FAQ'S
WHEN SHOULD I HIRE A DESIGNER?
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ASAP! The Designer should help you make decisions long before any Contractor is involved. We’re not just plush fabrics and luxury furniture; our job is also to help you plan the best layout, possibly structural decisions and lighting plans. Without looking at these prior to the renovation starting you could make huge compromises or costly mistakes. You’re investing in this space to enjoy for the foreseeable future, and rushed decisions can be bad ones; it is vital to allow sufficient time for the whole design to come together. Read our Blog on the matter:
HOW MUCH DOES AN INTERIOR DESIGNER COST?
Every designer charges and structures how they do differently depending on their experience and how they like to run their business. You'll be paying for their expert time and for the products they present to you which you select. We work on both a set and hourly rates and we’ll be able to advise give you an estimated minimum based on what we discuss in our meeting prior to commencing. Other than adding value through beautiful design, see ‘Why hire an Interior Designer’ to understand how a Professional Interior Designer can actually save you money.
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HOW MUCH INPUT WOULD I HAVE?
We create spaces that are client focused so we encourage you to give a detailed brief and to talk about your home lifestyle, or aspirations for your business. Prior to us commencing work on the project we would hold a creative meeting. This is your opportunity to tell us what you love and what you hate, to show us places that inspire you, styles you adore and essentials you'd like us to incorporate. Read our blog on how to brief your designer:
WHAT IS THE DESIGN PROCESS?
In order to reach the final design for your Interior, we’ll go through several different stages, each requiring decisions for your consideration. Check out a more detailed insight on our Design and Services page. (link)
HOW LONG WILL THE PROCESS TAKE FROM START TO FINISH?
Until we have a good idea of the work to be done and the design specification, we can’t really give you a super accurate answer. Does it have ‘Minor Construction’ work or ‘Major Construction’ work? Or, is it an ‘Interior Refresh’ only? Roughly for a small ‘Refresh’ we would allow at least 3 months and a ‘Larger Renovation’ 6 months. Keep in mind first there’ll be weeks of ‘Design Process’ and many decisions to be made and plans drawn up so that we can get Contractors to quote before even booking them in. They then need to be lined up alongside the lead times of products to be installed. We can sit down and work out a rough timeline dependant on what’s involved.
HOW DO I HIRE CONTRACTORS?
We can provide you with the details of tradesmen with whom we’ve worked with or (dependant on location) we have a network of colleagues to whom we can turn to for recommendations. We’re also happy to work with Tradesmen’s you source. We always encourage getting multiple quotes and you’d be hiring all contractors directly, and therefore need to make the decision on who to hire.
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WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE ROOM LOOKS LIKE BEFORE INSTALLATION?
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WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THE PRODUCTS BEFORE PURCHASE?
Yes, in one form or another. We curate material moodboards to present in person, or (depending on the circumstance) we can post these to you to discuss over a digital meeting. For products such as furniture keep in mind many pieces will be sourced from trade suppliers or dealers all over the world and we won’t necessarily be able to pop in a showroom to see the pieces physically, nor do most showrooms stock everything. On occasion we may take you to the showroom to view pieces but generally expect that all products such as furniture and fixtures will be digitally presented with images, specifications and costs. Many of these will be dropped into visuals so you'll get an ideas of scale and placement.
WHERE DO YOU SOURCE FROM?
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Each year we attend some of the most inspiring Interior Trade Shows such as Decorex London and Maison et Objet Paris to find interesting and wonderful brands to work with. We then have exclusive Trade only accounts with a variety of brands, and we cherry pick from Retail suppliers for the right pieces. When we want something with real charm and history we use our little black book of Antique businesses across the world. Some of the most unique items come from special bespoke pieces we commission from talented craftspeople, so if we can’t find that perfect piece we can get it made or have a cherished piece updated. See what I found inspiring on some of my show trips.
HOW MUCH SHOULD MY BUDGET BE?
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Products
Budget questions should come into the conversation at the very beginning, it doesn’t benefit anyone to start working on a project, only to find out the budget is too small or too large. We know budgets can be tough to talk about and we also feel like reality TV has blurred the lines between affordability, timeliness, and realistic expectations. Social media is flooded with beautiful examples of interiors and it’s easy to look at something and think ‘that is what I want’ without considering the level of skill, time and expertise that went into achieving it, and the price tag that came with it. Being level headed and realistic about how far you can stretch will save you time and frustration and it will give your Designer and installation team a fair chance to manage your Project. Think of it like this, are we shopping at ‘Ikea, ‘John Lewis’ or ‘Harrods’? Of course not literally, but this will give you a good idea of how different the price points can be when sourcing. Do we need to be savvy to create something special, or do you want complete luxury and bespoke? Once an amount is allocated to the sourcing we’ll then work within this. All products will be presented through the software Ivy and sometimes there may be multiple options to choose from. You can then either accept or decline an item and see the total price change at the bottom.
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Contractors
The Designer, Architects, Joiners, Electricians, Plumbers, Tilers, Flooring Fitters, Decorators, etc. What you spend here depends on the scope of the Project. Is it a ‘basic refresh’, ‘minor construction’ or ‘major construction’. We would advise a minimum of 30% of your budget; very dependent on the work needing to be completed and we suggest getting multiple quotes, but also that the cheapest quote isn’t always the best one to go with.
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Designer
Usually an Interior Designer works out at 10-20% of the Project budget, but this is dependent on the scale of work involved, changes made to the design, level of service, and site or showroom visits required.
WOULD YOU DO A PROJECT OUTSIDE THE NORTHWEST?
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We’re based in the beautiful Ribble Valley in Lancashire, so inevitably most of the work we complete is in and around this and the surrounding areas of Yorkshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Cheshire. We do however work on Projects further afield across the country and beyond with Clients who love our work, from a bar in London to a Holiday Home in Europe. To make the process efficient we have become adept at using technology to its best.
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