Monday, September 27, 2010

Flooring – Set the Tone


Flooring and interior design go hand in hand. Every interior designer has a feeling about the flooring. It is a big part of the design. It isn’t just something you walk on, but can set the mood of a room. You can be sure that any interior designer that has a hand in a design thinks of the floor as a major component. After much thought, they are likely to recommend replacement of older flooring. There are a number of ways to improve the flooring so that if fits into the design of the room.

One idea is to replace the carpeting with wood flooring of some type. This will allow for more manageability. You are more likely to be able to keep it clean with this type of flooring. It requires sweeping and mopping but is easily dealt with compared to when you spill on a carpet. Failing to take your flooring seriously could really destroy your design and should not be taken lightly. The flooring can completely set the tone of the room. When selecting flooring you want to think about the use of the room. If it is a high traffic area you need to keep this in mind.

Knowing what the space is used for is the key to using the right flooring. There are a number of floorings available on the market that are not carpeting. You can choose from a number of inexpensive floorings that are easy to use and have a fair price. Some of these that are favorites are hard wood. This is likely because you can put this product throughout the home and it will change with the room. It looks great in a bedroom with throw carpets, a living room or a kitchen and has a warm feeling about it like nothing else. You can choose from a large number of options for shades of stain that will add to the effect of the hardwood.

Choosing the right flooring can be the most important choose of your interior design work. You want to be sure that you are on the same page as your designer on this topic. Making your selections should be thoughtful and should entail detailed research. You want to make sure that you are aware of your budget and that your interior designer understands it as well. You need to keep yourself on the right track and not get too excited by new ideas that could break the home improvement deal.

Keeping a list of the items that most concern you and the budget that you have to spend on the subject is the best way to make sure you do not overspend and you stay on target. Making sure that your team or your interior designer knows these limits is very important. You will want to find out what the reviews say about the various flooring that you are considering. This will give you a little information to weigh your options against. It is a good idea to gather the facts on the product you are interested in.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Interior Designers: What Do They Do?

First they have to attend four years of design and go through two years of apprenticeship/internship. After this, interior designers are officially certified in their field. This certification deserves respect for the amount of work they have gone through. It is not all just about picking colors and patterns. There is an art and a skill to what they do. Large corporations and very wealthy people hire interior designers to utilize their skill and because they know how to create a space that looks aesthetically pleasing while displaying their personal tastes if needed.

Interior designers have to collect all of the information and create an overall plan. The information consists of the existing architecture, the purpose for the room or area, the function of each part of the area and the client’s desires or ideas along with their budget. Once the information is gathered, a professional will create a proposal for several different design options. This will involve them using their knowledge of any specific building codes, their artistic ability and the information they gathered from the client and their initial consultation.

The procedure that interior designers use during their consultation and to create their presentation is one that is regimented and vitally important in order to get the job they have been called out to ‘apply’ for. The professional will examine the area or space that is in need of a new design. They must take notes/listen to what the client desires the space to look like. It’s important to know if any building permits are needed and add that into the overall completion of work to be performed. It is important that anyone in this type of career be a good listener and very observant. It is also important for them to be able to express to the client their expert opinion when they believe that the client’s wants/needs for a space are simply not going to work due to space or budget. The proposal that is put together may involve one or more designs and price range because quite often they will be making a proposal or bid for the job in question and must impress the clients with how well they have listened and incorporated all of the factors into their design.

What types of things do interior designers concentrate on when creating a design? This includes large items like the overall color scheme, specific furniture pieces, deciding on any home remodeling that should be done, adding built in shelving or new cabinets, adding smaller or larger windows, or even putting rooms back to their original historical look. Smaller items that are just as important are accessories such as art and lighting, upgrades to utilities, obtaining any building permits and creating models or computer layouts of the exact design of the room.

The way that most interior designers acquire more clients is through simple word of mouth. This means that doing an excellent job every time is a must as is developing a good working relationship with clients. It is easier to keep existing clients than to keep acquiring new ones. However, happy clients will also recommend their favorite workers to their friends and family.


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