When someone hires an interior design service, they typically do so because they want a particular style in their home but don’t know how to bring it out. If you knew exactly how to make your home look outdoorsy or like a beach side retreat, you wouldn’t need a professional. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to describe to an interior designer what you’re looking for if you don’t have the words to describe the look you want in the room. If you want to get a design that thrills you, you’ll need effective communication so that your designer is in the best possible situation to help you. Here are a few tips to help you get optimum service.
Provide as much information as possible
Since communication is an essential part, it makes sense to be as clear as possible with what you’re looking for. An excellent file full of information about what you want will help speed the creation process for your architectural design service and help them give you something closer to what you want. Here’s a list of ideas for what you should include.
Pictures for inspiration
You’ve probably looked around the internet to see what other 3D interior visualization services have done and found a few pictures you were madly in love with. Save these pictures and include them in your file as inspiration to help give your interior designer a visual clue as to the theme you’re looking for.
A written brief
Even if you find a perfect picture, there are likely some changes that you want. Describe the design that you want in written form as well. This is also a good time to analyze your wish list to make sure that what you want and what you need are the same thing. Suppose you’re a family of four but fall wildly in love with a design involving a cream-colored carpet. It may be you find yourself disappointed in that choice later, even though it originally was what you wanted.
Make a list of your likes and dislikes, and scrutinize them to make sure they will work with your lifestyle and any other constraints first. Take a second look at the photos you chose for your brief. What did you like about them? What did you not like? Write these down. Can you picture yourself living or working in the room shown in the photo? If not, what could be changed to make it something you would feel great in? Write that down too.
What are your personal habits where you live right now? Are you constantly tromping in from the garden and leaving muddy boots by the door? Do you enjoy entertaining and have friends over all the time?
Even if you don’t own a home right now, many of your habits will still continue in your new place. Make sure that how you are as a person will fit with the design you’re choosing. A written brief isn’t just good for your 3D visualization service—it will also help you focus your expectations and know what you want before your interior designer does.
Talk to the interior designer as well
After you have created your written brief, you’ll probably have a much clearer idea of what you want. The next step will be to talk to the interior designer about the renovations and smooth out any questions they may have. Even the best brief may have things you’ve left out or questions you’ve never thought of. This will also give your interior designer the chance to consult with you using the full power of their knowledge on interior design.
They can look at what you want and suggest changes that make it even better. You can look at those changes and decide for yourself if that will help you or not. Communicating with your 3D interior rendering professional is very important. Even if you’ve been thorough with your brief, communicating what you want verbally can help cement what you want in an interior designer’s mind. It can also open up more options for you. Always speak with your designer first.
Talk to the designer if you don’t like the design
When the design is complete, you should be the first one to see it. Walls aren’t going to be knocked down or carpet torn up before you’ve approved the design. This is also the easiest time to speak up if you don’t like something, and you certainly should. The easiest time to fix things is while conceptualizing. If you don’t like something, can’t picture yourself in it, or have a better idea, discuss it with your 3D modeling designer.
Listening is also important during this phase. Your interior designer may have decorated the way she did, especially if the interior design involves structural changes to the home, for a reason. An interior design isn’t just about looks. It also has to be about health, safety, and the laws that govern them. If they didn’t remove a wall because it is load-bearing, for example, the reason why it’s still there is a very good one. This is just another reason that emphasizes why communication is so important.
Remember you have the right to say “no.”
It can be hard to tell someone no, especially if you feel like you asked for what you got. You have the right to say no though. The interior designer is working for you, not the other way around. If they’re swooning over crown moldings and you can’t stand how it looks, let them know this isn’t what you want. If they show you their completed work and it has things you know you don’t want, it’s okay to say no. This can even go so far as additional payments, especially if they want money to correct something you have already said no to.
Listening has to go both ways. A good architectural planning and design service will listen to you throughout the process. If they aren’t, a flat out “no” may be what you need to get the project back on track. If the interior designer you have is relentless in pursuing their own path, find another artist. This may put you behind on your project, but it’s much easier to find a new artist and start from scratch then redo an entire remodel.
Asking for a revision is industry standard
It’s also okay to ask for changes to a specific room or even the whole remodel. This is especially the case if you have taken the time to write a brief, show pictures, and communicate as clearly as possible what it is you want. If you have gone to these lengths and the interior designer still hasn’t created what you asked for, it is more than fair to ask for a revision. On the other hand, if you’ve been vague about what you want, did not submit a brief, and are disappointed with the results of your interior designer winging it, it might not be fair to ask for a revision.
It’s important to look at the situation on an individual basis and judge how fair it is to ask for changes. Suppose you’re still in the beginning stages and you’re concerned about how accommodating your interior designer will be. In that case, it’s also okay to ask how they feel about revisions before any work is done.
Many architectural detailing services make small corrections for free, large corrections if it is their fault, and additional corrections or problems for a fee. Having this info right out in the open can make things easier if you know what to expect. Most artists are amenable to and expect at least some form of revision, so knowing what kind of changes are available for free or with a fee will help you get through the process without any surprises.
All of this can be done remotely
In today’s digital age, you don’t even have to meet in person to get all of this done. Many interior designers can speak with you over Zoom calls, Skype, or other video platforms. They can read your written brief over email and can submit ideas the same way. This means you don’t have to look for a local CAD designer. If you want the best, or don’t like the designers available in your area, you can search the world for a person who meets your style. This is important to know, as interior designers all have a unique way of doing things, and that way may not be best for your project.
Cad Crowd’s interior design freelancers can help
Hiring an interior designer is an exciting time. It helps you transform your project from a blank canvas (or old design you don’t like) into something beautiful and new. If you’re ready to hire an interior designer, don’t hesitate. The right designer is out there, waiting to turn your home into a beautiful space.