7 Questions To Ask When Hiring an Interior Designer
Asking questions before hiring an interior designer is key to managing expectations. It clarifies project scope, budget, and timeline, reducing miscommunications and ensuring a successful collaboration.
But even more important than asking questions, is asking the right questions. Below is our list of seven questions you can ask to ensure that an interior designer is the best fit for your project.
Great Interior Clients Ask Questions
It’s difficult to create great work without being a great client. Hiring an interior designer is deeply personal and requires a lot of client involvement. Asking questions from day one will set you up for a successful project with aligned expectations, clear communication, and ongoing dialogue between designer and client.
We recommend you take these questions with you to the initial consultation with potential designers. Go over them beforehand and consider whether you’d like to add a couple of questions of your own.
Read this if you’re not sure if you’ll need an interior designer or interior decorator.
7 Questions to Ask Potential Interior Designers
1. What kind of clients do you love to work with?
The types of clients a designer likes to work with will tell you a lot about their personality. For example, we love working with families who have a strong sense of who they are. We love creating a space that reflects the people who live there and the more bold and self-assured the people, the more fun we can have with the design.
2. What is your preferred design style?
Interior designers’ portfolios aren’t always a true reflection of what they can do. Rather, each project in their portfolio reflects their previous clients’ tastes and budgets. Find out what aesthetics they enjoy creating and see how it aligns with your preferences.
You can have a quick look out our interior design portfolio here!
However, this doesn’t mean you need to stick with their style! A good designer will gravitate towards a style but a great designer should design for your needs – including style and budget.
3. Do you welcome client involvement or do you prefer clients to be hands-off?
This question aims to ensure that you and the interior designer are on the same page. Together, you’ll be able to set clear expectations on how much or how little you want to participate as the project gets underway.
When asking about client involvement, find out how they handle differing opinions with their clients. You may not love all the ideas your designer presents. If that’s the case, would they be willing to go back to the drawing board and offer new designs?
You want to hire an interior designer who values your honesty and openness. After all, it’s your space they’re creating.
4. What do you need from me in terms of time and availability during the project?
You’ve already discussed how much or how little client involvement your designer wants from you, now it’s time to get into the details. Ask them very specifically how much of your time and availability they’re going to need throughout the project. If the designer needs you to be available during business hours and you work a full-time job, that might be a dealbreaker.
Clarifying this beforehand will help you plan your time and availability for the duration of the project so you can get your expected outcome without adding stress to other areas of your life.
5. How do You Like to Communicate?
How you communicate is critical to the success of the project. Find out if they like to speak over emails, phone calls, or via WhatsApp. Or maybe they prefer having face-to-face chats throughout the conversation.
At House of Kook, we gravitate towards email communication because it means we’ve got a written record of every decision made. We also enjoy working with out clients in person, particularly towards the beginning of the project.
6. Ask about fees and hidden costs
Every interior designer structures their payments differently. Some will charge hourly rates while others charge a project fee. There could also be costs associated with things like delivery or installation. Find out about these costs before you start the project to avoid an uncomfortable situation down the line.
7. Bonus: What question do you wish potential clients asked you more often?
This question gives the designer a chance to tell you something they wish their clients knew from the outset. They might shrug and say ‘No, your questions were great!’ or, they might share some valuable information that could make or break your working relationship.
We always recommend ending on an open question that gives the designer the floor to discuss anything they haven’t been able to share yet.
It’s Time to Book That Consultation!
We’ve armed you with all the questions you’ll need when choosing the person who’ll be responsible for designing your new happy place. The next step is to book a consultation with your designer of choice. As for House of Kook, our initial consultation consists of a free virtual call.