| If you think interior design clients in the high-end | | | | have early discussions concerning budgets. They |
| don't pore over their budgets, think again. A | | | | give me an idea of what they are prepared to |
| background in accounting might be the last place | | | | spend, understanding that I can use the figure as |
| you would expect to look for a key element of | | | | a tool in my sourcing of their products, not so I |
| managing an interior design company, but interior | | | | can figure out how much to run up costs. |
| design is as much a matter of numbers as it is | | | | For instance, I can suggest to a client a fabric to |
| colors. | | | | cover a chair that costs $50 a yard. Or I can |
| The majority of residential designers I work with | | | | offer a similar fabric that costs $100 a yard. I |
| have virtually no knowledge or training, and quite | | | | have access to a 6,000 square foot fabric |
| often, no sense for numbers. Colors they are | | | | showroom to source from so there are endless |
| great with. Numbers? Well, they didn't get into the | | | | choices. Or I can spec a dining table to seat eight |
| biz for that. | | | | for $5,000 or for $25,000. I try to keep design |
| I have given dozens and dozens of design | | | | billing as low as possible and to cover my costs |
| presentations to clients who came to me to take | | | | with discounts I arrange from designer |
| on a residential interior design project. The | | | | showrooms. The public can't shop there without a |
| projects have ranged from single rooms needing | | | | professional designer. And the way I work, clients |
| high thread count fine linens that match the colors | | | | never pay more than the product resells for in |
| on their walls or carpets, to full residential design | | | | retail. I just save them the trouble and leg work |
| with drawings, space planning and project | | | | of finding the products. |
| management of construction trades. What these | | | | It is my job to take a list of often over one |
| design projects have in common, whether it is | | | | hundred items, linens, art, furniture, rugs, lighting, |
| just design direction or a full-on project, is client | | | | etc. and measure that against an estimate of how |
| attention to the budget. How much is it gonna | | | | much the client indicated is an affordable range |
| cost! | | | | for the scope of work. The aforementioned table |
| Early in discussions, long before any presentations, | | | | may wind up costing $12,500 and the fabric for |
| I try to get a feel for the task ahead and ask | | | | the chair may be $60 a yard. Numbers are so |
| lots of questions. What is the space used for? Is | | | | important because the cost of the overall |
| your taste modern or traditional? Do you have | | | | package has to match the beginning budget as |
| pets? Are you familiar with high-end furnishings? | | | | closely as the design matches the concepts that |
| Have you worked with an interior designer | | | | were approved by the client. |
| before? Pretty soon, I get an idea of the scope | | | | I am not going to recommend red when the client |
| of the work, enough so I can inquire about the | | | | asked for blue, nor a table for 4 when they live |
| client's budget. | | | | to entertain larger groups, and especially not an |
| I think this moment gives many designers the | | | | invoice for thousands of dollars more than we |
| jitters, especially in the high end. They hesitate to | | | | agreed upon. Of course, substitutions occur, but I |
| ask about price for fear of scaring off a potential | | | | get a client to sign off on the details and the cost |
| client. I beg to differ. | | | | of each and every item, one by one, so there is |
| Most of my clients are busy professionals who | | | | no confusion. |
| come to me in search of a partner who can take | | | | During an interior design presentation, color boards |
| the job off their hands and allow them get back | | | | get examined, fabric swatches handled and looked |
| to running their own business. I call them one or | | | | at in good light, and drawings for space planning |
| twice a week and we spend a few hours in | | | | are discussed to see if they make sense for the |
| designer showrooms considering products I | | | | way the rooms are to be used. A lot of the |
| suggest. Otherwise, they leave the project in my | | | | concepts must be left to the imagination of the |
| hands to manage. | | | | client until they have been created. Budget is not |
| Mostly executives, professionals and business | | | | one of them. |
| owners, my clients would find it unusual not to | | | | |
