Dream interior design is a hell of a lot of work. Of course, if you decide to include a professional designer in your work, then this will significantly simplify the task and relieve you of a lot of headaches. But even in this case, it is necessary to approach the matter with maximum readiness. We have compiled a list of questions that you should first discuss with an interior designer in order to establish contact and end up with the perfect project that completely repeats your dream apartment.
Step 1: Define the scope of work Before starting construction, the customer must clearly understand what he expects to receive from the designer. But what tasks can a designer perform in general?
Option one: basic. The designer measures the premises and develops a planning solution. This is where his work ends. Option two: comfortable. The designer develops a planning solution, then creates collages of the rooms and, based on the sketches obtained, works on a realistic 3D visualization. Option three: full support. The designer develops a planning solution, creates a visualization, and prepares all the necessary drawings for the builders (electrical plans, floors, ceilings, room layouts with tile layout, and so on).
Step 2: Understand areas of responsibility The customer must be prepared for the fact that the designer is not responsible for the quality of the repair. The designer is responsible for many aspects of the construction, but he is not responsible for how the builder will bring it all to life. Alas, customers often expect the designer to keep an eye on this as well.
Step 3: Define the horizons of the possible It is important that the customer clearly understands his budget before starting construction. Often, before the start of repairs, people have a poor idea of how much furniture, plumbing, and building materials cost. Customers think that construction will cost much less. If a designer purchases materials for the entire project, then the customer relies on his opinion and understands that he will select trusted companies that he has successfully worked with on other projects. Not in all cases, the materials in the companies that the designer advises will be cheaper than, for example, just somewhere on the Internet. But the goods themselves and suppliers in this case will be verified.
Step 4: Meet in person Owning, especially the first apartment is our dream of anyone, and each of us is very sensitive to how this dream will look like. Customers are often afraid that the designer will not do what they imagine. What if the designer doesn’t understand something and sticks to his own line? Or will the customer spend a huge amount on repairs, and it will be uncomfortable to live in this house?
Step 5: Find out everything Before starting work with a professional designer, all customers fill out a large questionnaire – there are about 100 questions. They relate to the footage of the apartment, household appliances (what should be in the kitchen?), tenants (who will live in the apartment, are there any children?) and other important details. Are there items that must be placed in the apartment? For example, a piano inherited from a grandmother, souvenirs from travels? It is necessary to see everything in advance in order to correctly fit into the interior and to understand all the introductory projects.
Step 6: Decide on your taste preferences Customers are traditionally divided into two categories. Representatives of the first group clearly know what they want. For example, classic or modern style. But the level of concentration of this classic, as well as the concept of what a “modern interior” is, is different for everyone. Therefore, before starting work on a project, we ask customers to send two or three pictures depicting an approximate interior that they want to see. After that, we develop the layout of the apartment and approve it with the customer. Then, understanding the style of the future housing thanks to the pictures received, we take the buyers to the shops. During this walk, many “recognize” the furniture of their dreams. Such scouting traditionally starts from the kitchen.
Step 7: Guess the change of styles and fall in love with grandma’s furniture The law of changing styles is eternal: some idea or stylistic solution first comes to expensive interiors, then descends to more budget price segments. If earlier stylistic trends changed once every ten years, now – once every five. Five years ago, everyone wanted a white brick, and now they want a colored one, but almost everyone is already tired of it. Now everyone is gradually getting tired of white and starting to look towards warm shades. The task of the designer is to follow the changing trends and tell the customer about this movement in order to try to make an interior that will not become outdated in a few years.