I’m often asked “what kind of services do you offer” and “how do you charge for your services?” and the answer to that would be it depends on what you are looking to accomplish?
My clients are busy people willing to make the investment in their home to hire a professional to assist them with space planning, custom bedding, paint, tile, carpet consultations, accessorizing, custom furniture and window treatments to name a few. Listed below are three popular services that I offer.
Mini Design Consultation
This is for the homeowner that feels stuck and wants someone to bounce ideas off or needs design suggestions. During our two hour consultation we can select paint colors, move furniture and rearrange rooms, swap out accessories, make recommendations for window treatments and whatever else is on your mind. By the time I leave, the homeowner has a clear plan of how to proceed.
Mini Design consults are great for clients for a number of reasons. First of all, it generally directs the DIY client in the right direction so they know how to proceed to get the look they’re after. Secondly, many times homeowner’s are afraid to commit to a design project with a designer they don’t know. Design consults let them take the designer for a test drive if you will, to see if they like working with the designer. Many of my design consult clients utilize other design services on future projects. A two hour design consult is $500. This fee includes 30 minutes of travel in each way.
Design Concept
This service is for the client that needs help laying out the room and picking all the design elements but wants to purchase all the merchandise themselves. This service is for the Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and Restoration Hardware client. First we have a preliminary meeting to discuss your style. I ask clients to show me pictures that they love so I can get a feel for their style. If we decide we are a good fit and move forward, a letter of agreement will be presented and a 50% deposit will be taken.
Measurements and photographs of the room will be taken Four-six weeks later, we will meet to present 2-3 different floor plan options. Once floor plan selection has been made, we will get to work selecting fabrics, trims, paint colors, wallpaper, furniture selections for our next appointment which is usually another 4-6 weeks. Here, we like to present our client with 2-3 options of all design elements and prices. At this point, client will have all the resources available to shop and purchase merchandise. All follow up and purchasing is handled by the client. This service is for a client that wants a pulled together look but not necessarily custom. The investment for the design concept is a flat design fee which is determined by the amount of time we estimate it will take to provide you with a finished concept.
Full turn-key design
This service is for a client who doesn’t have time but wants a custom look. During our preliminary meeting we discuss your style and do everything that we do in the design concept ie: measure, photograph the room, layout and floor plans, fabrics, etc.,etc. but here we purchase all the design elements from a list of carefully vetted manufacturers.
Sometimes it takes a few meetings to make those final selections but we work hand in hand with our clients to make sure that clients are fully satisfied with the final design concept. Purchase orders of every design item selected will be presented, deposits taken and merchandise will be ordered. Communication is key to make sure that we are all working towards the same goals. We coordinate and schedule installation days where we receive, inspect and place furniture and design selections. Our finishing touches may include accessories so our clients are able to fully enjoy their finished space and are ready to share with family and friends. The investment for turkey design is a flat design fee in conjunction with a furnishings management fee.
So why should you hire a designer? Designers save you time, save you money, prevent you from making costly mistakes, have trades people at their fingertips and access to manufacturers that clients don’t. If you think you can’t afford to the hire a designer, you really can’t afford not to. Designers want the job done on time, on budget but most of all to make our client’s happy!
Ready to take the next step, go to contact me, fill in the questionnaire. Tell me what you’re working on, location of project, have you ever worked with a designer before and if so, what was your experience and why are you looking to do the project now. I will get back to you as soon as I can and let’s make your dream a reality.
