Decorating and Design - New Home - Finishing Choices/Decoration - Overwhelmed!

We just relocated to southwest FL and have been looking for a home for a while...given the tight real estate market and our criteria, it looks like we may end up working with a builder on a semi-custom home. My husband and I both like generally clean, not too modern designs (e.g. pottery barn, neutral/eath tone colors, slipcovered furniture, etc.). We're going to have tons of choices and while I know what I don't like, I'm worried I don't have enough background to be sure I pick what we will like. We don't have tons of extra cash to hire a decorator, but I'm wondering if it might be worth it to pay for a few hours of someones time to help us with decisions like tile and wood flooring colors throughout the house, cabinet and granite countertop colors, appliances, light fixtures, fans, etc. Our allowances for everything are average to generous given the price point of the home. We're planning to buy quite a bit of new furniture, etc. and I'm pretty overwhelmed with the options. Any suggestions from decorating veterans? If I did decide to hire someone, how do I find someone that's interested in a limited job, willing to work in our price range and still talented. The community we live in (Naples) is extremely high-end and while our home is pricey, it's nothing compared to the higher-end neighborhoods in the area.

Sorry for the general post...I'm sure I'll post specific questions later, but looking for suggestions on the decorator front.

Jen

First, let's clarify who is an interior designer and who is a decorator. Interior designers are persons who have been trained to: create beautiful spaces, utilizing the function and safety of interior spaces. They develop designs and prepare drawsing using their extensive knowledge of design, furniture, materials, equipment, fixtures, and construction. They tend to hire and supervise a variety of subcontractors. Interior decorators are persons who have a flair for decorating. They may or may not have had training.

Good sources for locating someone to meet your needs while decorating your home can be recommendations from friends or business associates, yellow pages, home shows, open houses, or the internet. Prepare a list of questions before you make your first call. Conduct a telephone interview using the same questions for each.

Describe your project to the potential designers/decorators and ask if it sounds like something they might be interested in. Some questions that you might consider to ask are: Are you a designer or decorator? Could you complete the job by your deadline? What do you charge? Can you work within my budget? Will you be handling the project or will one of your employees? Can I work with the same person throughout the project? If you use sub-contractors are they insured? Do you have a portfolio? Can you give me some references?

When the designer or decorator visits your home, note if they show up on time, appear to be listening to you. Note how you feel about working with this person? Do you feel they understand what you need and want? Do they present you with a written contract or agreement and a written statement about their fees? And, you should both agree upon how you will move on to the next step.

Fees will tend to vary from area to area as does the cost of labor, materials, furnishings, etc. Understand that fees for designers or decorators do not include any purchases and that they are for services rendered. Some charge by the hour. Some take a look at the job, estimate the time necessary to do the job. They usually receive an amount of front, another when about half way through the project, and the final payment when the project is over. Payments for any purchases they make are usually marked up above their designer or decorator discount. This will vary among individual designers and decorators. They determine their on retail price to you. How fees and charges to you for good purchased is something you need to know.

You might consider a designer if you have little time or patience for such a project, little self-confidence in taking it on yourself, or simply overwhelmed with all the choices available. Some folks simply don't have a feel for space, lighting, kitchen & bath layouts, etc. Maybe you feel overwhelmed with the thoughts of shopping, ordering, coordinating and dealing with installers. Since you are new to the area, you may not know who is reliable or where to go to get what you need and want.

Some folks don't have a clue as to how to pull the things they already own and their new purchases all together or how to carry a color scheme throughout the home. Some folks don't know anything about what is available today in home furnishings. Some folks are very creative, but they just don't know where to begin. Perhaps they have a particular look & feel they want for their home and don't know where to find the things they envision.

If you have the time and love to shop and decorate, then go for it yourself. You also have time to coordinate and oversee installations and deliveries. If you have a limited budget, you can shop around for flooring, furniture, and other furnishings. Perhaps you read a lot of decorating magazines, watch HGTV, already know your favorite color scheme, and feel that you can furnish and accessorize a home that reflects your own personal decorating style.

Many large furniture stores have decorators on staff who will work with you for free. They get paid on a commission. Kitchen and bath retailers can help you with layouts and countertop choices. Flooring dealers can help you with flooring selections. If you need a few hours advice from a designer, find one that works on an hourly rate. The designer can help you work out the dilemmas of individual rooms or areas within the home.

Pick up some decorating magazines. Visit the library for decorating books. And, there is a wealth of information on the internet about popular flooring options, countertop choices, cabinetry and counters, kitchen and bath design, lighting, rugs, furnishings, etc. You can save considerable money doing a lot of the work yourself if you have the time and energy to see through the project yourself after consulting with a designer for a few hours.

Hi! Welcome to DoItYourself.com!!!

and congratulations on your soon-to-be new home!!!

since you're NOT using phrases like "we GET to pick out everything, and we have tons of choices for each element!", but rather words like "worried" and "overwhelmed," i'd say this experience is not going to be your idea of fun. does the builder not have a decorator/person who helps with these choices? if not, ask friends & neighbors who they've used. or even ask THEM - lots of people have excellent taste and an eye for decorating, especially if they've been through it before.

as for your prediction of "a few hours" needed for picking out all this stuff, i can tell you now, that won't be long enough! you don't want to just throw it all together. this is not a "limited job", this is a huge undertaking. you say you "don't have tons of extra cash to hire a decorator," but you're planning to "buy quite a bit of new furniture" for your "pricey" home in Naples! :eek: i'd advise you to set aside some of the furniture budget & use that now to hire a decorator. you can add more pieces of furniture later, as budget allows, AFTER you've got the basics of the house designed and initially decorated. then, since you will have used a decorator, you'll know your direction and how to choose those other items later on.

i'd spend the money on some help now, so that you enjoy the process and you'll know you've done it right.

HOWEVER! if you DO decide to tackle this great project on your own, or with the help of a friend, we'd love to help you! feel free to post back with specific questions in the appropriate topics!

good luck! :thumbup:

Thanks for both your replies. I actually am excited about the prospect of choosing things and having a nice house of my choosing for the first time ever, but we don't plan to live in Naples for more than a few years and want to be sure everything we choose is stylish/tasteful and good for resale. This is such a weird market...we're looking at a relatively average priced home for Naples proper and it will be 1800 square feet (as compared to the 3600 square foot mountain property we moved from in Colorado). There are so many multi-million $$ properties and upscale furniture/design firms that I need to spend some time talking to friends, etc. to find someone who works on homes in our range (<$500K home). We probably will go with some combination of working with a designer and doing it ourselves. I want to take advantage of the amazing consignment shops here when looking at furniture and unfortunately a lot of the furniture we have to buy will be for my daughter's big girl room (baby #2 is due a month or so before the house will be ready) and for storage solutions given the house is so much smaller than we're used to and the budget is limited, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to carve out for outside help. Ideally, I want help with the kitchen choices, bathroom choices and main living area paint colors.

So, I'm sure I'll be back once we get into the actual decision making process...thanks again for your input.

Jen

oh! i thought this was a fairly long-term, dream house thing. if it's just a temporary "few years" situation, definitely go the easier route & use neutrals that are classic & best for resale. put the color & your personality into YOUR furnishings, and leave the bones of the house neutral.

i can't imagine going thru all that knowing that you'll be moving in a few years - how depressing! :eek:

definitely let us know if we can help later! and have fun! :)