Here are three quick tips to help you identify if an interior designer is a professional and a good fit for you.

1.  Credible Quality Firm -  Ensure the designer is serious about doing business.  Make sure their business is registered with the state, they carry liability insurance, aren’t blacklisted by the Better Business Bureau, have a website with quality design work and are qualified as a professional interior designer.  To check credentials, ask if the designer is NCIDQ (National Council for  Interior Design Qualification) qualified or has a certificate.   Members of the ASID  (American Society of Interior Designers) or IIDA (International Interior Design Association) organizations also qualify if their membership is as an interior designer, not a business partner.

2. Budget/Expenses  – Clarify with the interior designer your overall budget and scope of work that needs done first to ensure they are willing to tackle your project.  Then have the designer clarify their pricing structure which is usually a flat fee, by the hour, cost plus, percent off retail or a combination, because often products are marked up 100-300%+ if no agreement is made beforehand.

3. Communication – Talk with a potential interior designer beforehand to make sure you have good two way communication and that you understand each other.  Clarify that  the designer is willing to work with your style preferences and have a contract signed by both parties for interior design projects.

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