How to Start Planning your Interior Design Process

Perhaps your home is looking outdated, or you want put it on the market soon - how can you create a home like the ones you see on TV? There are a few different options when it comes to planning your interior design process.

Professional Interior Designer

If you want to totally start fresh with your home - and you're thinking about taking out a few walls in the process - you'll want the help of a professional interior designer. Interior designers have years of schooling under their belts and have to undergo rigorous testing in order to become licensed, so you can be sure an interior designer will be highly qualified to help you undertake extensive home design projects. In addition to helping decide the color palette and furnishings for your renovated space, they can also assist with drafting and help manage the more technical aspects of your home's transformation.

Professional Interior Decorators

The difference in title is subtle, but the difference in what you'll be paying will be quite significant. Interior decorators are like home stylists. A person need not be certified to be called an interior decorator, so their level of knowledge and skill set will vary from one decorator to another. In general, interior decorators can help you understand which colors, styles and textures will work best in your space, and then be able to suggest the correct materials to get you started. Many furniture stores have interior decorators on staff, so if you fall in love with a particular piece of furniture, they can help create your room around that item.

Choosing a Professional

Whether you choose a Interior Designer or Decorator, you'll find many have a particular area of expertise. If you like homes with a cozy, traditional feel, make sure the person you contract does not specialize in minimalist contemporary design. It would be like hiring a French chef to cater your Italian wedding!

Ask your friends, relatives and co-workers if they can recommend anyone before you start looking in the yellow pages or online. You can also keep your eyes peeled for local hotels or restaurants that - when you peek through the windows -have a style that appeals to you. If you like the way a room was designed, ask the staff who created the space.

Negotiating a Price

Prices will vary widely, and you can negotiate the fees in a variety of ways. Interior designers and decorators will cost more in large, metropolitan cites, so the price will fluctuate on where you live, along with their level of experience. Expect to pay between $50-100 an hour for interior decorators, and up to $250 an hour or more for interior designers. Instead of an hourly wage, you may be able to negotiate a set price for the particular job. Another option is to charge a percentage of the total cost of the overhaul, but bear in mind that your pro may in turn select more expensive materials to drive up the bottom line (along with their cut). Small things can often make a big difference: if your designers buys floors from a wholesaler, that can easily save you a couple thousand bucks if we're talking high-end hardwood. Ask your designer, it's worth it!

Do It Yourself

If you're on a tight budget, consider doing the job yourself. It might not be as difficult as you think, but your project will turn out best if you take plenty of time to plan first.

Take a month or so to become aware of the design styles you like most. Purchase some design magazines and pull out the pages that appeal to you, or print out pictures of spaces you've found online that you'd love to see in your home. After a few weeks you should begin to start noticing a pattern, whether it's a particular color scheme or style of furnishings.

You'll also need to consider the function of the room you're designing. If every picture you've saved has a sleek white leather sofa and fluffy rug, but you have a big black dog that loves to snuggle up with you on the sofa to watch TV, it's probably not going to work. Adjust the style or color scheme slightly to meet your needs without compromising on the overall look.

Then begin visiting home centers and take home some samples of fabrics and paint to see how they'll look in your room. You may love one color in the store but once you get it home, it seems too bright. By visiting home centers you'll also be able to see what things cost, and thereby calculate your budget before you begin.