Cost Of Hiring An Interior Designer

After all that's been said about interior designers and how to find the one that's perfect for you, it's time to get a little realistic and look at what they charge to do up your home for you.

In most service-based industries, there are always several tiers of rates that cater to different clients.

Time-based
The most common way Singapore interior designers charge is on an hourly basis. Depending on how experienced or sought-after the designer is, the per hour rate may be anything from $50 to $500 per hour. This is probably the most flexible tier for those who know what they want, and simply need the expertise of a designer for an hour or two.

Commission-based
Some designers provide floor plans, colour schemes, and layout designs for free, but they draw commission from the furniture, ornaments and other things you may need to purchase to satisfy their design. The danger is, of course, that they may try to hard sell you the more expensive items in order to pocket a higher profit.

Fixed-rate
Most architects and interior designers offer fixed-rate prices for certain job items, or a set of items. Since interior designing is a mix of a variety of services, it is best to check with the designer beforehand what their rates are before committing to a contract. Depending on how much work you require the designer to do, the quote can go anywhere from $500 to $5,000, or perhaps even more. The advantage for this method is that you can add or subtract items to fit your budget. Be warned that there may be a minimum sum you must reach before the designer is willing to do business with you, though!

Area-based
For this tier, the designer charges a fee based on how much surface area they will be covering. The price you will have to pay depends on how big your house is. Although rather inflexible, it is perfect for the homeowner who fully trusts that the designer will give him the best value for money.

So in short - for those want flexibility and control - go for time-based or fixed rate. For those who would rather leave most of the job entirely in the hands of the designer - try finding someone who charges based on a commission or the area space!

Is A Good Designer Always The Right Designer?

Consider, consider, and consider, before you seal that deal!

There are many interior designers out there. So much so that it is actually not very hard to look for a good one who is both well-educated and very experienced to boot.

But is a good interior designer necessarily the right one for you? Personally, I think the answer is no.

Visual arts is a very subjective thing. What the designer thinks will work best for your home or office space may not be what you think is the best. And if he is unable to convince you, and vice versa, the original "click" the both of you once felt at the beginning may cool off, which will badly affect the final outcome of the interior design (see interior design singapore).

Therefore, when looking to engage someone to provide a service to you - especially if it is something as near and dear as decorating your house - it will be good to have a list of qualities you want the service provider to have, before you begin negotiations for the deal.

Here is a list of what I would look for!
1) Communication
It's very important that they can understand what I'm trying to tell them, so communication is actually pretty high up on my list!

2) Cooperation
I also want to know how well we can cooperate when we disagree on certain things. I would love to think that, being the client, I am always right, but they are the professionals, and sometimes they may be able to see a bigger picture than me!

3) Accreditation
It would help to see how their training supplements their current profession, but this is not as important to me as the next point.

4) Experience
I'd definitely ask to see some of their previous works, and ask for references as well. Nothing like seeing and hearing it from their previous, satisfied customers to really convince me!

5) Ability to work within a given budget
A very important thing to me is that the designer must be able to work within the budget I give him. I will not accept someone who purposely tries to goad me into setting a higher budget just for the sake of earning more money.

6) Ability to hit deadlines
I expect any Singapore interior designer worth their salt to be able to meet the deadlines that we agree on at the outset of the project. If they are unable to meet it without good reason, then they had better be prepared to give me a discount!

Realistically, I don't suppose I will be finding someone who fits the shortlist perfectly, but at least with a guide, finding the right one becomes easier. You probably have your own preference and list of requirements. Otherwise, hopefully my list has given you some inspiration for one!

Where To Be Inspired When In The Mood To DIY

Everyone has one of those moments. One of those, I-want-to-do-it-myself moments. It could be anything from assembling a model plane to reinstalling the kitchen sink, starting a scrapbook, sewing a quilted blanket - the list goes on.

Surveys have shown that people tend to appreciate and cherish something more when they do it themselves than when someone else does it for them. Perhaps, on a psychological level, the feeling of having accomplished a job well done triggers a sort of pride - something like the pride parents feel when their children turn out well. Well, after having spent likely days getting the pieces to fit together, it's really no wonder that we can get emotionally attached to the masterpiece or monstrosity we just created!

I, too, have dreamed of redesigning my room myself before. Some places I visit for interesting ideas on furniture layout are furniture shops and living space showcases. Sometimes a furniture shop may also be a showcase, and that's great, because I get two for the value of one!

For furniture shops, I especially like to focus on one particular piece of furniture that catches my fancy. After that, I start building ideas around that main point. I also like to see in the flesh (or in the wood) how certain furniture look against certain backdrops. This can be done by observing how the shop designs their showcase space.

Armed with a vague idea of what I have in mind for my room, it's then time to fill in the small details. It's good to have a plan, or a theme. It makes the search for trinkets that much easier. Many who are interested in DIY interior designing are also interested in saving money. In fact that is sometimes the main reason why they go DIY. Thankfully, there is no limit to the amount of affordable items you can find.

The local supermart will surely have something to offer. Some countries have so-called value shops where all items in the shop go for a single price - usually a very low price. There are also flea markets, second-hand bazaars, and specialised DIY shops. Most of them offer odds and ends that may only cost a pittance, but when dextrously strung together can be worth more than any high-end product the market has to offer in the eyes of the builder. When I ooh and aah at the funny things I sometimes come across, inspiration for new looks and designs often strike as well.

You can find the most interesting things in your local flea markets!

Though it is not a goal of mine to become a Singapore interior designer or anything like that, they certainly do have my respect being able to make a profession out of something so specialised and subjective!

A Self-Professed Utilitarian's Favourite Styles Of Interior Design

I am a utilitarian, function-over-form kind of person.

That said, I do admire the ornate and can occasionally appreciate the intricate - even if their only purpose is to look pleasing to the eye. After all, who doesn't want to see something that soothes the eye after a rough day at work or school?

I always believe that a house is just that - a house - until you make it into a home. Doing so would mean filling the house's interior up with things that show signs of life and personality. The quickest, yet perhaps also the hardest way to do so is to bring in furniture and put up decorations that are in a style that suits your tastes to a perfect T. Here are three of my favourite styles.

1) Contemporary (Modern)
First on the list is the contemporary or modern style. As the name suggests, a room with a contemporary style would fit right into the present era. It focuses on sophistication, simplicity, and doing more with less.

What I like: This style uses a lot of "open" furniture and "open" concepts, like using mirrors to make the rooms look more spacious, open shelves and so forth. With the mirrors, it's easy for me to figure out what's happening in another part of the house without having to shout for other residents to reply. With open shelves and such, I can save one step when taking things out - no need to open drawers or doors! Everything is in plain sight!

What I don't like: Being as "open" as it is, this style is a deadly dust-trapper. Before long, the unprotected space before the books or DVDs in the open shelves will be dusty. Because of the mirrors and open space, it is also doubly unsightly (triply, if you have three mirrors!) when clutter gathers into a pile. Not recommended for the super busy!

2) Traditional (Country)
Amazingly, I adore the traditional or country style as well. I say amazingly, because this style ranks among one of the top few in elaborate design. Frills, laces, carved and burnished wood patterns, tapestries, carpets, you name it, they've probably got it and more.

What I like: Comfortable. This style is all about comfort. Lots of wood and soft things. When I wake up in the morning, I do not want to step on a freezing floor, which is what often happens when ceramic or marble flooring is used. Wood keeps the temperature neutral. Too much white (hallmark of the modern style) may also remind me of a hospital - the last thing I want to be reminded of when coming home after a dreary day! Wood, on the other hand, has warm and comfortable colours. And they feel natural!

What I don't like: Maintenance! Much upkeep to pursue for this style, especially if I want the wooden stuff to last. I also foresee hard-to-reach cleaning areas, like for example, between wood carvings. Cushion covers will need regular washing, something I'm not too keen on either. Also, a good sense of aesthetics is required to make every decoration blend in harmoniously. Something I am unfortunately bereft of.

3) Minimalist
Finally, taking "less is better" to the extreme, is my absolute favourite Singapore interior design style - the minimalist. The bare essentials, as they say. Distinct furniture, clear lines, and large spaces. There is no room for fancy in this style at all. Yet when done well, it is a design that both pleases the eye and frays the nerves.

What I like: It saves money and brain cells. The concept behind the minimalist style is that table is a table is a table. A table will not be a table cum sofa cum telephone booth cum ornate sculpture in the corner of the room. Strictly use it for its intended purpose and don't think about anything else. Also, because "less is more" here, it will be easier to place the furniture, or move it around when necessary. And the best part is... cleaning becomes easier and faster too!

What I don't like: Well, after a while it does start looking rather bland. And there's only so many times you can move furniture around. And the small amount of furniture will make the space look very large and sometimes lonely. There is also not much room to play around with a range of colours.

All in all, I think choice of style is a very personal thing which can be hard to get right. Perhaps the execution may be best left to the professional architects and interior designers after all.

Looking For The Interior Designer That Clicks

If you've just gotten the keys to your dream house, ideas about how to decorate it are probably flying through your head at record speed. But you've got to go to work, fetch the children, bring them to school, clean up the house, and various other obligations to care for. What's a busy family person to do?

Enter the professional interior designer, here to save the day and the house. At least, the inside of the house. Finding a good interior designer can be like trawling for pearls in a deep, blue sea sometimes, but the effort is worth it when you finally gaze upon the results.

I've found The One!

To really find The One who will translate your ideas into reality (and maybe even add on to it), you probably need to jump in with the mindset of looking for a partner, and not just a mere service provider. This is especially important if you are looking for a designer who can do your home - something near and dear to your heart. For other more functional uses like commercial or industrial spaces, this may not seem all that important. Still, it wouldn't hurt knowing that your designer knows and wants to make this work as much as you do.

If you're looking for a Singapore interior designer, there's always yellow pages. Or green pages. Or whatever colour they go by nowadays. Whether you find an interior designer online (search "interior designer singapore"), or one that has an office that is within travelling distance, below is a brief list of things you can look out for when you visit their office or website.

Get to know:
* The staff
* Their level of service
* Their rates
* Their connections
* Their portfolio
* Any testimonies from past clients
* Their preferred choice of style and colours
* How they decorate their own office (if applicable)

Designing and visual arts is often a very subjective thing. Sometimes, it helps to just go along with your gut instinct. If you feel right at home with your selected contractor after checking out all the above points and other things, they may just be the ones you are looking for.

It would be prudent, though, to evaluate few designers before making the final decision. Keeping your options open always ensures that you will have the best to choose from. And there's nothing wrong with having a few contacts just in case, too!