Is Being a Decorator Stressful?

Dear Melissa:

Is your job stressful? If so, in what ways?  Do you have any recommendations for someone who wants to get into this career? P.V., Ohio

Dear P.:

Is my job stressful? Too bad you couldn’t hear my uncontrollable laughter when I read your question. Is there any job that isn’t occasionally stressful?

There are a lot of advantages to this field: creativity, variety, not being deskbound, exposure to beautiful things, discounts, etc. On the other hand, there is always the downside of problems re: building codes, deadlines, paperwork, inventory, backorders, discontinued items, dye lots, accounts receivable, subcontractors, and shipping delays, to name but a few. And don’t get me started on the challenges of running a business in this economy!

My recommendation to someone considering this career would be to run away screaming, but I’m obviously a fine one to talk. (I’ll be much more positive after our holiday installations.)

Seriously, this is an enormous field with lots of specialties: residential design, commercial design, interior architecture, furniture design, retail sales, kitchen/bath design, hospitality design, and institutional design, as well as several sub-specialties. I suggest you start by taking a few classes at one of the local colleges. Visit some decorating firms. Read some trade publications.

Once the perceived glamour of this field has been stripped away, and you can see the job underneath, you’ll know if the business of interior design really appeals to you. If it still does, experiment with the different aspects of the field to see what suits you most. Then go for it; we can always use good people in this industry. M.A.K.

Quick Consultation?

Dear Melissa:

I’m not sure I want to invest in a decorator, although I need help with colors and mixing some patterns I have. Do decorators just do quick consultations? W.E., VA

Dear W.:

It is rarely cost effective for a decorator to come out to your home or office for just an hour consultation, although some do. You might get lucky if the decorator you want is having a slow spell during this economy, so call and ask. Perhaps the decorator will fit you in between local appointments, if you’re willing to wait. You may be charged a higher fee for a consultation, however; at the very least, offer the obliging decorator a cup of coffee. M.A.K.

How Much Do Interior Decorators and Designers Charge?

Dear Melissa:

I need help with my new house but I’ve never used a decorator before. I’m afraid it’ll be too expensive. Can you give me an idea of how much it costs? L.M., NY

What Is the Difference Between a Decorator and an Interior Designer

Dear Melissa:
What is the difference between an interior decorator and an interior designer? B.P., NJ

Dear B.:
Think of it as the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist: both can help you but one has had more extensive training. While anyone with talent and a resale certificate can become a decorator, many states have passed licensing or title acts that require anyone using the title “interior designer” to have first passed something called the NCIDQ certification exam. Only qualified interior designers are granted this title in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Typically, decorators create room layouts and shop for clients. Interior designers on the other hand may choose to sell merchandise, but also act as consultants to clients by reorganizing space, complying with building codes, specifying furniture, finishes, and equipment, and administering contracts. Clients are often directed to dealers for purchases. Work is usually done at a much higher level than that of a decorator.

That said, a lot depends on the ability of the individual practitioner. There are decorators just as capable as interior designers who choose not to sit for the grueling NCIDQ exam. To confuse things a little more, there is a sort of pre-professional level, my level, i.e., the allied member of ASID. This means that I am a card-carrying member of the American Society of Interiors Designers who has the appropriate education and experience to register for the NCIDQ exam, but who has not sat for it. M.A.K.

How Does A Decorator Show House Work?

Dear Readers:

Did you know that there is something called a Designer or Decorator Show House scheduled this time of year in most states? Do you know what a designer showhouse is? It’s a type of fundraiser sponsored by a charity or nonprofit group. You may have heard of the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Decorator Show House, which occurs every year in New York City, or the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, in California.

For those of you unfamiliar with a show house, this is how it works. Interior designers, decorators, and decorative painters bid on rooms and spaces in a large unoccupied house. If someone has the winning presentation for a room, that person’s firm has a limited amount of time to decorate that space at its own expense, as a form of marketing. Landscape designers are afforded the same opportunity for different areas of the home’s grounds. The idea is to create something unusual and inspirational. The public purchases tickets to view all of the unique spaces in the house and gardens, with proceeds going to the sponsoring charity or nonprofit group. At the end of the allotted month, each firm must return its space to the original condition (or a reasonable facsimile thereof). It’s sort of like Brigadoon – it’s only there for a short time and then it vanishes.

It’s a lot of fun for the viewing public to compare the “before” pictures with the transformation of each space. (Although since different firms do each space to showcase their own talents, don’t expect anything resembling continuity among the rooms.) There is no better way to pick up clever ideas to try yourself; or if you’re in the market for a decorator or landscaper, you can determine just how creative the different local firms are. I should make a point about the latter, however.

As a veteran of seven showhouses, I have noticed that some visitors come into the house looking for a particular room; and only if they see exactly what they’re looking for, do they hire that designer. You have to understand something. These are talented people. Someone who does a fabulous bedroom in a show house may be the perfect person to do your family room. Or the talented designer of a dining room might be the one to help you with your living room. We are multidimensional. Every one of us can do contemporary as well as traditional rooms, dining rooms as well as nurseries. So, here’s a tip: find the person, not the room. Ask to see the portfolios of the designers’ other rooms. Talk to the designers and artists to see if you are well suited. Compatibility is paramount.

The rooms and gardens in a designer show house are spectacular. The lunches are wonderful. Often there are lectures and wine tasting scheduled on the grounds. All in all, a showhouse makes for a lovely summer’s day out. M.A.K.

When to Hire an Interior Designer

Dear Melissa,

My husband and I are building and decorating our dream house. I feel like I need an interior designer to really make my dream come true, but my husband thinks it’s unnecessary. Do you have any advice for us? O.G., AZ

Dear O.G.,

While building a dream house is exciting, it can also be very stressful. If this is all you and your husband disagree about, you’re doing pretty well. I’m curious as to your husband’s concerns. Is he worried that it will cost too much, that your personal taste will be ignored, that the designer isn’t experienced enough, that you and your designer won’t be compatible? It’s easy to prevent all of these with a thorough interview.

Have you ever taken a virtual or actual tour of a grand house that’s on the market? (Don’t you just love open houses and real estate websites where we get to peek into other people’s homes legally?) Very often the interiors inside these magnificent structures are so disappointing, it’s a shame. Many homeowners with excellent taste have neither the expertise nor the resources to bring the interior of the house up to the level of the envelope. If you are using the finest materials in the structure, it is only fitting that the home’s interior appointments should meet this level of quality as well. Designers can provide access to superb furnishings, fabrics, lighting and accessories that are available only to the trade. An interior designer can also make sure that costly mistakes aren’t being made in furnishing the home’s interior. Moreover a designer can serve as a sounding board, meshing a husband’s and wife’s conflicting ideas into an agreeable compromise; often, the designer will put an idea on the table that homeowners haven’t even considered.

An interior designer can also provide a cohesive plan for your home, so that the colors and styles of the various spaces complement each other. Many homes have windows with unusual shapes, light control, or privacy issues; a designer can provide you with stylish window treatments to solve these problems. Furthermore, designers have access to the best workrooms for upholstery, window treatments, and pillows, as well as decorative painters, finish carpenters, paperhangers, etc., who are the best in their fields. The quality of their workmanship can make the difference between a so-so room and one in which even the smallest details are wonderful.

A well-designed interior that is wholly functional as well as aesthetically pleasing is difficult to achieve; that’s why people specialize in creating them. Keep in mind that there are a lot of dream houses that have never become dream homes. You are smart to recognize that an interior designer can help make this transformation a reality. Hopefully, you can convince your husband that you’d be more comfortable with help. (Even if the designer just supplies you with those to-die-for-gorgeous furnishings that your dream house deserves.) M.A.K.

Career Advice

Dear Melissa:

I am an art student at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.  I wanted to ask your opinion on something.  You see, I am trying to figure out which career in interior decorating would be best for me.  I want to focus on one particular aspect of it, learn everything that there is to know about it, and become one of the best in that particular department. I was hoping that you might be able to take a minute and list a few options that you think would be helpful.  This would really help me in developing a career plan.  Thank you so much!

Scott

Dear Scott:
While your goal of a concentrated field of study is admirable, I'd like to suggest something entirely different. Sorry, that's what happens when you ask an opinionated old broad for advice.
The field of interior design is an enormous one, and in a bad economy a difficult one. It includes: retail sales, textile design, color psychology, interior architecture, set design, magazine photo styling, kitchen/bath design, interior photography, furniture design, antiques, manufacturers representation, historical preservation, CAD, showroom management, renovation, software design, project management, lobbying, and teaching; as well as good old-fashioned commercial, retail, healthcare, hospitality, institutional, and residential design. WHEW! I hope I didn't leave anything out.
How will you know which aspect of the field appeals to you until you explore it? Okay, you can rule out some topics immediately just by their names, but college is a great time for experimentation. (You know what I mean.)
I would pursue a variety of classes. In fact, I did just that. And while at first I thought I'd specialize in kitchen design -- and then in contract design -- when I actually started working, I found out that specialization was much too boring for me.
I like having a full-service design studio, with teaching and writing thrown in, just in case I thought I should have some free time

The undeniably best thing is to intern at different types of firms while in school. Don't commit yet. Life is long. And the more varied your knowledge, the better you can navigate this challenging economy.
Good luck!
M.A.K.

Dream Client

Dear Melissa:

I’m curious as to what you would consider a dream client. T.R. 

Dear T.:

Ah, I can hear all the decorators reading this sighing right now. We all share the same fantasy: a client who is easygoing, patient and appreciative. Let me explain by saying this is a strange business in that decorators are privy to so many intimate details of how people live. We have access to closets and drawers. We often observe long-standing strains and disagreements. We frequently know more about people than their own families do. Since we spend so much time with clients, and share so many confidences, we tend to bond with them. It’s not mandatory, but believe me, it really helps to genuinely like one’s clients.

That’s the personal side. On the professional side, my dream client is the person who wants something truly unique; someone adventurous enough to break away from ordinary rooms; someone who shares my vision of color, drama, and unusual materials --- and obviously who has the budget to pursue the extraordinary. M.A.K.

Becoming an Interior Designer

After hearing Derek Jacobi speak on NPR about the acting profession, I have the following to say about becoming an interior designer:

If you want to be an interior designer don't; if you need to be an interior designer do, but be prepared to face the unfairness of the profession.