Do People Still Need Interior Designers? - Lenore Frances

Do People Still Need Interior Designers?

Photo Credit: BKHagar *Kim*

Photo Credit: BKHagar *Kim*

Did you know, back in the day, your barber might also be your dentist? He might even be your undertaker! Sounds like the old west. Thank God things have changed…or have they?  Today people are doing a lot of things themselves that they may or may not have the education, training, background, talent, or understanding to do. Are they getting the results they really want? And are they getting the job done without making mistakes, poor choices, wasting their money and time? Do they say to themselves, “Oh, if I had only known! I would have done things differently.”

Photo: Amanda Gates, Designer

The following was written by a fellow designer Amanda Gates.  She has a flair for telling it like it is, so I thought I would share with you what she has to say on the subject. Many designers are starting to see clients want to take the reins and manage their own projects. Handling their own trades, finding their own products and installing their own jobs all in an effort to save money. So we have shifted our paradigms to work with the needs of our clients to give them what they want… but the sh*t is hitting the fan. Thanks to the internet and TV shows, homeowners have become disillusioned that with a few thousand dollars and a quick thirty minutes an entire house can be swiftly and easily redone. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Rather than discussing how we’ve transformed our clients lives with beautiful homes, more than ever before the leaderboards (professional network groups for professional interior designers) are blowing up on topics of how to best help their clients get out of their messes. You know the one that was saving them money. Most homeowners have absolutely no idea how difficult a home project can be and acting as a guidance counselor we can only offer so much. Whether redecorating or blowing out the master bath designers know exactly how to navigate the waters, aka: the trades, vendors, products and all the moving parts. (Trust you, me…there are SO MANY moving parts) Case in point. I recently had a client hire me as her guidance counselor for a 2500 ft addition. Six months into the project her refrigerator busted and flooded the whole house (because she moved it to another room and didn’t properly hook it up). This lead to flooring, cabinet and furniture damage. Her kitchen floors arrived in the wrong color because she transposed ONE number on the invoice, making this her error not the tile company. And finally, she could not finish the remodel of her bathroom because her tub had been picked up by her plumber…who was arrested for a DUI and in jail. Her three thousand dollar soaker tub had been sold on Craigslist as bail money and the plumber skipped town.  Seriously folks, I can’t make this stuff up. Interestingly enough, no matter how many people I discuss the pitfalls with, it’s always the same: “Oh it will never happen to me, and I have PLENTY of time to manage it”. DESIGN COACH Do you still want to do the work yourself? We are your secret design coach & consultant. Lenore Frances Interiors can guide you on how to create the perfect design for your home so you can take pride in your design decisions. When you work with our firm, we are your professional guide, coach, and collaborator to help you navigate through the complexities of the design process. Your first step is to contact us and sign up to receive your Design Project Dream Book  to build a proper foundation before starting your project.  

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