Interior Designer is also your project manager

I wanted to provide some specific information about what types of services an interior designer can provide to you.  Most people hire an interior designer with the understanding that the designer is able to design an interior space.  They will select the fabrics, furniture, design the layout, paint colors etc...  This is all true, but we also offer the important service of project management for creating your new room.  This is an essential part of designing and executing any interior design plan.

The project management aspect of designing a room starts right at the beginning of the project.  The designer has resources available to identify trades people who do excellent work, are reliable and are conscientious.  In many cases the interior designer has worked with them or has a strong recommendation from a colleague.  These resources are extremely valuable to the success of your design project.  Once a project is underway, the designer will coordinate the trades people through each phase of the project.  This includes scheduling, follow up calls and review of the work being done.  These responsibilities are critical to having a successful design.  A client who does not have much time to spend researching trades people will rely heavily on the designer for their project management skills.

Currently, I am working with a client remodeling her kitchen.  Both she and her husband work and are not able to spend much time getting into all the details of the project.  They are relying on me to coordinate with the granite fabricator, tile showroom and tile installer to get all the work completed in their new kitchen.  This particular client had already lined up the hardwood floor construction, so it is my responsibility to coordinate the tile and granite installation with the floor installation.  The designer can also work with trades people a client may have worked with in the past.

Using a designer does not necessarily increase the cost of creating a custom designed interior space.  A designer's expertise can put our clients in contact with the right trades people, select a design that is functional and well thought out and keep a project on track.  Saving the client from selection mistakes, timing delays and providing product information.  A job well done by a designer includes the desired interior space, which is completed on budget and timely.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.