Dear CJ,

I am considering utilizing an online design service for our new home. We moved in last year. This will be our long-term home & we want to furnish it right. Now that we’ve had some time to get a better feel for how we want to use each space we are anxious to get started on ordering some new furniture & figuring out what to do on the walls.

The only relationship we have had with an interior designer is what we remember from our parents experience with local designers. Both were very positive. We have considered hiring a local Interior Designer but our schedules are very hectic & it would be difficult for both my husband & I to meet with a designer at the same time. We both have an opinion when it comes to what we would like to see. We also need to be budget conscious & are hoping to have a better idea of the design fees up front.

I am a bit overwhelmed as I browse the internet. Our goals are to achieve a professional look, stay within budget & make quality selections that will handle an active family lifestyle. How should I go about finding a good fit for our goals? What should I expect when working with an online interior designer.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Regards,

Meghan J.

Dear Meghan J.,

Thank you for asking this relevant question. With more people shopping online these days & working from home Online Interior Design services are popping up all over the internet.

I myself, was a bit perplexed on how to package my services when entering the Online Interior Design arena just last year. Drawing upon 28 years of experience as an Interior Designer & applying my experience to offering online services took months of careful planning & coaching (from an expert who has been offering online design for 10 years). I too wondered how it would differ from meeting with clients in home, face to face.

here is what I’ve discovered…

Know Who You’re Working With

The Website is key to finding a good fit for your design projects.

The portfolio is a good place to start but nowadays you don’t know for sure if this is the designers work or a stock image, so dig deeper. Read their Bio. How much experience do they have? Do they have testimonials? Do they have a blog? Reading blogposts is a great way to see if you connect. Does their personality come across or are they just punching out words to fill a page?

Why is this important? Because you want an online interior designer that will treat you special. You don’t want a cookie cutter design. You are unique. Your home should reflect who you are & what makes you shine.

If you want to know what to expect when working with an online interior designer… dig deep.

Tools For Meeting Your Goals

Does the designer have a client questionnaire? This is a valuable tool to get to know YOU. Because it is all about you & your family. This is something I offer for both local & online clients. Its a peak into your lifestyle & interior design objectives & goals. I won’t start a project without it & you shouldn’t either.

How will you meet? Video conferencing is the best way. I have found that a virtual meeting is very close to meeting a client face to face, in their home. That was a pleasant surprise for me when I launched online design services.

A recording of online meetings can make it possible to refer back to recommendations as well as allow a partner to view at a later time.

Visual Aids are a must for what to expect when working with an online interior designer. Floor plans, mood boards & 3-D renderings should be part of each room package.

Packages That Fit Your Needs

Drawing on my experience, every interior design project varies. But what they do have in common is a need for clarity & guidance.

Over the years I have found that most of my clients know what they like & what they don’t like but they do require a clear cut plan. So what you should expect when working with an online interior designer are packages that cater to giving you clarity to move forward.

Packages that are named “Bronze, Silver & Gold” won’t tell you what to expect. You need specifics on what the package will give you for your money.

A positive note for online interior design verses local interior design is that online designers are more likely to offer flat fee packages. This is a big bonus for working within your budget.

Follow Up & Communication Tools

Since Online Design will require you, the client to provide photos & measurements it’s imperative that the designer you choose has an effective online platform for sharing information & presenting projects. I have been using Trello which is free for both parties. It’s user friendly no matter how tech savvy you are or aren’t ;). It’s essentially an online file system & allows both parties an easy & quick way to reference everything related to your design project.

Organization is vital & no one wants to dig through e-mails to find what they need.

Long Term Relationship

Making a positive connection is what you should expect when working with an online interior designer. Even though you are virtually opening your home to your online designer it still becomes a personal relationship like your family doctor. Ideally you want to make it a long term relationship to create continuity throughout your home.

Meghan, I hope this gets you started on the right foot for finding the right fit for your interior design needs. Good luck with your search and enjoy the process.

If you’re still struggling, consider my Local or Online Design Services! My “Pick My Brain” package is perfect for getting started.

I’m here to help!

Your Home Loving Expert,

CJ