The time has finally come – you’re going to hire an interior designer to create your dream space! Working with an interior designer in Chicago for the first time is an exciting experience. Not only will designers create a space tailored to your wants and needs, but they’ll also save you time, money and stress along the way. To ensure you have a smooth, informed interior design process, MOOD | Design + Build is providing you with information that will help you prepare and set expectations for working with an interior design firm in Chicago.

What does an Interior Designer do?

Interiors designers are the visionaries that bring your dreams to life! While some believe interior designers simply select furniture, paint colors and pillows, the truth is that they do so much more. Interior designers understand colors and fabrics, draw, create computer-generated models of their designs, position furniture optimally or function and flow and even design furniture, to name a few. Beyond having a natural eye for design, some have received a formal education in their field, earning a bachelor’s degree in interior design.

Candy Scott, senior principal and lead creative director for MOOD | Design + Build, earned her bachelor’s degree in interior design. She also has more than 17 years of experience in commercial and residential design-build. Because of her level of education and years of experience, she brings an elevated skill set to the projects she works on. Depending on your project needs, you might want to work with someone like Candy, who is experienced in designing and building.

For example, MOOD | Design + Build is involved in all phases of a project, including the architecture and construction. This is known as the design-build construction process. The design-build process streamlines all the project processes and ensures there are no expensive mishaps along the way, where the construction changes may take away from good design.

Before working with an interior designer, be sure to reflect on your project’s needs, research interior design firms in Chicago and prepare to ask questions. It’ll help you understand each designer’s level of education, years of experience, scope of work and areas of expertise before making a decision.

Set goals for your project:

Before contacting any interior designers in Chicago, you’ll want to sit down and figure out your goals for your design projects. To do this, start by reflecting on your current space. What is it that you want style-wise, and what is the space missing functionally? Do you need a living space that functions well for a family of five to hang out in at night but can also accommodate 10 family members comfortably during the holidays? Maybe you need a kitchen with wider walking paths and more counter space for meal prepping and hosting friends. Perhaps you’d like to plan for enough space for a wheelchair or walker in the future. Think about the space you have and what it currently fails to achieve, then reflect on your ideal space and make a note of what it looks like.

When you’re considering your goals, you’ll also be wondering how much it will cost to achieve these goals. Determine your general budget for your project. Interior design services vary in price for many reasons, so it’s almost impossible to estimate a general project cost. To have an idea about the cost for the project you want, consider how much it would cost to furnish an entire room, paint the walls, add lighting and incorporate decor. Additionally, understand that you’ll be paying for an educated and experienced interior designer to solve your space’s problems and create custom design plans just for you. The cost of furniture, materials, a designer’s time and additional labor costs will add up.

After considering your ideal project, you might think you won’t achieve the space you want with the budget you have in mind. There is good news, though! If you decide that working with a full-service interior designer isn’t the best fit for you, there are other ways you can get your project done. Today, many designers offer e-design services, where they work with you virtually to design your space. They might also offer DIY design plans, where you’ll send them photos, measurements and your goals for the space, then they’d send you a design plan that you’d implement on your own. No matter your budget, if you have clear goals in mind and are open to various design options, there will be a designer out there for you!

Prepare examples of rooms or designs you like:

Now that you’ve set an estimated project budget, you’ll need to prep some examples of inspirational spaces you like for your project. Thumbing through interior design magazines likes Architectural Digest, House Beautiful or Veranda, for example, will give you an idea of what design styles you’re interested in. You can also search on Pinterest and Instagram for rooms and save rooms you like or dislike.

How to prepare for a designer phone interview:

Step 1 | Review design photos and save at least 5-8 photos for each space you want to have designed.

Step 2 | Make notes about what you like and don’t like about those spaces, such as colors you like or dislike, those spaces’ functionality and what design details you’d like to see incorporated in your space.
Step 3 | Prepare to bring everything you’ve found to meetings with your potential designers and plan to communicate your goals for the space you’ve dreamed up.

Even if you don’t know the styles of the spaces you’ve saved, showing a designer these rooms and talking to them about what you like about each space will provide them with a better understanding of what you’re looking for.

How to select an interior design firm in Chicago:

When it comes to interior design firms in Chicago, you may think that you will have to work in-person with a local designer, but in 2021 that is not always the case. Many interior designers offer e-design services, where they can work with you virtually to transform any space. If you want to work with an interior designer in person, you can find an interior designer through the Houzz search tool. This tool allows you to search your local area and filter through various search options to find local designers. You’ll want to narrow down your search by:

Selecting the ‘Find a Professional’ tab at the top of the page.
Once the drop-down menu appears, select ‘Interior Designers & Decorators’ or ‘Design-Build Firms.
Once you’re on the page of the category you chose, click the ‘All filters’ button, which will bring up all filter options.
Then, go through each category in the filter tool on the left-hand side to select the criteria you’ll be looking for.
When you get to ‘Product Type,’ select the project type that best describes the project you have in mind. If you’re going to want more than one room designed at once, search each project type you’re interested in, in case other designers populate for specific project types.
When you’ve done that, click ‘Done,’ and you’ll be one step closer to meeting your interior designer!

We recommend finding 3-5 interior designers you’d be interested in working with so you can interview them. Once you’ve found the group of designers you want to interview, be sure to review all of their social accounts. This will help you get a better understanding of their design style and personality. If there are photos of their work you love, be sure to save those designs as well and show those to them when you meet.

Examples of interview questions to ask your designers:

What level of education do you have? What certifications do you have?
What experience do you have working on projects like mine?
What services do you offer?
What is your style? What designers do you like personally?
Who is your main clientele/types of projects you’ve worked on in the past?
What do you prioritize when planning a budget?
How often will we be meeting, and how will we be communicating?
How do you charge, and can you work with my budget?
Who will be working on my project and how will they be selected?
How will you present your design concept and ideas?
What happens if I change my mind on design details at any point in the project?
What builders/contractors/architects do you work with?
What happens if I have to put my project on hold?

In your interviews, you’ll be asking these questions to find out if these designers are qualified to complete your project, if their style is going to align with what you’re looking for, if you’ll be able to afford their services, what it will look like to work with them and, ultimately, if they mesh with your personality. In a way, it’s very similar to dating. You want to make sure that the designer you choose will be the best fit to carry out this investment for your home and life.

How to understand a designer’s billing process:

It’s important to know that designers use varying billing processes, which you’ll want to be aware of before you enter into an agreement with them. When you’re interviewing your designers, be sure to ask questions about their billing process and make sure you’re aware of all charges involved in the process. Once you’ve selected your designer, they will most likely provide you with a thorough budget before making purchases for your project, so be sure to ask for a clear breakdown of that budget, so you’ll know what everything is going to cost. Below are typical billing methods interior designers use.

Billing methods used:

Hourly fees – These are the fees you could be charged for the time spent working on the project, meeting times, space planning, lighting selection and design, color and fabric selections, drafting designs and sourcing materials or furnishings.
Cost-plus – This billing method is when you’re charged for all project costs PLUS a percentage markup. In this case, the cost of an item could be what the designer pays or retail costs. Some designers’ percentages change for different types of purchases, such as rugs, sofas, or decorative items. Be sure to ask about this if you’re unsure about the fees for all items being purchased for your project.
A percentage of project costs – When the budget is established at the beginning of the project, the designer’s fees will be based on a total budget percentage. At the end of a project, the total costs are added up and then the predetermined percentage markup is applied to the total cost of the project. For example, if a project’s total is $50,000, a designer will then multiply that total times their percentage markup (let’s say 20%), which would mean you’ll pay an additional $10,000 on top of the final total. Your new total would be $60,000.
A flat fee – This means that you would be charged one flat fee for the entire design project.
Typically, interior designers bill their clients in one of two ways. Designers will charge an hourly fee with or without the cost of materials built-in, or they'll charge you the retail price for merchandise and take the up-charge as their designer fee. The chances are high that you’ll end up working with a designer who uses one of these billing methods.

Bring your designer in early:

You’ll want to bring your interior designer in as early as possible on the project. Ideally, you want designers, architects and contractors to start coordinating from the beginning of the project to avoid miscommunication or design issues that could arise along the way. This is why the design-build method is on the rise.

With the design-build method, an interior designer is involved in the project from day one. This means that the designer’s education, experience and insight can direct the flow and layout of a space when it’s still in the ideation phase. From the beginning, designers are thinking through how you’re going to live in the space, what space will be needed for the furniture they have in mind and what will be needed structurally to achieve your goals for the space. When a designer is initially on the project, a designer and builder can work in unison to ensure that the design and construction plans complement each other.

Set realistic expectations:

When you’re about to begin the exciting process of working with an interior designer, it’s only natural that your expectations are high. You’ve researched their work, you both have agreed about where the design is going and you’re ready to get the project underway. The best way to enter into your project is with excitement, an open mind and reasonable expectations. Here are a few realistic expectations to set along this journey:

Great design, especially the kind that isn’t done with TV magic, takes time. This means that you’ll want to understand that larger projects with quick turnarounds will come with a premium.
No project is perfect. Designers will establish a streamlined plan for the project, but that doesn’t mean you won’t run into some bumps in the road. For example, furniture items your designer ordered might become back-ordered. This would push back the date of their arrival and, unfortunately, this would be completely out of your designer’s hands. Remember, designers are problem solvers, and they’ll do everything in their power to stick to the plan you’ve collectively set in place.
As a client, you’re a high priority to your designer. Do understand, though, that your designer is probably working on multiple projects at once, and if you need to contact them, it might take a few hours to receive a response. Ask them if they have a protocol for response time, so you’ll know when you can expect to receive responses from them.
When it comes to communication, know that more communication versus less is always more desirable to your designer. Expect to have open and honest conversations with them and know that this is the best way to communicate throughout your project.

Communicate clearly with your designer

Good communication will be a key to the success of your project. The interior designer you work with will communicate often and clearly about your project to eliminate any guessing on your end about where they’re at in the project timeline or what they need from you. However, it’s just as helpful for you to communicate clearly with them. For example, if there are furniture pieces that are sentimental and you want them to stay, let your designer know that from the very beginning. If there is something you do not love about their design along the way, tell them.

It might be hard to be open with your interior designer, as you might feel like you’re not the expert, but the truth is that your designer would rather you be completely open and honest throughout the design process. Because direct and decisive design preferences can speed up the process, your honesty and feedback will always be welcomed. You’ll be the one who needs to love the design and the decisions being made, so don’t be afraid to communicate with your designer at any stage in the process.

Stay open-minded and trust your design team

Once the process is underway, there might be times where you are anxious about “what-ifs” and things you’re unsure of about during the process, and it’s good to realize that this is completely normal. When you do have concerns or questions along the way, always reach out to your designer. If you’re on-the-fence about a design decision they’ve suggested, just remember that you hired them for their expertise. If they’ve highly recommended something to you during the process, then the chances are they feel strongly that their recommendation is the best choice or method to move forward with. Trust their insight and expertise and trust yourself – you did select them for your project after all.

Hiring an interior designer means allowing an experienced and qualified professional to manage your budget, save extra costs and create a tailored space for your lifestyle. When you’re ready to move forward with your next design project, contact MOOD | Design + Build in Chicago, who will educate you through the process and guide you smoothly along the way. Contact MOOD | Design + Build today to get started on your next project.

How To Work With An Interior Designer in Chicago for The First Time