How to Have an Interior Designer in Your Home - Virtually

HGTV, blogs and shelter magazines inspire many homeowners to look at their home and become excited about all of the possibilities they have to improve their living spaces. We see what we want---the look, the feel, and the pride of having a beautiful home.

Unfortunately, in the case of television, what we see in 30 minutes took weeks to prepare for and often at great cost, to present that half hour of a completed and beautiful livable space. But, it does get our creative living decorating juices flowing. You may have design dilemmas that you'd love to solve, but you don't have the budget. Or, maybe you want to do it yourself. You just need a step-by-step plan, a blueprint to follow.

There's now a service offered by some interior designers that can give you a beautiful, functional interior design that is totally customized for you and your needs. Interior designers never personally meet you or even visit your home. Interior Designer Nancy Meadows calls her service a "Room In A Box." Other terms may be e-design or virtual design. It's not a cookie-cutter, one size fits all design either. You truly do receive a design that has your name written all over it.

HOW VIRTUAL INTERIOR DESIGN WORKS:

Once you've decided this might be for you, an initial phone call takes place with the interior designer of your choice. You begin to know one another and decide if you're a good fit for each other. If it's a go, the interior designer emails you a an agreement that you both sign which states EXACTLY what you will receive. It protects both you and the interior designer and keeps everything transparent.

Next, you'll receive a long list of questions. The more the interior designer knows about you, the better your creative living design becomes. You both want your finished product to be as perfect for you as possible. You'll also email photos of your room, along with its dimensions. You're given instructions on how to measure correctly.

In a few weeks, your "room" arrives in the mail. Inside the "magic" box lies your floor plan with furniture placement. You'll find color samples, pictures of pieces you may wish to purchase and where you can find them within your chosen budget, fabric swatches, suggested floor and window coverings and accessories. Also included is a detailed explanation of how the interior designer made the design decisions and how they relate to you and your home. This is what I offer in my virtual design projects. Other designers may do it a little differently, but the results should be the same---a room that you absolutely love.

PROS AND CONS: 

The pro's - You save time, money, and frustration.There are no buying mistakes. You have a workable plan from the start that organizes your space as well as the attention given to its beauty. You can implement your design at your pace and your budget.

The con's - Looking at the other side of the coin, nothing can replace having a designer in your home. Pictures can't always show the nuances such as scale and rhythm. When you hire a interior designer, you're paying for their education, experience, and knowledge, along with their creativity. Also, are the many hours given in resourcing products for their clients and being responsible for delivery of those products.

We believe that virtual interior design is a good alternative because you're still receiving a custom, professionally designed creative living space at a fraction of the cost. You're saving thousands in design fees and have no costly buying mistakes. It gives you confidence and banishes feeling overwhelmed by the interior design process.

At the end of the day, everyone deserves a beautiful home, regardless of budget. A warm,  safe place to come home to. Your special place that fosters creativity, is functional, and in your eyes is absolutely gorgeous.