Provide information regarding your style

This may be magazine photos, Pinterest pins, or physical samples – you don’t even have to know what you like about something, but the more information that you can provide to your designer, the better

Provide Samples

If you have already selected any renovation materials, be sure to have samples of those items available for your designer

Provide Creative Autonomy

This is something that many homeowners struggle with – remember that you hired your designer for their expert, professional opinion, and there may be times where you will need to trust them to take you outside of your comfort zone.
Our goal is to integrate your style with our expertise to create a design plan that you will love for years to come. The more autonomy that we have, the easier it is to create this, but we want to ensure that we do so with your trust and understanding – if at any time you do not feel that you are being heard, or are not comfortable with a decision that has been made, be sure to address it as soon as possible to avoid any issues or unnecessary costs.
It’s all in our head - we understand that you may not always be able to see what we see! Sometimes, you may simply need to take a leap of faith and trust, but if this is something that you are not capable of, ask, and we will do our best to provide a visual representation of our vision.

Understand what your roles are

This is important to address in the beginning, to ensure that there is no confusion.
If you are uncertain, ask questions.
Your designer should provide you with a contract outlining the scope of the project and any fees, payment schedule, etc – this is intended to protect both you, and your designer

DON’T

Rush

Quality takes time! Plan for your design or renovation project – by allowing the proper time needed, your designer will have more flexibility in negotiating the best quality and price for each product/finish selection.
Allow sufficient time to create the proper plans for any renovations PRIOR to beginning construction.

Be afraid to speak up

It’s your house and your money! The role of a designer is to create a space that fits your style and needs – if you do not like something, be sure to address it with your designer.
You get final say, but remember that you hired a designer for a reason – sometimes you just need to trust us and our final vision.

Withhold your budget

I cannot stress this one enough! Be sure to communicate where your comfort zone is, and plan for a contingency (as a general rule, we recommend allocating approximately 5%-10% of your total budget for design services, however, this can vary by project and designer).
We often find that clients are afraid to reveal their budget, for fear that we as designers will spend every dime of it. Our role is not to maximize your budget, but to maximize your dollar. The most effective way for us to do this is by ensuring that we can purchase quality products, and have the freedom to explore low-cost options when available.

Keep things bottled up

All relationships take some element of work, so it may take a little bit of time initially to work out the kinks of understanding and setting, appropriate boundaries. Be sure to clearly communicate with your designer to ensure that you are on the same page.