The exact reason I started my business was to make interior decorating more accessible to everyday homeowners and renters, just like you! My approach is a little different to what you see in Hollywood movies and rather than swanning in with a team of people, it’s just you and me having a chat about all things decorating. My tailored approach means that you get advice specific to your home and budget, so that you can feel confident and excited about the entire decorating process.
Now raise your hand if you’ve ever thought hiring an interior decorator was WAY out of your budget?
Yep, I hear you and that’s why I’m dedicating this blog post to proving that myth wrong and showing you how it’s totally possible to hire an interior decorator no matter what your budget is.
WHERE DOES THE DECORATING PROCESS START?
INITIAL CONSULTATION
The process will begin with an initial consultation where you will get to know your decorator and decide on your style. The decorator will walk through each room in your home that you need help with and gain a clear idea on what you do and don’t like about each room. For an initial consult you will need to budget anywhere between $200 – $300 (my initial consults are $275 ).
DESIGN CONCEPTS
After your initial consultation you will receive a scope of work from your decorator outlining in detail how many hours are required to complete the design concepts. To make the process easy to understand I always quote up front with an hourly rate, so that my clients never receive any nasty surprises along the decorating journey and to ensure we’re both on the same page. If you’re worried about how many hours your project is going to take, then simply ask your decorator for a rough price outline. You will need to budget between $100 – $200 per hour for this stage in the process.
The design concepts should include a mood board, a floor plan layout and a design action plan to show you how the whole process is going to be executed. You’re paying for the decorators time to create these magical documents for you which are essential to bring the end result to life.
WHAT’S NEXT?
PURCHASING AND DELIVERING
Once you’ve decided on the design concepts you’re happy with, you and your decorator will being the process of purchasing and delivering products. I will always pass on a trade discount on products where I can to all of my clients, so you can expect to pay about 30% less than recommended retail price for products. This means that your decorator’s fees are negated if you’re saving huge chunks of money on products.
BRINGING EVERYTHING TOGETHER
Once your products have started arriving and your home is already looking a lot happier, you can hire your decorator to come back and do a stylist once over. When I do this I come in with my photographer and get to work pulling furniture around the room, hanging art and arranging the bits and pieces to finalise the look. I also use this as an opportunity to take photos of the project for my portfolio and I always leave your home looking absolutely spotless! The stylist once over should cost you around $75 – $100 per hour and should only take 2 – 3 hours depending on the size of your house. Oh and I ALWAYS bring fresh flowers to add that beautiful finishing touch!
5 QUICK REASONS WHY YOU NEED A DECORATOR
- You’ll save time and money by outsourcing to someone who already knows exactly where to shop. This means you don’t have to spend countless weekends at the shops trying to figure out what lamp shade will work best.
- Save your marriage/relationship by having a professional guide you with your decorating choices so that you don’t have to fight with your partner about kitchen tiles, sofa fabric, paint colours or how many cushions should be allowed on the bed!
- Gain access to quality trades with your decorators black book of trades they recommend and trust for projects. This will save you a lot of time researching the perfect person for the job and give your peace of mind.
- Gain access to quality products with your decorators long list of furniture wholesalers who won’t deal with the general public.
- Achieve a finished product you absolutely love by putting your home in the hands of a decorator who’s job is to create a beautiful, real and functional home for you and your family.
If you’d like to chat about my decorating services shoot me an email with your decorating problems and let’s get started!
