blog

Considering working with an interior designer? Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards having a home you absolutely love. But now you’re probably wondering: what does the process of working with an interior designer look like?

What Happens When you Work with an Interior Designer?

Working with an interior designer on your home takes the process of designing a space you love from stressful and overwhelming to exciting and inspiring. We’ll handle the challenging parts of a design project, involving you where needed to make sure we’re meeting your needs. At the end, you’ll be left with a home that feels like exactly what you always wanted. 

How do You Find the Right Interior Designer for You?

Every interior designer is different. Over the course of your project you’ll be spending a lot of time with the interior designer you choose, so it’s important to make sure you’re a good fit! It’s also critical that you trust them. Need help vetting an interior designer you’re considering working with? Here are 8 questions to ask before working with them.

The Process of Working with an Interior Designer

While each project will have its own unique twists and turns, the general process remains the same. Here are the seven or so steps your project will have as we work to create the home of your dreams!

Step One: Schedule your complimentary consultation.

Once you’ve decided to work with an interior designer and have found a few whose style you like, your first step is to schedule a free discovery call. On this call we’ll walk you through our process, pricing, timeline for the project and your next steps, as well as answer any questions you may have.

Want to work with us? Book your consultation here.

Step two: Proposal and contract.

After our call, if we’ve decided that we’re a good fit, we’ll send over a proposal outlining the project and a contract making it official. In this proposal, you’ll also see an estimated cost for the project – we charge a flat fee of $120 per hour, and in addition pass on a portion of our trade discounts to you.

Step three: Moodboards and planning.

Now we dive into defining your vision for the project. We’ll show you a variety of moodboards to see which fits your style, and from there begin refining the different aspects of the project.

Step four: Design development and review.

After getting your feedback on initial options, we dive deep into design development. In this stage comes space planning, furniture and material selections, and renderings to help you envision what your home will look like once the project is complete. 

Step five: Renovations and reconstruction.

Depending on your project, this step may or may not take place. But if you are working on a home renovation or build in addition to the interior design, this stage will involve collaborating with other contractors to bring the structure to life.

Step six: Purchasing and procurement.

Now it’s time to take your designs from paper and into reality! Once each room we’re working on is finalized, we handle the purchasing of all the items needed – from furniture, to accessories, to artwork. This process can take some time (I’m sure we’ve all heard of the various supply chain issues design projects encounter!), but luckily the wait is worth it.

Step seven: Delivery and installation.

The big day is here! Your home is about to transform before your eyes. Once all the furniture and materials are ready, we get to work putting it all into place. Don’t worry, you won’t have to do any of the heavy lifting – that’s what we’re here for. 

Is it worth working with an interior designer?

Perhaps we’re a little biased, but we definitely think it’s worth it! We agree completely with this Forbes article, where designer Donna Hoffman says that “Anyone with a realistic budget should hire an interior designer, ideally at the very beginning of a project.”

Not only can an interior designer get access to trade discounts the public can’t (which can be a huge money saver) we’re also able to help you maximize your budget and allocate it strategically. Working with contractors to carry out construction or renovation? We can help you review bids and ensure you don’t get any unexpected overage invoices at the end of the project. 

Ready to work with an interior designer on your project?

We would be honored to support you in designing your dream home! Whether you’re updating one room or renovating your whole house, we’re here to help. Rebecca Cashmore Interiors is a Minnesota-based luxury interior design firm specializing in residential design, but we take projects across the country. To see our past work visit our portfolio page.

Ready to take the first step? Book your complimentary discovery call here.