This is an old recommendation from someone else on this board, but there is an old book called “Use what you have decorating” or similar by Lori Ward and it is really great for helping you determine a floorplan and the dimensions you need for your furniture. That really sets you up to make shopping a lot easier.

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t have a great experience with Havenly. It felt like the designer had one aesthetic idea for my space and couldn’t do anything remotely outside of that.

I had a great experience with Ethan Allen, but this was over 12 years ago and my designer is no longer there. But I would recommend them if their furniture is in your price range. They came to the house and measured, did a floor plan, made a whole board for us with recommendations, and it was totally no pressure. The pieces we bought from them held up very well.

I’ve also worked with Oh So Chic interiors. she was great and her prices are very reasonable. She’s on instagram if you want to get a sense of her work.

I’ve also had a very positive experience at Ethan Allen. Go online before you shop and choose your sales person based on their portfolio. Then make an appointment. If you just show up, you’ll get whoever isn’t busy. We but all of our upholstered furniture from there, then fill in with vintage case goods, based on the floor plans they drew up. When we have more money, we’ll buy curtains and coffee tables from Ethan Allen, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While we are at it de Gournay and Ananbo will lay out your walls, send you photos of the colorways, let you see it in VR and it’s free. Why on gods green earth would you need an intermediary?

I can see maybe getting Holly Hunt but who wants to be a Kardashian? There’s much better stuff.

I’m sorry but it’s just stupid

I feel bad for this architect you’re always promoting if you’re not her because you really are the least persuasive person. If you like her, you should stop mentioning her.

I’m not her obviously. I’m also not for example this impressive Paris-based interior design firm charging EUR40 per hour and breaking down their pricing completely transparently and upfront.

https://www.createursdinterieur.com/en/prices/

It’s absurd to pay what no name interior designers in DMV think they should charge. The top names don’t upcharge on furnishings — they are practically paid for through trade discount offsets.

- the least persuasive person

Please go away, you have ruined this thread and so many others.

I think you have enough to worry about since the rip you off to sell you what I learnt on my cheapo design course business model ain’t cutting it any longer.

I’m not an interior designer and I don’t even like them, really, but omg you are so tiresome and strident. I don’t understand how you can spend so much time and energy undermining your own argument with your personality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it myself for a colonial by spending a lot of time on IG and copying what I liked. I spent a lot of time on highland house, Wesley Hall, sister parish, etc websites. I started by choosing paint colors for my house. For each room I typically started with a fabric or wallpaper I absolutely love.

Then I found a “designer” from furnitureland south who helped me pick out a lot of for the trade upholstery. Couches, armchairs, ottomans etc. They also sell sisal rugs and can help you pick out the correct color for rooms.

For lighting I did buy a few items from visual comfort and used their virtual appointment for help. Then I tried to purchase most of the lighting from a local company.

But I enjoy decorating my own home and didn’t want to spend 100-200k in design fees. I also didn’t want to do everything at once and wanted to take my time.

Great advice! If you like classic British design, there are wonderful online courses that are very cheap and will teach you all by their master interior designers

Wonderful idea - I love classic British design. Do you have any recommendations for good online courses by master interior designers?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can definitely get that, yes. $2300 for up to 3500 sqft full CAD layout plan with someone who regularly visits top fairs such as the Milan expo and not someone who’ll take you to Chantilly VA and upcharge you

Don’t like architects? Talk to proven talent. Consultation with Nate Berkus is $900

Like it or not C19 has changed the world and AI has supersped the global connectivity and ability to get anything done better cheaper and virtually.

Professional designers don’t need anything more than a 2 year associate degree. Getting a CAD plan out of one is like wringing water out of a stone

LOL. Thats for 15 minutes! An AD 100 won’t do anything for under $150K, but good luck with all that!

You’re proving the point people are making — DMV interior designers are selling low to middling design for middle to high prices and laughing at their clients being forced into this situation. There are now alternatives in the market. Smart money can combine a virtual designer or even a showroom designer with consultation with a great designer they admire.

Very few DC designers are $3600/hr. And, of course the designs are middling because the vast majority of people in this city don’t want to pay a lot for furniture. OP said she doesn’t have $100k to spend. Some lady is furious about paying $2k for services and won’t even replace her couch.

Truth will out. And this is why you shouldn’t work with most interior designers. Out of their own lack of professional recognition and talent is born some misplaced superiority complex.

Anonymous wrote:I did it myself for a colonial by spending a lot of time on IG and copying what I liked. I spent a lot of time on highland house, Wesley Hall, sister parish, etc websites. I started by choosing paint colors for my house. For each room I typically started with a fabric or wallpaper I absolutely love.

Then I found a “designer” from furnitureland south who helped me pick out a lot of for the trade upholstery. Couches, armchairs, ottomans etc. They also sell sisal rugs and can help you pick out the correct color for rooms.

For lighting I did buy a few items from visual comfort and used their virtual appointment for help. Then I tried to purchase most of the lighting from a local company.

But I enjoy decorating my own home and didn’t want to spend 100-200k in design fees. I also didn’t want to do everything at once and wanted to take my time.

Great advice! If you like classic British design, there are wonderful online courses that are very cheap and will teach you all by their master interior designers

By the way, licensing requirements are minimal and passing the exam is easy if you’re so inclined

Disruption not description

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can definitely get that, yes. $2300 for up to 3500 sqft full CAD layout plan with someone who regularly visits top fairs such as the Milan expo and not someone who’ll take you to Chantilly VA and upcharge you

Don’t like architects? Talk to proven talent. Consultation with Nate Berkus is $900

Like it or not C19 has changed the world and AI has supersped the global connectivity and ability to get anything done better cheaper and virtually.

Professional designers don’t need anything more than a 2 year associate degree. Getting a CAD plan out of one is like wringing water out of a stone

LOL. Thats for 15 minutes! An AD 100 won’t do anything for under $150K, but good luck with all that!

You’re proving the point people are making — DMV interior designers are selling low to middling design for middle to high prices and laughing at their clients being forced into this situation. There are now alternatives in the market. Smart money can combine a virtual designer or even a showroom designer with consultation with a great designer they admire.

Very few DC designers are $3600/hr. And, of course the designs are middling because the vast majority of people in this city don’t want to pay a lot for furniture. OP said she doesn’t have $100k to spend. Some lady is furious about paying $2k for services and won’t even replace her couch.

I’d layer it. Consult with a top designer at the start. middle and end. Negotiate a price to review my choices. Work with an overseas designer for as we saw 20-100 per hour or flat price of a few thousands. But my own furniture unless a designer will pass me their trade discount. In the past I also passed a basic course and got licensed to get a trade discount and access Holly Hunt and similar for renovating at the same time the main house, beach house and rental condos. The trade discount wasn’t really worth much especially since the discounts are now so steep and you can negotiate with the stores, also can buy directly from European manufacturers. Instagram has opened up the world even more — got sent vintage chandeliers, new furniture, antiques all at a discount. I think this industry like many is poised for description and most people won’t have work any more unless they are affordable or exceptional.

Lumens and others have phenomenal European lighting — don’t buy mass produced stuff