Extraordinary Interiors

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. There are lots of good interior designers in St Louis, so the most important thing to do is find a designer that you connect with. This is someone you will spend a lot of time and money with, so you need to have a great working relationship. Go to the website, blog, and other online sites to get a feel for the designer before you make a phone call. Have a few questions to ask each prospective designer so you have an apples to apples comparison of how they work. Then schedule a consultation with your favorite choice. If you have any reservations after the appointment, check out another designer until you find the perfect one for you.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Hiring an interior designer is a lot like choosing a doctor. You expect your doctor to be the professional who can solve your problem, but you also know that you need to give the doctor enough information to make a proper diagnosis, and continue to ask questions to make sure you are getting the proper treatment. It's no different with a designer - the more info you provide, the better design I can give you, and I expect you to ask questions so you understand why I am proposing something. It is the collaborative process that will produce a home that works for you, not just a home that looks like a decorator did the work.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. The correct questions to ask will change with the kind of service you need. If you are remodeling a kitchen, the questions are different than if you are decorating a bedroom. In general you need to find out how the designer charges and bills; whether she works in just one specific design style (i.e. only traditional or only contemporary) or enjoys working in many styles; how long she expects a project to take from start to finish. The rest is more pertinent to the specific project. The more questions you get answered up front the more comfortable you will be with your designer.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. What exactly do you want to accomplish? Do you want to gut your kitchen or just do a minor spruce up? What is your desired budget? What is your stretch budget? Have you looked at magazines to get ideas that you like? Do you have a list of questions you need to make sure you get answers to? The more prepared you are before hiring someone, the more likely you are to hire the right person for the job. That being said, the first thing I do during my initial consultation is have the client walk me through the areas they want to remodel (now or later), while I ask questions and give ideas. So, if you aren't totally prepared or don't really know exactly what you want to accomplish, a good designer will be able to help you hone your thoughts and figure out the game plan.