Finding an Interior Decorator 101
There are many different reasons why a homeowner might choose to hire an interior decorator for their home. Perhaps they don’t feel creative enough, or maybe they just don’t have the time to put forth the proper effort. No matter the reason, when you go to hire an interior decorator, you need to be sure that that person fits your style and the vision you have for your home. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some tips to finding a qualified interior decorator for your home to get you started.
Ask Friends and Family for Referrals
One of the best ways to find a qualified interior decorator is to ask people you know and trust if they have someone they can recommend. Since the person has already worked with someone you know and trust, when you hire them you’ll know what type of work to expect. When asking your friends and family for a referral, just make sure you ask the right questions to help you determine if the person is right for you. Some questions you might want to ask include how long the project took, how many problems there were, and if your friend was ultimately happy with the result.
Look at Online Review Websites
Online review websites are a great starting point to finding a qualified decorator for your home, even though you probably don’t know the people who are posting the reviews. You can use the online reviews in putting together a preliminary list of decorators that you can then narrow down after making individual phone calls to the various businesses. You do need to remember that you can’t always trust what you read on these review websites. This is why it’s important to narrow down your list of possibilities by doing phone interviews with each decorator.
Utilize Referral Services
Several different referral services over the Internet will offer referrals of interior decorators. These services will have some way of matching you up with an interior decorator who’s compatible with your style. As with the review websites, this can be a great starting point for putting together a list of potential decorators.
Another place to check out is the American Society of Interior Decorators to find members who live in your area who can also be added to your list.
Seek Out Interior Decorators’ Work
You might be able to find an interior decorator whose style you like by viewing their work at model homes and decorating shows. Most building contractors, for example, will hire an interior decorator to come and stage a model home. By seeking things like this out, you can not only find decorators in your area but view their work at the same time. All you have to do is ask the contractor or sales agent who created the décor plan and then seek that person out. Another idea is to look at the expo centers in and around your city to see if there are any home expos coming up in the near future. These types of expos showcase decorators’ work and you are usually able to talk to them right there about specific projects.
It may not be as difficult as you think to hire an interior decorator. When you get good referrals from people you know, it makes the whole process of finding a qualified interior decorator much easier.
About the Writer…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the home furnishings and interior design business for 40 years. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They offer a huge assortment of solid wood furniture for your living room, home office and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Whether you’re looking for a wood coffee table for your living room or a wood dresser for your master bedroom then they have everything you need.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Another great post!