Barbara B Foti
Interior Design
Philosophy:
Many people have ideas about the style they like.
However, it is difficult to imagine how a specific style would suit a particular space either in your home, office, business or even your holiday cottage. Many people do not have the skills to show exactly how a finished room would look, but a trained specialist can do this and then know where to source materials and furnishings and how best to get the job done. That specialist is your interior designer, whose task is to talk ideas with you and then bring the ideas to life.
Today’s interior designer is concerned with more than the finish and furnishings.
Practical considerations range from the actual use of the space, through plumbing, heating, lighting to the suitability of surfaces and the condition of the property’s structure. The designer can not only produce visuals of the restyled appearance, but will also be conversant with the functional problems and how to solve them. Knowing reliable contractors and how to brief and supervise them protects you from costly mistakes.
You and the designer should agree about the overall feel of the design.
Designers will be happy to show you a portfolio of previous commissions. Use preliminary meetings to discuss the scope of the project, the timing and the budget as well as getting a taste of their ideas.
Your designer can work on a whole property project, or room by room, or simply advise on window treatments and furniture.
The choice is yours. Work can be phased over a period of time, which can be very practical if you are in residence while the job is in progress.
You can use your designer for ideas and sketches only and undertake the work yourself.
However, if you don’t use a designer you may not have access to a variety of exclusive supply sources.
Designers can work on a fee basis, quoting for all aspects of a project, from their own involvement to competitive quotes from reliable tradespeople.
The fee basis is convenient for clients using the designer for consultation only, or for smaller projects with limited involvement (for instance, a kitchen design or built in furniture). Alternatively, the designer can buy materials and furnishings at wholesale prices and charge the retail cost to the client. More often the fee is arrived at by a combination of the two alternatives previously described.