UNDERSTANDING WHICH PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER YOU NEED.

At times I find it difficult to convey to clients the value of using a designer if they have never experience working with one before. When a potential client is searching for a designer they generally find one mainly through referrals from friends, relatives or neighbors. This is not a bad thing but it should NOT be the only & final research in making their decision. You should also be asking; How is our chemistry? Are they creative enough for me? Do they listen? Can they interpret my wants & needs? What is their design process? And anything else you find important to you.





UNDERSTANDING WHAT EACH PROFESSIONAL DOES.

Residential Interior Designers: have a formal educational degree and generally are not required to intern. Most US States and some Canadian provinces require a Designation of NCIDQ before being allowed to be called, “Interior Designer.” They are knowledgeable about & qualified, to select & design everything that is attached to the inside of a structure as. Example: Space Planning, Function, flooring, walls, lighting, woodwork, electrical, plumbing, etc. This is set up as the backdrop or the “Bones”of the room. Also they are educationally qualified to follow through to the decoration.

Residential Interior Decorators: the majority do not have formal training. This category deals with the aesthetics only i.e. the colours, furnishings & accessories.
Stagers: assemble rented furnishings from various sources & are generally used in Real estate to enhance the spaces being sold. In the majority of cases are not formally trained.

Residential Architects: have a formal educational degree & must intern before final professional designation. They have knowledge of how a structure gets assembled, materials used & deliver plans & specifications according to the building codes and can guide you through the governmental processes.

Engineers: have formal educational degree. There are many types of specific engineering categories such structural as the main one used in residential. They are professionally responsible for & guarantee the structure being sound & stable.