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This happens everywhere ... I for one was afraid of the designer when he started putting things that would make the house prettier but also inflated the bill.

Gives you the feeling that he is profiting from every piece of furniture he adds on and every bulb he fixes.

I think most people would like the interior designers to give them the drawing and tell them where to get the furniture, the carpet and fixures. But which interior designer would allow you to do that?

You can have any interior designer draw up photos of your space-but who wants just ONE choice for your room. None of my clients do at all.
An interior designer should profit from every item they sell. Its how we make a living. Just like Target marks up their goods. Its how they pay their employees. Why is that so wrong??
A good designer listens to their clients needs and budgets. Some clients just do no qualify to work with an interior designer-either by lack of funds or by lack of knowledge of our trade.
A designer gets paid by the hour (this pays for all our schooling-knowledge-resources-experience-talent)and gets a mark-up percentage of goods sold. Simple! We are not in the business of giving away sales to local retailers. We need to make a living too!!
No good designer is going to let you loose on your own. Its not the job we do. That is for an interior decorator. There is a big difference.
I think you were not working with the right designer and should try again.
But, I, for one, would never only give my clients one choice in a photo for their homes. I would rather overwhelm you with choices than completely under whelm you with one choice. To me, that is dictating to the clients and it should be a collaborative effort.

Hello,

I usually prefer to do my home decoration by my self, and for the latest trends and updates i rely on net and magazines, the most important part of home decoration is selecting appropriate home furniture accessories,and once you get the right kind of accessories rest are done easily.

Regards,
sarah_9

http://museoshop.com/

Interior decorator - interior designer? HA! Never knew there was a difference - oh yeah, cause there isn't! I am more than happy to pay for the time of a talented person. However, if they are getting a trade discount on the goods they should mark them up to retail, but no more. If they aren't getting a discount, they aren't doing their job.

Interior designers are expensive and typically do not look for ways to save money.

There IS a difference between interior decorators and interior designers. Interior designers don't just pick out paint colors and tell you which pillows to buy - a designer is someone that helps to enrich your way of living through space planning and finish selection. They help to organize space and create a more functional living environment. They typically have to go to an accredited 4 year university to recieive a degree as well.
Interior designers don't have to be expensive either - they work within the budget that the client allows. A designer normally charges a fee for their services, and then establishes a budget that meets the client's needs.

jdk: if you don't know the difference between an interior decorator and interior designer, let me explain it to you. the difference is that an interior decorator is someone who decorates. they do not draw architectural drawings, know building codes, write specifications for interior finish materials, do lighting calculations for commercial spaces, or work with large architecture firms (or small ones, for that matter) to design and build homes, hospitals, hotels, airports, and office towers all over the world. did you really think that those beautiful spaces just fell together with no plan or talent behind them?

an interior designer has at least a 4 year degree in interior design (did you know there was such a thing? no??) from a university. also, an interior designer must pass an exam (called the NCIDQ - look it up) after two years of professional practice (after aqcuiring said 4 year degree) to call themselves a designer. also, to acquire a job with any architectural firm worth working for, an interior designer must also be a LEED accredited professional (another exam, look it up). all interior designers are required to take 10 CEU's (continuing education units) every year to remain current in their standing with either ASID or IIDA (again, look it up).

if you've hired a decorator in the past and were unsatisfied with the outcome, perhaps next time you should be sure you take the time to find out about the person you're hiring. a good interior designer can be worth every penny, will work within your budget, and will save you money by saving you from expensive mistakes.

Absolutely! I do not need to say anything more because you pretty much covered the difference between decorator and designer. I think that it is very common for people not to know the difference. In my experience, I have found that often times people do not want to spend the money on a designer, or some how feel like they are getting ripped off. In the long run however, they decide to take the bull by the horns, do it themselves, and end up with pink walls instead of brown, furniture that does not work and/or is not functional in their space and in the long run, they spend more money fixing those mistakes. Another thing to consider is that your interior designer should have connections with contractors. This can also be a huge savings for the client because the designer has had solid experience with the subs they have worked with and the client doesn't have to go through the headache of trying to figure out who will do the job well, within a reasonable price range. There is much more to the trade than some realize. My mentor once said to me -"Your brain is worth something! These are your ideas, this is your expertise. If your client hired you, than they obviously need your ideas and your expertise. Never devalue that." On a side note, I have been able to create lovely spaces-(commercial and residential) on restrictive budgets. A good designer wants to save money for their client's. It should be a collaborative effort.

I have seen some fantastic work in Public Bldgs by Interior designers ; but lets face it the average person can not afford an interior designer.It all boils down to different tasts and creativity.Many of the best ideas in the world haven,t always came with a degree.

When hiring an interior decorator or designer please read and understand their contract thorougly. As with most profession there are few with poor unsavory business practice habits. Sadly, my personal exepience with two seperate individuals from this field resulted with skepticism. First, was their four to five pages business contracts, inflated charges, missed appoitments, and GREED. These two indivisuals give their profession a very bad name. They were downright scam artists. We ended up in court with one of them, only to find out 90% of this individual's clients ended up in small claims court secondary to over charging. Gladly, we prevailed in court. If you disagree with inflated charges from these so-called "must make a living," scamps, have your dispute settle in a court of law. We found the names of several others being sued by the one designer, told them of our experience, and one by one have prevailed in court. Currently we are in the process of filing a complaint with the AISD chapter in my area. The other individual saw dollars sign, forgot that we did not sign her contract, and therefore have no recourse. We paid for only for the services we received. Yes, they can give your home that personal touch, with your having to pay thousands of dollars. Please, do your homework and ask for several references. Also check the BBS or AISD for any complaints.

ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and IIDA (International Interior Design Association) are both great places to check for qualified individuals. This will help you understand whether your designer in question has proper training and passed the appropriate exams to execute the kind of work you are looking for. Unfortunately due to this state not requiring a title or practice act anyone can call themselves an interior designer. Also these people tend to get weeded out in commercial interior design but residential is much more difficult. Check with all of the above organizations.

I feel horrible for people like Carol who have bad experiences.

If an interior designer offered their planning and design services and left me to be able to buy the furniture/paint/accessories/etc. at my own pace, budget, and stores, then I would happily pay them for their services. I desire interior-designer-level services for everything except actually procuring the items to populate a living space. It is unfortunate that interior designers apparently do no exist that offer only this service, as I'm sure there would be a demand and each engagement could be completed in a smaller time frame than with current practices.

Whether or not an interior designer can pay their bills, buy the car they want, etc. is not relevant to their customers. Customers do not pay for services so that the person providing the service can live a comfortable life - they pay for the service. It is unfortunate that interior designers are unwilling to tailor their services to provide for a wider range of clients because they believe they *should* make profit off the items used to populate an interior.

Actually Travis the "profit" an interior designer makes should only be made through the services they provide you (i.e. planning, documentation, etc.) and not by what is purchased. Unless that is the agreement you have with your designer. Otherwise most mark-ups occur with the General Contractor. An interior designer could also help you during the construction process. We are paid to look out for the best interest of our client. At least this is what I do everyday in the commercial, corporate and healthcare world. Confusion to those outside this industry is the reason why we need legislation ... IDCWashington.

Actually there are a few Interior Designers(mostly new to the field) that offer consulting services. I myself offer hourly consulting on anything from color selection to product selection. It is a great option for do-it-yourselfers or budget conscious clients. I have clients I have been working with for over a year, they had already hired an architect to help them with the plans of the full house remodel, and they needed some help choosing the finishes for the kitchen. I assisted them with material selection, they will install. I have other clients that are on what I call the “Ikea budget” and they simply want me to help them narrow down selections. Then there are the traditional clients that need everything. All in all, there are many different Interior Designers out there, all offering a variety of different services. I have found in these difficult times, it is best to be flexible and offer great designs to all walks of life.

Shameless plug below:

Shalonne Foster
Foster Design Group
Shalonnefoster@yahoo.com

Actually there are a few Interior Designers (mostly new to the field) that offer consulting services. I myself offer hourly consulting on anything from color selection to product selection. It is a great option for do-it-yourselfers or budget conscious clients. I have clients I have been working with for over a year, they had already hired an architect to help them with the plans of the full house remodel, and they needed some help choosing the finishes for the kitchen. I assisted them with material selection, they will install. I have other clients that are on what I call the “Ikea budget” and they simply want me to help them narrow down selections. Then there are the traditional clients that need everything. All in all, there are many different Interior Designers out there, all offering a variety of different services. I have found in these difficult times, it is best to be flexible and offer great designs to all walks of life.

Shameless plug below:

Shalonne Foster
Foster Design Group
Shalonnefoster@yahoo.com

sorry didn't mean to post that comment twice, my computer is acting up.

Im interior designer. Now is saturday-sunday night 1.40am and Im working))) I like what I make. All these discussions because the most people don't think about the importance of creative work. How it goes... I can say about myself, work=hobby=rest. If its only work for you-you will got crazy, if you are really designer, because you never stop to think. There are always a lot of ideas in your mind about the project. And they dont stop after 6pm, if they stop-its only business for you. Sometimes I see in my sleeps any decisions. I live 24 hours with the project. I am sure that the designer is a person who love people. You should think all the time about their feelings and their comfort, than it would be good project. I know that when I speak to my client I should understand much more that he can tell me. Not a lot of people tell you that their main purpose is to impress everyone, to be better then others. Designer should understand everything...
What is portfolio? Its only paper for your calmness. You should choose person, not pictures-its important. People take designer not only 'to make beautiful and comfort', they need adventure-"what can happen with my house=with my life?"...
What really good designer make for his client earns a lot. And the main problem of wrong choice-is that you choose through looking to the pictures, but not through talking to designers.

It bums me out to hear people say that designers just want to spend your money. I am an interior designer myself (yup, 4 years of undergrad and 1 away from having my master's) and that is the last thing I have on my mind when I am designing a space. I love to get to know my clients and make sure that I create a space that both functions for them as well as makes them smile every time they enter the room. I too offer consulting services online and over the phone. My goal is to make sure that my clients don't make the most common of self-designing mistakes which usually means spending more money. Oh yeah, designers usually get most items at a trade discount which means you save even more money.

have any questions? check out den design studio:
blog.den-designstudio.com
or
www.den-designstudio.com

I just finished completely refreshing my house rather than building an costly addition and it felt great. I got help from a friend who is a design student and i have to say that it really helps to have a completely outside perspective when taking a hard look at the home you already have. I was having trouble getting beyond my beloved designer magazines (I still can't believe Domino and Cottage Living are out of business!) I was amazed at what can be done with paint, cleaning and re-purposing. Our house looks so much better and feels so much bigger. I encourage everyone to get at least some sort of consultation before they start.

And if you love designing as playing please check out the project I've been working on for EIGHT years! www.digitaldollhouse.com. I wanted to create a life like dollhouse I could paint and decorate over and over again instead of spending money on my own house. The site is FREE!

I work as a style consultant for interiors. I give clients a detailed report based on what they need/want for a space and it's up to them to follow through with everything. My clients are do-it-yourselfers who are paralyzed by making design decisions or just don't know where to start. I charge by the room and make my prices very reasonable because I just want people to love their homes and have their homes reflect their personalities.

Interior designers/decorators are great if you can afford them. There are more affordable options out there though!

interiorfix@gmail.com or cheranderton@gmail.com

You must be truly tasteless to try and pay someone for theirs.

I think many people would love the help of a designer. The problem is that many designers shove their vision down the throats of their clients. People want a space that suits them, not what someone else tells them should suit them. People want control. Money is also an issue, but ultimately it's a control thing.

After reading this forum, I feel the right choice was made to enter the interior design profession. This is a second career and I chose design to HELP others. (came from science industry).

My business is prospering because I offer customized plans to my clients, and DO NOT add mark-up to the furnishings, etc. I am not in the furniture business, but in a service business. Basically, I LISTEN to what they want and need and help them create. I act as a tool and resource for them. Most of my clients have a design and color scheme prepared for them, and then they buy items at their own pace (looking for best deals, prices, etc.).

Please contact me if you have any questions:
Lena Marojica
lmarojica@gmail.com
http://lenamarojica.blogspot.com

I am in the process of renovating, and its a very frustrating process. I hired a designer cum architect and paid her by the hour to just do the plans. Now I am selecting materials and it is extremely confusing. I called my designer and asked her to help me. But looking at her recommendations, I do not agree with ANY of them. And she keeps pushing me to the same thing that she is recommending, and I will not pick if my gut says no. What do I do now? My papers are filed, she prepared the plan, and now I do not like her recommendations on materials. I am looking for another designer who will help me with this. I realize how important it is to find a designer who shares your tastes. Her choices are very plasticky, I like more natural stuff. In addition, she made mistakes with measurements. I am so frustrated now. So I will not find another designer without telling her because I don't want her to feel bad, and pick materials with someone else's help. The other frustrating thing is that she encourages me to spend more. For example I asked her, what should I use for the windows to keep the city lights out at night, and she recommended blinds that cost $1,000 per blind per window!! She goes more for looks than practical stuff.

we got an interior designer - a very good award winning one, just to help us pull our space together. It has some very old barouque furniture and my space is modern and I like modern. So, thwe hope was to get someone to make a space that worked with both.
We landed up paying 1000 dollars just for backsplash design, countertop design and picking out a VERY expensive toilet. She did give us 2 choices. But 1000 dollars?! c'mon. She also bills at 100/hr for her assistant and 150 and hr for herself. I was hoping for a fixed fee so I knew how much we would be paying. But anyway I stopped before we were bled dry. Maybe we are in the "cannot afford" a designer category

We landed up not using her design or countertop or toilet selection.

I live in the Chicago suburbs and am having my home totally gutted inside and out. Some walls will be moved, but still, all in all, it is a very small home. However .. I will now have two bedrooms and a 3/4 bath upstairs, and a bedroom downstairs with living room opened up, and a kitchen family area.

I honestly don't know what to do first. But the furniture and paint last, or paint first and buy the furniture next? I don't know what to buy, and to top it off ... we will be living in the house while all this is going on. I will have to decorate the upstairs with new furniture, then move up there as they do the mail level.

I need help, but don't need design .. just someone to stage my house FOR ME (not to sell). I need window treatments, and furniture. Some pieces will stay .. most will not.

If you go to a furniture store ... is there someone there who can come to your home and help you?

I have not yet seen a ballpark range of what cost is to do something like this. I would only have about $10k total for furniture, window treatments, and decorator.

HELPPPPPPPPP

We just hired a decorator at a fixed rate for all services, colors & furniture shopping, artwork etc.

Contract was for a flat rate and then she billed us for the items we kept at RETAIL cost.

Well we became a little suspicous at some of the prices so we did a little price comparison at the stores she shops at.

It wasn't too difficult to find the items that she purchased and found that she was charging on average 50% higher than retail.

She has now overcharged us by approx $1000.00. If we confront her were sure she's just going to say "too bad, see ya!"

I cannot believe the nerve of this woman.

Not sure how to approach this problem. She also recommended a painter to us who turned out to be anything but a painter. Absolute horrid job (to which she agreed) and it's going to cost us an add'l $2400 to get the worst of the worst repaired.

He over painted onto ceilings, crown moldings, baseboards that were in perfect condition and now have to be painted. He failed to do any wall prep and painted over drywall screws, the list goes on and on.

We were doing this as a treat for ourselves but this has turned into a nightmare.

As a real estate agent, I have come to truly respect the work interior designers and decorators do. I cannot tell you how many homeowners have made horrendous design decisions without the help of a professional, and they pay for it when it comes time to sell their home. I always thought I had a good eye for design and come from a creative background. Now I hire a designer before I buy a can of paint, carpet, furniture, etc - it is the best investment I could ever make in my home. Plus, I learn so much working with them that I can do smaller projects on my own with some confidence. Also, work with a designer on a small project before hiring for a big one - you need to get to know this person before investing money and time with them.