Introduction: I handle all interior styles. Here's how it works:
1. Call or e-mail me to arrange for a no-charge initial consultation. I consider this to be a working meeting, so in the hour or hour-and-a-half time frame, I'll be giving you a lot of free ideas.
During our meeting, we'll also be reviewing a binder of magazine photos that I've assembled. It's very telling to have you flip through the photos and inform me of your likes and dislikes. We'll then get a very immediate idea of your preferred style; that's a very important process in order to make our selections!
If you also have magazine photos, that's a bonus.
2. I'll then get you a proposal for the entire project. In it, I list everything that it will take to design your home per our initial meeting. My fees are $130 per hour, but if we can determine a scope of work, I can quote you a flat fee. Any purchases that you make through my firm, I sell to you at my net or discounted rate, plus a fee of 20% to expedite that purchase.
3. Should we decide to work with each other, I then hit the ground running, and at our second meeting, I'll be giving you a full presentation with actual selections and examples of the design concepts that we discussed. After that, it's all about additional shopping, getting quotes, establishing a budget and assembling your interior.
What clients find appealing about my system is that I design the entire project upfront, so that we maintain a cohesive look. When you make the purchase is of no consequence to me; however, I find that when the clients have the big picture and pricing, the purchasing/implementing process goes faster.
Having an a-la-carte listing of all of the items lets you prioritize, and when funds become available, you know exactly what the next item to purchase is. I've worked with many clients for a number of years this way, carefully completing a designed project.
I insist on having fun working with my clients because I'm not a design dictator. I don't care where the inspiration comes from (once it came from UPS delivery personnel) as long as the selection excites you. Moreover, it's very important to interview as many designers as possible; you must click with that person.
Please be sure to visit my website!
Dave Yates