Interior designer blues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to give away my architect but they are brilliant and Australian and it will cost you less than 10 hrs of Ms. $400 interior decorator to redo the whole floor plan and pick stuff out.

Google it. Interior design is overpriced in the US. It’s also very formulaic. Just like the kitchens: Poggenpohl or Boffi are a fraction of what we pay here in Europe. On the mass market end of things, my bespoke room is one out of the UK but there are amazing young architects all over the world

This poster is so full of shit.

It’s genuinely true. It’s not even a secret. I just don’t want to give this woman’s name yet because I have a bunch of projects to finish with her first

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a massive rip off. Go on instagram. There are these fantastic European and Australian interior designers with proper architecture degrees. It’s a one time fee, they go over your floor plan and solve everything. Don’t let some botox primadonna sell you Visual Comfort made in PRC rubbish

Ahh it's you again. Hello! Welcome back! You are so lovely and we are glad you've made it to this thread.

Convince me that you add value. I have had horrible experiences with the local ones. The recommendation were so pedestrian.

+1. Not to mention you can easily find the Schumacher or Quadrille wallpaper you’d like on IG and order some “for the trade” highland house furniture from a company in NC

I bought my wallpaper in Paris. No tax. They did all the measuring. I’m seeing this wallpaper hailed all over the top industry magazines and portfolios, at a mark up I’m sure

[Anonymous]

The problems imo are:

1) she should have nailed down your budget in the consult
2) it’s on her to manage incoming messages, imo. She can use any number of apps to send an auto reply, etc. Or just wait to respond. Clients are going to use whatever mode of contact they want. I think texting is a little aggressive but she needs to manage her end.

[Anonymous]

If you had emailed instead of texted she could have waited until Monday to respond. That’s the issue with texting professionals - it mixes casual friendly expectations with professional norms.

It sounds like you may be coming off as a demanding client who wants to spend the bare minimum. If you have a proposal and a rough idea of the cost of your project, you can absolutely scrap her and move on to someone new. However I think that would be rude now that you’ve asked her to invest more time on the 2nd proposal. If you part ways I’d at least pay for her time.

[Anonymous]

My family bought a place in Europe (2 actually) and had both professionally designed — turnkey everything; most things custom. It wasn’t just the design but full install. High end design. I don’t think the designer fee was more than 5k. We are getting ripped off in the US.

[Anonymous]

Just some examples but I prefer to find someone whose portfolio I love and approach them directly. We pay local prices, not US. Then buy own furniture using their trade discount (they apply). Then install it all via online dialog with them.

https://www.upwork.com/hire/architectural-designers/landing/
https://www.fiverr.com/categories/graphics-design/architectural-design-services
https://www.mybespokeroom.com/

Living room design on my bespoke room is $500.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had emailed instead of texted she could have waited until Monday to respond. That’s the issue with texting professionals - it mixes casual friendly expectations with professional norms.

It sounds like you may be coming off as a demanding client who wants to spend the bare minimum. If you have a proposal and a rough idea of the cost of your project, you can absolutely scrap her and move on to someone new. However I think that would be rude now that you’ve asked her to invest more time on the 2nd proposal. If you part ways I’d at least pay for her time.

Come on. She’s not a neurosurgeon. She’s an interior decorator or designer. Texting is normal and if you want to be treated like a doctor or a banker, be one

[Anonymous]

After COVID anything is possible online. Gig economy. My bespoke room has instagram and those before and after looks are as good as anything I’ve seen from the local interior designers. Look at those prices though! Design fee is like $500 per room. Great reviews on houzz. Eye opening

https://www.mybespokeroom.com/explore

[Anonymous]

What’s so great is you don’t need someone from VA with set views. You can get a designer from Milan, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Mexico City. You get much much higher end design and far more unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s so great is you don’t need someone from VA with set views. You can get a designer from Milan, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Mexico City. You get much much higher end design and far more unique.

No offense, but I didn't see anything special in the links. What am I missing? Is there an amazing picture I didn't see in the links? A designer's portfolio you'd recommend? Honestly asking.

[Anonymous]

I think this thread has been taken over by some sort of marketing bot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine for you to send a text at 7:45pm on a Friday evening and also think it's fine for her to wait to respond until working hours Monday morning. She's not even doing that to you - she's saying she'll send you the revised contract Saturday morning. Get over yourself. 40 hours of work is very small beans.

I agree with everything you said above but I found the “I ask that you please respect my family time over the weekend” unnecessarily chastising- like in what way is she expecting me to invade her space this weekend?

This. She didn't need to say that unless OP demanded a response that weekend. That said, if I email or text a professional on a Friday evening or weekend, I make it clear I don't expect them to see it or respond until the work week. Sometimes the only time I have to respond is when they aren't working.

Also, for that much money an hour I do expect stellar service and good communication. I don't expect to hear from them on weekends, but if I am signing a contract, I want to know you are on the ball and not flaky. OP< I would move on.

The notion that you are texting a professional on a Friday evening or weekend denotes that you are not interacting with them in a professional manner.

The very nature of a text is to interrupt the recipient.

If you were relating in a professional manner you would be respectful and send a time delayed email.

You sound like an entitled pita.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s so great is you don’t need someone from VA with set views. You can get a designer from Milan, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Mexico City. You get much much higher end design and far more unique.

No offense, but I didn't see anything special in the links. What am I missing? Is there an amazing picture I didn't see in the links? A designer's portfolio you'd recommend? Honestly asking.

Those are entry level, mass market options. You don’t get better from most local decorators

But those cost $500 total. Not $400 plus 40 hours for one room

[Anonymous]

AI can do interior design now; really well. Online services are very legit and do a really good job from $150.

https://wapo.st/4bP3j6g

I personally like paying a few thousand to a proper firm if architects and interior designers in Europe or LatAm and have had amazing experience. I’ve been able to find amazing resources, and even source unique products from as far as Denmark.

I couldn’t go back to dealing with an overcharging no-architecture degree person like the OP describes. When you don’t want to accept their humdrum designs or ask for higher end products, they all behave like OP described and some PPs responded: this is not a good fit, you’re stressing me out.

No, girl, I want Calacatta Oro not the local special; I want custom chandeliers not Visual Comfort; I want precise measures and to understand the ratios and digital dgw files I can review in detail not a mood board. And do not for the love of all that is holy take me to Fergusons or Tile Shoppe

[Anonymous]

How much do you think this Polish firm charges?

https://www.remodelista.com/posts/colombe-design-warsaw-poland-parisian-inspired-apartment/

I’ll guess less than some of the PPs
Also probably not charging $400 to view your space virtually