot of residential contractors take on design projects here and there usually with the cooperation of the homeowner. The latter could bring photos, sketches, even tear-outs from interior design magazines or books. This is true when it comes to remodeling where the design choices are constrained by some pre-existing circumstances.
Technically speaking, design contractors provide the design-build services yet they are not referred to as design builders. They also do not charge separately for their design project so long as this is not a line item on their estimate.
On bigger home remodels, though, a lot of contractors prefer to work off another person’s plan unless design is a part of their service. Still some allow homeowners to terminate the contract right after the design stage, allowing you to make use of another contractor’s plans. This is a crucial choice that you would want to see in your contract. Contracts may offer discounts if you would be working with the same contractor during construction.
There are various approaches to design-build bidding as well as contracts. A lot of design-build companies work through negotiated bid since they don’t generally put out the plans to different contractors for bidding. In this case, a contractor will share a portion of the costs with the homeowner and would negotiate a fee (whether hourly, by percentage or fixed) for the services that they offer.
Choosing the Right Design-Build Contractor
If you are hiring a designer and a contractor which is the same person, you need to ask the kind of questions that you would ask an architect/designer and the contractor. When you evaluate a company, be sure to separate the construction from the design side. This is because you might like their design projects but not their construction ones.
Talk to people from the design team and ask about how they work together during the design stage. See how they have previously worked with clients and how they charge for their designs. As to the construction side, ask questions that you would ask a general contractor.
Ask for references then ask their previous clients regarding the design and building phases. You need to know what went well, what surprises or problems came up, any cost overruns and how they were handled, and how much the clients eventually liked the project.
Another important thing to remember is the total cost of the project and a breakdown of the fees.
Make it a point to have the design company take full responsibility of the mistakes should anything happen. Have this stipulated in the contract.
Hooker Furniture Home Office
Advantages of Hiring a Design-Build Contractor
The greatest things that you will enjoy when you hire a design-build contractor are the same advantages that you get from a general contractor. You also get to simplify the process by hiring a one-stop-shop for construction and design.
Hiring just one company for design and construction means you save significantly. There will also be no disputes between the design and construction departments since they are technically in the same department.
You get to have more design freedom when you deal with just one company. Here, you can control the specs such as the fixtures that you use, finishes and mechanical equipment.
Lastly, find a reputable design-build contractor. He should also be someone who you would like to work with. You would also be likely to save money if you hire a single expert rather than a team of professionals. Make sure also that you keep the plans that you would work with so you can still use them with another contractor (should the need for another expert arise).
Tags: benefits of having an interior designer, design contractor, design-build contractor, finding an interior designer, hiring an interior designer, how to find an interior designer, how to hire an interior designer, interior design contractor, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips, working with interior designers
Posted in Design Contractor | No Comments »
Monday, June 13th, 2016
This sample dining room set up by Hooker Furniture blends wood, metal and other materials beautifully.
Have you ever thought of renovation or the creation of a home as an exciting journey? Well, it should be an electrifying experience but in reality, most would-be homeowners dread having to take on such a huge project. Creating home from scratch – if done correctly – can help you discover who you are, what you actually want, and what environment you would like to live in. This is, essentially, your shot at defining your relationship to your family, your community and more so yourself.
So, are you ready to get down on your knees and begin this journey?
Every Journey Has a Plan
Just like any other journey, you must begin it with some planning and research. You would want to know what the end result would be and, of course, how much it is going to cost you. Don’t even begin to think that you’ll be able to finish this project alone because no has. A helping hand is not just a welcome idea but a needful aspect throughout the course of your building your home.
Planning requires goal setting. As a would-be homeowner or someone who wants a totally new look for his home, you must have goals. Effective goals are comprised of both functional and decorative elements. Each is crucial and must be recognized.
Make two plans for your project – Plans A and B. Should Plan A fail to make sense, then there’s always your backup plan.
The Cynthia Rowley 7064-011CR Windsor Tight Seat Sofa sits comfortably in a sea of like and complementary hues. The pop of color, now and then, is a fresh sight to behold.
Ask the Right Questions
Whoever thought that creating or designing home from scratch requires a series of questions? First, you need to know what you would want to achieve. This can be summed up in a theme for most people. Knowing your ultimate choice between contemporary and traditional makes a huge difference in the elements that will be bought and brought in.
It is also important to ask where you would want to be. This is that end result that you have been asked to envision. The layout should help give you a mental picture of what your home would look like when finished.
It is also vital to know the cost of the entire project. This is a good way to prevent scenes where you’d end up being cranky because the project turned out to be thousands of dollars costlier. Being realistic would help you plan a budget that works, else, you would be left to the mercy of unscrupulous individuals.
Make good use of an Excel sheet where you could have a bird’s eye view of what has been spent so far and where the cost is going.
Round Up Your Team
Remember, this is your project. Gather professionals who have proven their worth in terms of interior design. Just like a lawyer shouldn’t represent himself in court, then so should you take experts who will take on your project.
The team leader is you and your right hand should be the lead interior designer. This expert will be your guide, advocate, therapist and counselor throughout the project. It pays to find the best team from the onset. The right guide also ensures that the journey that you have embarked upon will be an enjoyable one.
You might also add some team members now and then. There are specialists among these experts (e.g. a kitchen and bath designer) that will be better able to help you. Every extra member will cost you more but it is an added guarantee on the success of the interior design project. Once you gather these experts and they are willing to help you out then, rest assured, that you will have a smooth-sailing journey ahead.
Tags: finding an interior designer, hiring an interior designer, hiring interior designer, home renovation projects, home renovation tips, how to hire an interior designer, interior designer interview, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, redecorating, redesign, remodel, remodeling, remodeling a home, remodeling your home, remodeling your house, renovation and remodeling, renovation guidelines, renovation project, renovation tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, The Interior Designer | No Comments »
Thursday, June 9th, 2016
FFDM’s Summer Home Collection: The design elements in this bedroom- from the woodworks to the fabrics and metallic decorative pieces – all work to achieve this amazing ensemble.
Designing the interiors of a home can be a daunting project for many homeowners, even for those who are devoted to DIY tasks. Most just delegate the task to skilled professionals but a lot of misconceptions have been looming about when it comes to interior designers, enough to make others shun these experts from helping out.
Majority of homeowners do not know that there are three ways that interior designers work with their clients; first, through full design services, then through design plans and lastly through consultation.
Full Design Services
This is the kind of service rendered by a designer who offers the complete solution to your interior design dilemma. This is the optimized service level that leaves all the hard work to the professionals. This is ideal for people who do not have ample time to run the project. This is also great for those who would want a packaged deal.
Full design service package is chosen by people who want to have a full house renovation. This is also an awesome choice for kitchen design projects and buying furniture for specific rooms.
Hire professionals from this level if you have a low level of tolerance for design frustrations. This is the kind of service that offers a long list of suppliers and dealers.
Find this kind of professional if you want a huge interior design project finished in no time. What you have here is a handful of experts all handled by a project manager who will manage the outsourcing, ordering, inspecting, installation management, and dealing with problems that could suddenly take place.
The Designer: A Visionary
Interior designers are professionally capable of developing a vision on what your home could be. He or she could give you style cues and steps that are needed to fulfill all your orders and installations.
An interior designer prepares concepts, elevation and floor plans, lighting plans, furniture specs, even millwork designs. A designer can work from the conceptualization phase to the completion period.
A designer is also supposed to help you find dependable and qualified people especially when you are having a hard time searching for them. You can attain peace of mind once you see the team of people that the designer has gathered for you.
Designing takes time and decision-making phases which is why you need to have professionals sort these out for you. These experts are especially helpful when your plate is full and when you don’t have time to spare.
What to Expect
An interior design project can take anytime from a few weeks to several months, even up to a year. This depends on how huge the project requirement is. A major interior design project might also require you to attend a number of meetings where you will be informed about the status of the project and other updates. You will also be constantly reviewing the designs and other elements that are going to be brought into your home.
Cost-wise, know that an interior designer is compensated for his or her education level, experience and overall expertise. The fees can be paid hourly or on a per-project basis. The latter (fixed-price interior designers) calculate their project quotes by computing the square footage against their professional fees. Sometimes, they require a certain percentage of the client’s proposed overall budget.
Remember that hiring a professional for your interior design project will save you a lot of time, even headaches. Structural planners include remodeling contractors and architects. The interior designer, on the other hand, is in charge of design elements inside your home. This expert should work closely with the contractor so that they, together, get to achieve what you would want them to achieve.
Cynthia Rowley 6272CR Lulu Bench: Patterns don’t always jive and it takes skills to fuse them into one working group. These are skills that an interior designer must have.
Tags: benefits of having an interior designer, finding an interior designer, hiring a designer, hiring an interior designer, hiring design experts, interior designer, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in The Interior Designer | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 10th, 2016
Traditional and modern elements are creatively mixed in this bedroom. The wooden pieces take centerstage as the decorative elements effectively frame their beauty. Featured furniture is from FFDM’s American Cherry Collection.
The artists – oh what wonderful people they are. They seem to be wandering about with creative brains that are filled to the brim with DIY ideas. See their homes and you’d know that they have Midas’ touch. If you envy the creativity exhibited by artists and designers, then you’re not alone. A lot of homeowners also secretly wish that they could just do interior design projects on their own.
Being creative is a choice, though. You just have to learn how to express your identity in your works. In essence, it is a manner of operating or doing things.
Most humans are creative at heart, it’s just that some are more able to express themselves freely than others. If you want to train yourself to become more creative so you can decorate your own home, then here are the characteristics and habits that you should be moulding –
Ritualize
‘Waiting for an inspiration to come? It rarely does. Rather than wait, seek it. Creative individuals are able to push through writer’s block or inspiration famines. These are the people who doodle even when their minds feel empty.
‘Feeling down? Create anyway. You must comprehend the power of consistency.
Lighten Up
You only live your life once so stop taking it too seriously. You can design your home without pulling your hair.
Creative folks know how to have fun. Most of them are playful, even childlike. Adapt the mind of a child whose imaginations know no boundaries. Weed out the mundane and dull. Be excited to live life. There is no such thing as a boring home, just a boring interior design.
So, if you want your home’s interiors to be admired by all, know how to have a little humor in your life.
Explore
Interior designers are naturally curious. These are the people who are often voracious readers. To them, ideas are a fusion of elements that have already existed in the past. All they need now is to harmonize these elements and what they would achieve is no less than a masterpiece.
Pablo Picasso amounted to something (that’s an understatement because he was actually great) because he studied long hours. He feasted upon Iberian and African sculptures displayed in Louvre.
Ideas should be constantly fuelled, remember that.
Be In Touch with Your Higher Self
One of the most amazing creative techniques is the ability to relax and allow your subconscious to do the job for you. Who can better attest to this than Thomas Alba Edison?
Edison was stumped for so many times but he did not buckle. He took the time each day to leave his desk and nap. This may sound easy, even futile, but this is a habit that every creative mind should get used to.
Mastering the art of relaxation can help you switch off from creative problems. Once you wake up, you will marvel at the results.
Mingle
Creative people are interested in other people, at least this is the case in majority of the best designers. These are compassionate people who are drawn to the raw emotions evoked by others.
If most people are not good listeners, then change that. Listen, be interested, say hello to people. You would be surprised at the wave of creative ideas that your friends or relatives will be able to offer to you.
A great interior designer must also have excellent communication skills. You should be able to engage in meaningful conversations. It is in such conversations that you can glean creative ideas.
Adapt
No great designer is considered successful without the ability to adapt. The interior design industry is an ever-evolving world. Study new approaches and techniques in interior design. List down your choices and preferences; understand how each material will work with or against a certain project.
Always be a problem solver, a doer, and a visual person. Once you acquire these skills, you should be able to design the rooms of your home without effort.
Hooker Furniture Corsica Collection: This is the perfect harmony of contradicting elements – from dark and light, curvy and straight, distressed and block colors. The unique vase of greens in the middle of the table provides a fresh divergence.
Tags: benefits of having an interior designer, finding interior designers, hiring an interior designer, interior designer characteristics, interior designer skills, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 29th, 2016
Jonathan Louis Norton Living Room Collection: This living room balances the vibrance of the bright colors and the subdued look offered by the neutral pieces.
Are you now at a stage when you have figured out what you would want your house to look like? If so, have you also come to the decision as to who would decorate your new or remodelled home? Will you hire a professional interior designer or would you take on a DIY project?
Back in the day, it was just the nobles who had the notion to decorate their homes but they always hired someone else to do the job for them. You don’t have to live in a palace or be a noble just to enjoy the services of a decorator. You also should not fear the cost that much.
Your concern in hiring an interior designer could also be because of your fear of a result that does not reflect your tastes anymore.
Some homeowners immediately collaborate with a professional designer while others hesitate or are simply confident with their decorating skills.
There are downsides and upsides in hiring an interior designer or in doing the project yourself. It is really up to you to weigh the consequences.
FFDM’s Boulevard Collection: The warmth of food is balanced by the water element and green leaf in a glass vase. The white cabinets house the most beautiful collections. As for accessories, what could be more interesting than the distinctive modern chandelier and silver cubed candelabra?
Advantages of DIY Interior Design Projects
The best reason to decorate your own home is that you love designing things. Your creative side just won’t say no to a project.
An advantage to this, apart from showing your artistic flair, is that you don’t need to pay anyone else to do the job. Add to this the glorious fact that your design will surely reflect who you are. As for the bragging rights, you also take full credit for the project since no one else pitched in their ideas.
Should you feel pleased with your living room design, then go ahead and carry out the project throughout the rest of your home. Where your do-it-yourself project takes you depends a lot on your strengths. If you are the kind of person who knows what he wants, then you are bound to love your creation.
DIY projects can also be done according to levels or stages or as funds allow.
The Downsides of DIY Projects
Primarily, you could mess up the project especially if you have no idea what you would want to include in your design. You have two choices when this happens – you can either live with the mess that you have created or you can invest another large sum of money to correct the error.
Errors in interior design are quite common which is why you gotta have the ability to visualize. You are either an effective creative artist or you’re not – it’s that simple. If you have trouble visualizing and putting creative projects into full gear, then you absolutely need help.
Lastly, DIY projects can be time and fund consuming especially when your learning curve is too steep.
The Upside of Hiring a Designer
Hiring a pro means you have a larger selection of furnishings, wall coverings, fabrics, and trades people. The designer has cultivated many professional relationships with tradesmen so you could potentially own a home that is tailor-fitted to your lifestyle and taste.
A designer can also save you money by doing the project correctly from the onset.
The Downside of Hiring a Designer
It’s always about the cost. It can be costly to work with an interior designer as it is an intimate process that could take months, even years to complete. If you pick the wrong kind of designer, then you end up with an adversary rather than an ally who would affirm all of your design decisions.
Hiring someone who was on the cover of an interior design magazine does not automatically mean that he or she is the right professional to work with. You need to find someone that you can trust and communicate with. You should also discuss your budget upfront as this is one of the most common causes of arguments between a homeowner and the designer.
Tags: DIY interior design projects, DIY projects, do-it-yourself project, guidelines, hiring a designer, hiring an interior designer, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips
Posted in The Interior Designer | No Comments »
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