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Interior Design and Decorating
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What should I look for in an interior designer
and what can I expect to pay?
In order to hire the best designer in your area,
you must first understand what you want and what your budget is. You can
submit your job
to ImproveNet and we will match you with a designer in your area, if one is currently available.
If not, try refining your needs by talking to friends, neighbors, and business acquaintances to
find referrals. If that doesn't work, call the local American Society of Interior Designers or
visit their national website
www.asid.org
for a referral.
You are looking for an interior designer whose
portfolio shows results you like and reflects your own needs—both functionally and aesthetically.
Depending on your project, you may want a designer who has passed the National Council for
Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam and is a full member of either the American Society
of Interior Designers (ASID) or the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA).
Whatever you decide, make sure you like
this person. After all, you must be able to communicate your needs and believe the designer
is listening. Designers may be in your life for an extended period of time.
If all else fails, try looking through
magazines for designers' works you like and then call the magazine for that designer’s name
and contact information. Above all, have fun.
Price? It varies. A beginning designer
may charge as little as $35 an hour and take much longer than a seasoned professional.
An exceptional, award-winning, well-established member of ASID or NKBA may charge as much as
$250 an hour.
This is not always a case of getting
what you pay for, however. Make sure the designers you are considering show you past designs
that reflect the look and feel of what you want before signing a contract. Also, make sure
you have a way to resolve grievances. Ask to see proof of insurance and make sure any
professional organization such as ASID or NKBA shows your designer to be in good standing.
For more information about hiring and
working with an interior designer, visit the
Advice from Designers section of our
Articles Library.
What do I do about the "popcorn" ceilings in my house?
Older popcorn ceilings often
contained asbestos fibers. To check if yours does, use a spray bottle to thoroughly wet an area
about 1 foot square and then scrape some of the wet material into a baggy. That way no fibers will
fly around the room. Take the sample to an asbestos abatement company (look in the Yellow Pages)
for analysis. If the test is positive, you may wish to have the ceiling professionally removed.
Otherwise, cover the floor and furniture with plastic sheets, then soak a 4-foot-square section at
a time. Use a broad putty knife to scrape it off the ceiling. When the ceiling is clean and dry,
finish it as you wish.
How can I make my small living room look larger?
Mirrors do wonders for opening up your space. You
may not want to invest in floor to ceiling mirrors, but you can use unframed (or framed) large mirrors
that can be removed when you leave. If you have a fireplace, put a mirror over it. Or, you could put
one over your sofa area. A mirror in the dining room is also good, as it can reflect the light from the
chandelier. Don't over-drape the windows. Let as much natural light come into the room as possible.
The mirrors will help distribute the light around the room.
We have several rooms with dark wood paneling.
What can I do to lighten the room?
First, the wood may be some lovely old cedar, redwood,
or other fine wood that would be a shame to damage. Look at the possibility of removing it. Once you
get the first board off, the others may come easily. What kind of a wall exists behind the paneling? If it already is covered with drywall, you can start from there with painting or wallpapering. You could also cover the paneling with ¼-inch drywall and go from there; you could paint the boards as they are; you could fill any grooves with spackle, sand it smooth after it dries, and then paint it all. Or cover it with bright fabric. Another option to consider is adding skylights to let in more light.
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