Professional Interior Design Firm

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. I commonly work with residential clients that always start with just one question, "What color should I paint this room?" From there it's all downhill and they get hooked and love what a designer can accomplish for them.

I also work alot with clients living within apartment homes that have moved and need EVERYTHING. Or they just need to make their furniture work within their small dwelling.

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

A. I think one of the most important factors to really consider is what long term savings will I be gaining from hiring a designer. Interior Design is an investment into your environmental efficiency as well as your sanity. I know it seems like design is such a luxury but it's really necessary to help keep your space organized and well thought out.

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

A. I find that one of the most important factors that a client can bring to the table when making a design contact is "What is the scope of work and your desired budget constraints."

I also find it especially helpful if the client brings tear sheets from a magazine showcasing a design that might give me an idea of what they are envisioning.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. After working for one of the most affluent multi-family design firms in the Dallas Metroplex, I have the knowledge and know how to make materials and objects stand out and become unique in a sea of ordinary. This is primarily do to my past in working with very small budgets but had to make the home look like a million bucks!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I really love being able to work with cool and unusual materials and accessories. There is nothing more rewarding than finding "junk" and turning it into something special and renewed! This makes the job rewarding when working with a client and they tell you "This is all I have."

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. I most commonly get asked "Aren't Interior Designers expensive and unnecessary?" This is such a misconception that most people have as we are trained and rooted in the theory that budget dictates everything. All large purchases or design decisions are methodically thought out and then we work within those constraints.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. The interior designing part of the profession is really only 10% of our work load. The rest consists of 60% financial and accounting decisions, 10% client interaction and presentations, and the other 20% is playing therapist to our clients. Design decisions are really hard to make (and thats probably why you are currently in the market for a designer)!

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I've always been drawn to creative arts and design and knew that one day I would be doing something that involved creativity. The opportunity presented itself and I decided it's now or never.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I working with a client that loves Mid-Century Modern furniture and artwork. While looking for a few new pieces, I stumbled upon a great find or two that were a must have and he only paid $400 for two pieces of awesome mid-century modern furniture. We are currently still working on this residence and will some have pictures up.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. As part of a designers licensing we are mandated to have a certain number of hours of CEU's (continuing education units). These classes are a wide range from: How to design green, Working with passive solar design, and other topics that are low environmental impact.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. My pricing is actually pretty simple:

I charge $25/hr for retail shopping and spending time with the client making those small design decisions. This is kinda like my A la Carte menu.

I charge $35/hr for furniture rearranging and existing item placement. This is what most clients price at since they want to freshen up their space and infuse a new life into their furnishings.

I charge $45/hr for home staging since this takes a bit of methodical positioning as the main goal may be to achieve the most appealing vision of your home. Clients seeking this service are either selling their homes and want the best offer possible or are getting ready for a special occasion or holiday.

I charge $75/hr for full design work including but not limited to custom design work, architectural drawings, renderings, contractor/designer arrangements, material specification and much more.

But most importantly remember, I WORK WITHIN YOUR BUDGET!

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. I would strongly suggest contacting a licensed designer and inquiring about shadowing or spending a day in the life of the designer to get the feel for the industry. This will give the best insight as to the day to day balance of accounting and design work that goes into the Interior Design Profession.