Questions to ask before you hire an interior designer

Hiring a designer is an unusual purchase. You are committing real money to something you cannot see yet, based largely on a conversation and some photographs of other people's houses. Most people have never done it before and are not sure what they are allowed to ask.

You are allowed to ask all of it. Here are the questions that actually tell you something, and what a good answer sounds like.

About how they work

How do you charge, and what does that include?

The most important question, and the one to ask first. There are three common models: hourly, a flat project fee, or a percentage on top of the furnishings budget. None is inherently better, but you want to know which you are being quoted and exactly what sits inside it.

A good answer is specific about what is covered and what is billed separately. A vague answer here tends to become a difficult conversation later.

Who will I actually be working with?

At larger firms the person who wins the work is not always the person who does it. That is not necessarily a problem, but you should know before you sign rather than discover it at the second meeting.

Do you handle the ordering and deliveries, or do I?

There is a real difference between a designer who gives you a plan and a shopping list, and one who sources, orders, tracks and receives everything. Both are legitimate services. They are not the same amount of work and should not cost the same.

How do you work with contractors and trades?

On anything structural, ask how the design information reaches the people building it. Some designers work with trades directly. Many work through your contractor, who passes the details along. Either is fine. What you want to avoid is a situation where nobody owns that communication and it defaults to you.

About the project itself

Have you done projects like mine?

Not the same style necessarily, but the same type and scale. A designer who mostly furnishes finished homes is doing a different job from one who works from construction plans. Ask to see something comparable.

What do you think this project realistically costs?

Ask early, and be ready to hear something you did not want to. A designer who tells you your budget does not match your ambitions in the first conversation is doing you a favour, even though it does not feel like one at the time.

How long will it take, and what drives that?

You want an answer that mentions lead times and construction schedules rather than just design time. Furniture can take months to arrive. A designer who has not raised that is either inexperienced or managing your expectations badly.

What happens if I want to change something?

Changes are normal. What matters is knowing the point at which they become expensive, and how revisions are handled and billed.

About the practical details

What do you need from me, and when?

A good designer can tell you exactly where your input is required and where it is not. If the answer is vague, you may find yourself more involved than you planned.

Do you have trade accounts?

Many designers can source from suppliers who do not sell to the public, which widens the options available for your home. Worth asking, and worth asking whether any pricing advantage reaches you.

How do you present the design?

Judging one item at a time is nearly impossible. You want to see materials, finishes and furniture together, in context, so you can assess how the space works as a whole rather than approving a chair in isolation.

What is not included?

Ask it directly. Almost every unpleasant surprise in this industry comes from an assumption about scope that was never said out loud.

Can I see a project you found difficult?

An unusual question, and the answers are revealing. Every designer has had a project where the budget moved, the builder fell behind, or the client changed direction at an awkward moment. Someone who can describe one honestly, and what they did about it, is telling you how they behave when a project stops being straightforward. Someone who claims never to have had one is either very new or not being candid.

How do you handle it when something arrives damaged or delayed?

It happens on nearly every project of any size. Furniture arrives scratched, a tile order is short, a backordered item slips by six weeks. What you want to hear is that the designer tracks orders, catches problems before you do, and deals with the supplier rather than forwarding the issue to you. That single answer tells you a lot about how the sourcing stage will actually feel.

Warning signs worth noticing

• A firm price quoted before anyone has seen the space. It is a guess, and guesses get revised upwards.

• Reluctance to discuss budget. A designer who avoids the subject early will not become more comfortable with it later.

• A portfolio that all looks the same. It may mean strong style, or it may mean every client gets the same house.

• Vague answers about who does the work.

• Pressure to decide quickly. Good designers are usually booked ahead and do not need to rush you.

Questions worth asking yourself

Two of them, before you contact anyone.

First, what is actually wrong with the space? Not what you want to buy, but what does not work. Rooms that feel cramped, light that never reaches the back, a layout that fights the way you live. A designer can solve a clearly stated problem far more effectively than a vague wish for things to look nicer.

Second, how involved do you want to be? Some people enjoy the process and want to see every option. Others want to hand it over and see it finished. Both are fine, but they are different engagements, and saying which you are up front saves everybody time.

Asking us

Every project at Tamtam Design & Realty is led by Tamarah Kronaizl, who has been designing homes since 2011 and holds an Associate membership with the American Society of Interior Designers. She is also a licensed Realtor, which means the advice accounts for what a decision does to the value of your home as well as how it looks.

The first conversation is short and there is no pressure attached to it. Ask her all of the above. Call (402) 235-8276 or email info@tamtamdesignrealty.com.

Frequently asked questions

How many designers should I speak to?

Two or three is usually enough to calibrate. Beyond that you tend to gather more opinions without gaining more clarity.

Should I have a budget before I call?

A rough one helps enormously, even if it is a range. Without any figure the conversation stays abstract, and abstract conversations waste both sides' time.

What if I do not know what style I want?

That is normal and it is not a problem. Style usually emerges from the conversation about how you live and from reacting to options. Very few clients arrive knowing exactly what they want.

Can I hire a designer for advice only?

Yes. A consultation gives you direction you can act on yourself, and it is a common starting point for people who are not sure they need the full service.