Working with an Interior Designer

McRae & Company represents over 40 manufacturers of home furnishings. These include hand-crafted furniture, fine upholstery, textiles, wallcoverings, lighting, accessories, fine art, antiques and antique reproductions. Our manufacturers produce each piece to order, which provides the opportunity to create unique one-of-a-kind pieces using various finishes, sizes, colors and at times, the redesign of a piece for a particular environment. Because of the vast array of choices and the importance of getting exactly what the client desires, we rely on the expertise of Interior Design professionals to purchase our products. In order to understand how these professionals work with McRae & Company to assist you in creating a beautiful and timeless space, we encourage you to review the following information.

Interior Designers, as all other professional consultants, serve to help you achieve your goals. In this case, the goal is to have a beautiful home. They possess valuable knowledge acquired through education and experience essential to complete a project successfully. One uses an Interior Designer's expertise and their access to invaluable resources to develop one's style.

Expertise:

The necessary requirements include a working knowledge of proportion and scale, technical information about structural and electrical limitations, textiles, which are suitable for use as upholstery, bedding or window treatments, color psychology and product longevity. In addition, the Interior Design Professional has knowledge about the acquisition of antiques, design history and styles as well as an up-to-date understanding of materials and finishes, which will ensure smooth installations while remaining on budget.

Resources:

Northern California is filled with many wonderful resources such as fine fabric workrooms, antique reproduction houses, specialized upholsterers, high-end casegood craftsmen, sculptors and numerous talented artisans who work exclusively with the Design Trade.

Developing an Individual Style:

Good Interior Design Professionals pride themselves on NOT designing for their own tastes. Instead, they draw from their knowledge, resources and experience to assist in developing their clients' individual style. Designers are trained to create or refresh spaces while taking into consideration the clients' existing furniture, textiles, personal collections and lifestyle demands.

The professional Interior Designer provides an objective point of view enabling a client to understand how light, color, and texture can dramatically affect the mood of any space. Technical advances in construction and materials allow the designer to suggest new solutions otherwise unknown to the client.

Interior Designers can help maintain the continuity of style throughout the life of a project. They develop long relationships with their clients and over the years maintain their clients' individual style, while saving them time, unnecessary frustration and costly mistakes.

Recommendation:

As in all other professions, not all Interior Designers are equal. Always get a list of their previous clients for references. Ask to view a portfolio to get an idea of the scope of their previous work. It is your responsibility to interview the Designer to make sure a good match exists. As in picking any other professional, a thorough screening process will ensure a good experience.

How They Work:

Most Designers will initially provide a complimentary consultation. They will discuss styles and budgets, time lines and materials with you at no charge. Fee structures vary, so be sure you understand how the Designer charges before proceeding.