What Qualities To Look For In An Interior Design Company.

Meeting with Interior Designers can take a lot of your valuable time. You are making a large investment into your home renovation, we have 5 tips on what to look for when you are narrowing down and selecting Interior Design firms to work with in Singapore.

1. Affordability. 

Regardless of what size budget you have set aside for your home renovation, it is always best to look for an Interior Design company that offers services at reasonable prices. Your Interior Design company may have discounts they can offer based on bulk purchasing they may do or contracts they have in place with reputable suppliers. They may also be able to offer you more favourable repayment instalment terms based on your own budget and cash flow. Some Interior Designers can even put you in touch with banks that offer financing options. Remember if you don’t ask, you won’t get it.

2. Reliability.

You are about to undergo a major renovation project with your Interior Designer. If you haven’t sourced a reliable Interior Designer firm to partner with, you risk running into issues along your journey. At the quotation stage, there are a few red flags to look out for. 

Is your Interior Designer on Time? Yes of course with life being so busy in Singapore, there are occasions when we are all late. If your potential Interior Designer is consistently late to meetups or calls, you have to ask yourself if this person is organised enough to undertake your home renovation project?

Does your Interior Designer make promises they don’t keep? If you find yourself in a situation where you are doing all the chasing, despite the ID saying something will be done, then why would you think that this situation will change or improve once you have signed on the dotted line and have parted with your hard-earned money? 

3. Professionalism.

An Interior Design company that displays professionalism goes far beyond a well laid out website and an eye-catching logo. The  Designer you are working with should be able to communicate effectively with you, in language and terms that you understand.  Always beware of the Designer who will use jargon and cannot explain to you what that jargon means. If this happens at the quotation stage, this will continue during the works. You need to be aware that there may be delays and changes during your project. Make sure you trust that your Interior Designer will be able to clearly communicate what these are, why they are happening and what are the solutions. 

On top of this, your chosen Interior Designer should be able to offer great follow up support, including rectification of any errors at the end of the project. Having guarantees and warranties written into the contract should offer you peace of mind that both you and the Interior Designer are on the same page. 

4. Originality.

As you start to look at Interior Design firms websites and portfolios, you will start to notice that many will have a few styles that they are comfortable with and tend to focus on. While most Interior Designers are flexible and have a sound understanding of different design concepts or themes, make sure to choose one that suits what you have in mind. Remember, this is your home, you don’t have to stick to one theme. Like Sandavanian clean lines? Don’t be afraid to mix in some Industrial elements if that is what you want. Working with a designer who is excited to work with you and bring your vision to life, who has ideas that complement yours and who is enthusiastic to share their own experience is always a good sign. Many homeowners are concerned they will end up with a cookie-cutter design proposal! Don’t sign with an Interior Design where you feel that is on offer. After all,  you don’t want your home to look exactly like your neighbours? 

An  Interior Designer who is experienced with differing homeowners’ needs and styles may help to provide practical ideas such as installing heavy-duty Blum Soft-closing Systems and waterproof boards for cabinets around the kitchen sink. 

5. Additional Benefits.

We all like a good deal. It’s a nice bonus to have an Interior Design company that has additional perks that are appealing to you. This can of course include discounts but also can be free upgrades on accessories, faster delivery on the project or who can assist you when you are choosing your furnishings.