6 Ways to Get an Interior Design You’ll Love

Since joining Artefact in 2014, Caitlin Laskey has created transformative interior design schemes for our clients in private residences, mixed-use properties, and commercial establishments. Trained at Syracuse University (BS, environmental design and interiors) and the University of Pennsylvania (MA, historic preservation), Caitlin loves the challenge of helping people achieve interior designs they’ll enjoy for years to come.

Especially in the case of home renovations, she notes, interior design can get personal.

“You as a client realize a lot about yourself,” she says, remembering the unexpected insights that surfaced when she updated the design of her parents’ kitchen.

“It was a therapy session for them . . . with lots of purging both mentally and physically,” she laughs.  

Interior designers not only help you choose window treatments and paint colors; they also help you make decisions about your needs as an individual, family, or business. Given the intimate nature of these decisions, Caitlin believes that the design development process works best when it’s collaborative. We sat down with her to learn what factors she views as key to a successful design collaboration.   

Interior designer Caitlin Laskey loves helping clients discover the potential in their space.

6 Ways to Get an Interior Design You’ll Love

While your designer will do the heavy lifting to create your ideal look, a bit of preparation on your end can help you define your style and save you time and money throughout the process. Here, Caitlin shares some recommendations for how to get the best results from your interior design consultation.

1.   Start with an open mind

It’s helpful to have a basic idea of what you’re looking for, but being overly rigid about your design may keep you from discovering material and color options that might be best suited to your space. A seasoned interior designer will have worked with dozens of clients, giving them the ability to mentally project design elements such as paint, tile, furnishings, and lighting into a room.

This superpower is one of the main reasons for hiring a designer—often, they can quickly visualize a wide range of appealing options (and have tips and tricks to achieve them within your budget and time frame). And to help bring you inside their vision, designers often use 3D modeling software, such as Autodesk’s Revit, to bring different design schemes to life.

2. Create padding in your budget and timeline

HGTV is fun to watch, and it can be a great resource for interior design ideas. But home improvement shows often give the impression that massive interior design projects can be executed both cheaply and overnight. In the real world, unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

While your designer will do everything within their power to get the best value for your budget, both materials and labor often cost more than clients anticipate. Pricing and availability can also change suddenly due to supply-chain fluctuations and labor shortages.

As you plan your project, then, it’s always a good idea to build in a bit of wiggle room for unforeseen pricing and scheduling changes.

3. Don’t limit yourself

When searching for design elements, you don’t have to settle for what’s available at your local big box store. While home improvement superstores certainly offer some appealing materials, their range of options is limited. Your designer, on the other hand, will have access to materials and furnishings from a broad network of vendors, including specialty and vintage offerings that can truly elevate your design. They can also sometimes maximize your savings with these vendors through professional discounts and bulk ordering.

Your interior designer will draw from a vast library of material samples to create the look you’ve been searching for.

4. Embrace your taste

Choose a style that you—and anyone else who is sharing the space—will truly love. This advice may seem obvious, but it’s possible to be swayed by what’s popular at the moment without even realizing it.

Don’t feel beholden to current trends unless you authentically respond to them. If aged brass makes your heart skip a beat, by all means, go with it. But don’t select a design element merely on the basis that it’s “in”—once it’s in your own space, you may discover that it’s not “you” at all!

Similarly, don’t get hung up on resale value when planning your interior design. It’s impossible to guess what someone else will like—concentrate instead on the here and now of your own taste and needs.

If you’re not yet sure exactly what your style is, you’re in good company! By sharing examples of design schemes and asking the right questions, your designer can help you discover your personal style, whether it’s traditional or modern, minimalist or exuberant.

5. Consider the end use

Aesthetic appearance is only one component of interior design—functionality is equally, if not more, important. Picture a week in the life of your space. Will your kitchen be the prep space for frequent dinner parties? If so, you’ll likely want spacious, easy-to-clean counters. Will your bathroom support a large family’s morning routine? If so, durable fixtures will be essential.

Here, another of your designer’s superpowers will kick in. Having developed a sixth sense for materials or features that are ideal for, or incompatible with, every lifestyle and architectural configuration, your designer is perfectly positioned to create the ideal combination of form and function for your space.

6. Be honest with your designer

Open communication will pave a path to excellent results. If you don’t like an idea your designer presents, let them know—the earlier you can get on the same page, the less time and money you will waste with false starts.

Although designers have many superpowers, mind reading is not among them. Any information you can share on your likes and dislikes will help guide your sessions in a productive direction. Do you have a Pinterest page where you collect your favorite midcentury hardware? Share it! Are you positively allergic to greige? Don’t keep it to yourself!

Being straightforward with your designer from the beginning will ensure that you’ll feel confident about moving forward with your design, rather than endlessly second-guessing your decisions.

Looking for collaborative, customer-focused interior design services? Contact Artefact for a free consultation!