Month: March 2012

Cary and I only returned from Ghana a few weeks ago, but it looks like we’ll be headed back there sooner than we originally thought. That’s OK, though, because our client gave us a referral from his friend and neighbor and I can now proudly report we have TWO clients in Accra. The weather is beautiful there, so it’s not too difficult to return (just like we don’t mind traveling to Palm Desert and Marco Island to work on projects there!).

For the Client
Most interior designers can purchase some of the same products as furniture stores, but furniture stores get larger discounts due to higher volume of sales than designers who usually sell only one item rather than fill an entire inventory of products for mass sales. Also, most designers are not looking to sell products you can find in furniture stores, but are looking for a higher quality of product for their clients. Furthermore, no store salesperson is going to do as comprehensive a design as your designer will do for you, nor will they go to other stores shopping for things they can’t sell you out of their store.

Overall, designers sell you a one-of-a-kind lifestyle created from many different vendors, while stores sell you only what they have in their inventory. Also, I don’t know of any salesperson who would work with you on an ongoing basis as a designer would, so your designer deserves to be compensated for all of the extraordinary work they do for you.

Recently, a client told me I had to go look at outdoor furniture with him for his new and sumptuous pool and terraces, so despite my protest, I went. I was protesting because he wanted to select outdoor furnishings at mid-range retail outlets – for his $2.5 million pool! We spent hours looking at average pieces and I told him he should not buy any of these items if he wanted to keep the quality level up to par with what the landscape architect designed for him. He said the cost of what I had proposed was four times the cost of what he selected on his own, but I told him the look I chose was ten times the look. My client drives a luxury car, wears expensive suits and drinks incredible wine from his collection. I explained that there are Chevrolets and there are Ferraris – both are cars, but have enormous differences and don’t belong in the same type of garage. He got my meaning and we have moved on.

For the Designer
Clients do want to save on costs, so wherever possible, try to be frugal, unless of course the project does not warrant such measures. Most rooms look great with a few expensive pieces, several moderate pieces and then even a few inexpensive pieces, and that will make the room appear overall more luxurious than it is. However, if your client wants you to pull tricks from your hat and make everything look incredible while being cheap, let them know the look is not exclusive, won’t look expensive and will possibly look like the bargain it was. Always be realistic about costs with your clients, and spare costs where appropriate. We can always change a costly fabric, do fewer pillows, find a less costly sofa, but if you cheapen everything, it will look like you visited your attic or resale shops only.

For the Client and the Designer
Be realistic about your budgets and your expectations, and never ask your designer to price things to you at a reduced cost, “just for you.” It is unreasonable to ask your designer to give you something a furniture store would not give you, and still ask them to measure your house, design the rooms, supply and install all of your furnishings, create a beautiful home and give you an additional discount just because you asked. Clients usually want to and are able to invest in their homes by hiring an experienced interior designer and find it’s well worth the money.

The designer is there for you and their only interest is to give you what you want so please recommend them to others since our business is usually word of mouth. If you can’t afford something, ask your designer to find something similar, but less costly and if you must go to retail stores, realize this is something some designers won’t do without charging an extra fee because most retailers do not discount to interior designers. The world of retail and wholesale is very different for a reason…if you want exclusivity, don’t buy retail…if you want low-cost, go to the furniture store and let their salesperson help you, but don’t ask your designer to do the impossible by making something cheap look spectacular…that is only on reality TV.