With over 5,000 professionals part of Interior Designers of Canada (IDC), choosing the right team for your interior design project can feel just as daunting of a task as the renovation itself.
At andreajae studio, we take our time to guide you through the process of deciding whether or not we’re the right fit for you. It’s not always about choosing the “best interior designer in Vancouver”: it’s about choosing the interior designer that’s right for you and your project. Here’s what we’ve seen that have helped our clients over the years in their decision-making process:
Step 1: Be honest with yourself about budget
In any creative endeavor, the most beautiful ideas usually stem from a place of imagination and curiosity. Yet this pesky thing called “reality” sometimes gets in the way of our interior design fantasies.
We never want to sway clients away from having an imaginative spirit. But part of our job as responsible designers is to help manage and execute your interior design project throughout every phase, not just the pretty ones. And that includes money and budgeting.
Have an honest assessment of your financials before engaging with an interior designer. This will set you up for success in the long-term: you’ll be in a better position to find the right fit within your price range, rather than fall in love with someone’s work only to realize that they’re waaaaaay out of budget.
Step 2: Go on social media
If you want a ‘gram-worthy’ home, then it of course makes sense to go on social media in the pursuit of an interior designer. Some handy tips to help you avoid falling into the black hole of Instagram during your search:
Understand your style: While there’s many interior designers in Vancouver, not all of them will align with your style. Your home is an incredibly subjective space, so it’s important that the team you bring in will listen closely to your vision and aesthetic.
Keep an eye for hashtags: Depending on what it is you’re needing, look at hashtags that might be relevant to your specific project. For a mudroom project we did, we added the #mudroom hashtag in our Instagram post to increase visibility for those who might be searching for mudroom inspo. Also use location specific hashtags like #interiordesignvancouver or #designvancouver during your search.
Check out the account’s social activity: When on social media, beware. The photos on an account may be beautiful, but look out for these flags: does the designer post regularly? Are people engaging with the content? Is everything they share actually their original work, or merely inspiration from others?
Step 3: Do your research
Once you find some interior designers who’s work you like, it’s time to look beyond the pictures and into the finer details of their business. A reputable interior designer in Vancouver should be accredited members of industry organizations such as Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) or Canadian Homebuilders Association (CHBA), which we’re proud to be a part of at Andreajae Studio.
Google reviews are another useful tool to see what people are saying about an interior designer’s work. A simple Google search will also help you see what the designer’s industry reputation is, such as if they’ve earned any recent press coverage. We’ve been honoured to have previously been featured in publications such as BC Living and Western Living.
Step 4: Have a conversation with them
If you’ve made it this far, then we recommend simply having a conversation with any potential interior designer on your list. And we promise, we won’t take it personally if it doesn’t work out: we believe that client-designer relationships are a two-way street.
After all, working with an interior designer is a tight-knit relationship that needs to make sense for all parties involved. Interior designers have to understand your home, personal life, and specific needs. You need to feel comfortable having conversations with us about details that you might not even have thought of, like: what do you want featured on the wall opposite the toilet (you’ll be looking there a lot, after all!).
Working with someone that you jive well with is a significant contributing factor to how successful your home renovation project will be. Take the time you need to make the best decision for both your project, and yourself.
If you’ve followed all four steps, and are still interested in chatting with us at Andrea Jae Studio, we’d love to learn more about your project: https://www.andreajaestudio.com/contact
