Like any service based industry, interior designers, most often set up meetings with prospective clients to discuss their scope of services with them. This process is most commonly termed a “consultation” and is a great platform for both the client and designer to discuss tastes, fees, timelines, etc. In most instances a prospective client does not want to pay a consultation fee to a designer that they have never worked with before. This scenario puts both the client and the designer in an awkward position. The client is skeptical to pay for a consultation while the designer will not meet unless a fee is paid.

One way that we at Studio M help mitigate this problem is by not charging an initial consultation fee. Most often, clients do not understand the services of an interior designer and must be educated on what “we” as designers can offer them. Like any relationship whether personal or business, a certain level of trust must be established before a genuine relationship can exist. To help this process, we typically schedule the first meeting at the client’s house where our designer can get a good idea of the client’s project and personality. The meeting typically lasts for an hour and provides a great opportunity for both the client and designer to know each other better. This invaluable time also gives our designer the chance to give a thorough description of our services. When properly done, this simple yet effective strategy can help generate business for you and your designers.

About the author:  Michelle Jennings Wiebe, ASID, is the President/Principal Designer of the premier interior design firm Studio M Inc., based in Tampa, Florida. Studio M specializes in luxury residential design, but is also well known for their sleek commercial interiors.

Seriously, park your car across the street and approach your home or office at the front entrance, the way a doctor would approach a patient.  Symptoms like spider webs, weeds and fingerprints can appear from nowhere.  Are the outdoor lighting fixtures clean?  Has ground cover splashed up on the ground level siding?  And take down the Christmas lights now…..yes, they do show from the street!  Cigarette butts are disgusting even if they aren’t yours. Concrete mold is dangerous when it gets damp and slippery.

A shoddy entrance suggests a lazy resident. You could be the nicest person or the smartest professional, but your visitors may not be able to get past your peeling paint. The entrance to your home or office is the first impression you make on guests, so take advantage of this first opportunity and shine.

Next go inside and take digital photographs of every room from every corner. Like a body scan, a room scan can show trouble spots.  Print out all the photos, group them by room and check for problems areas.  Make a list of the things that are missing, prioritize that list and get to work.

No time for a home physical?  Contact us! to write a prescription for a beautiful healthy home for you and your family.

When you begin a relationship with an interior designer or decorator all involved parties must understand the financial intricacies of that relationship. There can be no surprises or the partnership will crumble. Contracts are important for both you and the designer.

There are as many systems of charging for design services as there are designers. Most arrangements are vague.  Most of us charge hourly fees based on our reputations, training, experience and education. Some designers plainly do not want you to know how they make money. This is unfortunate because making an income from design services is not a crime.

The one most essential issue: both parties involved understand how much things cost and how much money is available for the project. This is more important than the actual design, because money is an emotional issue that can ruin everything. When doubt exists there is no plan. Without a plan there is no project.

We compare our client/decorator relationship to that of a client/realtor.  Realtors pre-qualify their new clients.  It just makes sense to show home buyers homes that are in their budget.  Like realtors we try to pre-qualify our clients in order to build a partnership built on trust and the belief that we won’t take advantage of them, and we won’t show them options that they cannot afford.

The 2000 pound elephant in the room: Suspicious clients think that we will try to spend every dime they own.  We don’t do that. We can’t waste our personal savings, and we do not expect our clients to waste theirs. What we do is offer best design choices and explain price ranges, quality options and alternatives to let them decide.  Decisions based on realistic estimates put the client in the driver’s seat.

We will make the pie for you, but you decide how many cherries go into that pie.  Many people haven’t thought about project budgets so you are not alone if you do not know. When we first meet you we ask a million questions. We make a list of all the rooms, the things you want and sketch a tentative design plan. Then we discuss the costs for your project. We estimate price ranges for every single piece of the project and let you decide what is right for you.  Then, we create a contract.

The Secret never works for your home!

Take a good look at your surroundings. What image are you projecting?  Others cannot see anything that isn’t there, so your plans for someday do not apply to what is for now.
Unlike The Secret, if you see the potential in your home interior you are the only one who sees it.

Did you ever notice that people who get to the top dress as though they’ve always been there?  The same words apply to your home, your office, and everything that surrounds you.  The way you see yourself has everything to do with who you are. It is time to stop planning and start taking action.  Don’t keep your dreams for the places you live and work a secret any more.  Contact us to change your ideas into a realistic interior design plan.  Then, take the first step.

Beginning shortly, we will provide examples of “Before and After” Make Overs – Kitchens, Bathrooms, Living Rooms, Family Rooms, Dining Rooms, Bedrooms and more. The interior design projects will highlight those special spaces that our residential and commercial clients love. Subscribe here to receive our next Make Over article and you’ll receive interior decorating tips as well.

If you have an immediate needs or any questions, please contact us:

Sally CaJacob
Owner, Interior Designer
Columbus, Ohio
Ph: 614-485-0917
Email Sally

Columbus and Central Ohio interior design and interior decorating projects:  Arena District, Bexley, Canal Winchester, Clintonville, German Village, Grandview Heights, Granville, Grove City, Lewis Center, Pickerington, Powell, the Short North, Upper Arlington and Victorian Village.

We’re redecorating!

And, new design articles and decorating tips are added to the CaJacob Design Group website on a regular basis so please keep checking back. Thanks!

CaJacob Design Group | Serving Columbus, Ohio
Interior Decorators & Designers
Ph: 614-485-0917
Columbus, OH