Why should I hire an interior designer?

There are multiple benefits of hiring an interior designer. First off, we’re great decision makers! You won’t have to spend countless hours at the paint store staring at the wall of samples or go to twelve furniture places to sit in 100 sofas. We can narrow down decisions for you so that your precious time is spent doing things that you love. Another benefit of hiring a designer is that you have access to a whole world of furniture and lighting that the public doesn’t. You’ll also get a great discount off of retail pricing!

When should I hire an interior designer?

When you start a Pinterest board for your project!

In all seriousness, the sooner the better! If you’re building a new home, getting a designer involved after the shell has been developed for the house is a great time to pull in a designer to work with your architect. We have an eye for the interior details that are sometimes looked over; where floor outlets should go in the great room, if you’d like outlets on the wall next to your bedside and at what height should they be in order for your nightstands to cover them, where the thermostat should go (and no, it shouldn’t be right in the middle of the wall where we’d like to put amazing artwork!)

If you’re doing a re-model, again, getting a designer involved right away is a great decision. We can put together your plans, create the new space, pick materials and suggest contractors that are trustworthy and reliable!

How do I choose the right designer for me?

Hiring an interior designer is like finding your life partner – no joke! You need to “date” around a little before finding “the one.” I think it’s important to speak with a couple designers before deciding on which one to hire. What they charge and how their references check out are important factors, but chemistry and personality are qualities that will make your working relationship a happier one in the end.

Why should I hire you?

You should hire me because I’ve got great experience, superb taste and a healthy sense of humor!

What is your style?

Short answer to this question – It doesn’t matter what my style is. I’m here to help you make your space/home a place that you feel comfortable in. My process is to find out what you like and dislike, how your family works and how you want the space to function. I’m here to guide you and help you make the best decisions possible.

What experience do you have?

I have a degree in interior design from the Art Institute of Denver and I’ve been working in the field since I graduated. I started with Kimberly Timmons interiors right after school working on model homes. Following Kimberly, I worked for Gallun Snow Associates designing hospitals, higher education and assisted living facilities for three years. I made the jump into residential design about 5 years ago when Andrea Schumacher hired me. I was with her for about 3 years and then had the pleasure of working at Duet Design Group. I started my own business about a year and a half ago and couldn’t be any happier!

Can an interior designer buy more than I can?

Short answer – yes.

Designers can source from many places that the public doesn’t have access to.

Can I buy something the designer does not source?

Of course, but you’d better text me a picture before you buy anything ?

These items need to be discussed in the beginning stages of the project, however. If you want to source your own art or have had your eye on a specific sofa from Restoration Hardware, that’s all good and fine. We just don’t want to waste your money on my time trying to find something that you already know you want.

What cities do you work in?

All over the metro Denver area and beyond! I have projects in Evergreen, Westminster, Broomfield, Cherry Hills, Vail, etc.

How far would you travel for a project?

If you build it, I will come. Seriously, I’ll work anywhere.

Why you instead of an in-store decorator?

Although working with an in-store decorator seems like an easy route and could even be “free,” you’re also only getting items sourced from that particular store. I’m a big believer in making your home feel like it has come together over time, with items that you’ve picked up over the years – if you get everything from one store, your home is going to feel more staged than designed.

The Process

What is the sequence of phases that my design project will go through?

Step 1: no-charge consultation. (Typically and hour or less)

We’ll meet at your home to get to know each other, take a look at the project, go through any questions, talk about expectations and budget.

Step 2: Programming Meeting (Typically lasts about an hour)

After you’ve signed a contract, we’ll set up a programming meeting. Again, this meeting will be at your home or on site at the project. We’ll go over the signed contract and look at Pinterest and Houzz boards you’ve created for your space. I’ll also take pictures and get measurements of all the areas that are in the scope of work.

Step 3: Schematic Design

With all the information collected at the programming meeting, I’ll start to design your project. I collect all the tangible samples including fabrics, tiles, flooring, rugs, etc., and create a presentation that includes your existing and proposed floorplans, furniture, lighting, accessories and artwork. You’ll also see cabinet drawings/renderings as well as any pertinent elevations and details for the project in the presentation.

Step 4: Schematic Design Presentation

We’ll go over everything that I’ve pulled together for you, again in your space. You’ll get to see, touch and feel everything that I’ve proposed for your project through either the presentation and/or physical samples. This is the point where you get to scream with excitement or tell me I’m off my rocker and to try again (but this hardly ever happens). A few adjustments here and there are expected as we review, but if I’ve done my job correctly, we’re ready to move onto the next step!

Step 5: Design Development

A fancy way to say how much money this is going to cost! I price out everything that was presented to you in the schematic design meeting and then put together a proposal. You’ll have access to an online system that you’ll be able to follow your project on. From this portal you can approve proposals, look at invoices as well as get an overview of your project from a budget perspective. If everything looks good on the proposal, I’ll collect a 95% deposit from you and start ordering!

Step 6: Implementation!

If you’re doing a remodel project, we’ll start getting contractors and trades on site to give estimates of work. If we’re just working on furniture and décor, after orders are placed, it’s time to wait. And wait. And wait ? Most furniture from trade only, and sometimes even retail sources, typically takes anywhere from 4-12 weeks to ship. Cabinet orders are anywhere from 6-8 weeks as well.

Step 7: Installation

Again, if you’re doing a remodel project, especially a kitchen, we want to have a solid ETA on your cabinets before we start any demo. I like to have everything on site and ready to go before anything gets torn out. This minimizes the time your home will be torn apart. If we only ordered furniture and décor, installation is much simpler. If possible, I’ll drop ship anything I can to your home. This avoids warehouse and extra delivery fees. If the manufacturer won’t drop ship to a residential address, we’ll need to have large items shipped to a warehouse/delivery company. There will be additional costs here, including storage fees and delivery.

Step 8: Celebrate!

How do we get started?

Get in contact with me! Email me at Lindsay@hi-luxeinteriors.com, call or text me at 303.902.5221 or visit my website, www.hi-luxeinteriors.com

How long will our project take? From Start to Finish…

Kitchen/Master Bathroom Remodels: Anywhere between 2-6 Months

Furniture/Décor: 4-6 Months

How involved in the process will I need to be?

As involved as you want to be! The design portion of the project you should be very involved in – not so much picking the tiles and sitting in a hundred sofas, but express your opinions and suggestions during the programming meeting and schematic design meeting. Depending on your time commitment to the project, you can oversee construction and be involved with the contractor, or if you just don’t have the time or “give-a-damn” I’ll do it for you!

What if I an unhappy with your designs?

Not an Option… Just kidding.

If you’re not happy with the design, we’ll need to work through that together. Please keep in mind that when you sign the proposal for anything you’re buying through Hi-Luxe, you’re agreeing that’s what you want! I typically can’t send items back once they’ve been ordered, especially if it’s custom. That being said, I’ll do everything in my power to make the design right for you.

Services

What type of projects can you do?

New Build

Kitchen/Bathroom Remodel

Remodel of any kind

Furniture/Art/Lighting/Décor Allocation

Rendering/AutoCAD services

Consultation

Do we need to use your contractor or architect?

No. I have contractors that I work closely with who I know, trust and like, but we can use anyone that you prefer!

Can you manage the entire project?

Yes! Again, you can be as involved as you want.

Do I need a designer if I only want help with new furniture?

Yes, this is a perfect reason to work with a designer! You’ll have access to more furniture options at discounted prices. Also, hiring a designer can help you avoid costly mistakes – making sure your furniture will fit where you want it to go, making sure the bed fits down the stairs and the sofa fits through the door, just to name a few!

How are purchases for the project handled?

You’ll receive a proposal with detailed pricing on each item Hi-Luxe is purchasing on your behalf. The proposal will have estimated shipping for each item as well as any other costs associated with the purchase – including tax. We accept check, Zelle, Venmo and ApplePay for purchases.

Fees and Regulations

Is there a contract?

Yes.

Are interior designers required to be licensed?

No. Designers should have a degree in interior design, but they do not need to be licensed.

How can an interior designer save me money?

Discounts on Furniture/Lighting/Accessories/Décor

Time – Your time is precious. Designers are here to help you make decisions quickly and make sure your project runs as smoothly and painlessly as possible.

How do you charge?

Kitchen/Bath Remodels: Fixed Fee

Furniture/Lighting/Accessory/Décor Allocation and Consultation Work: By the Hour

What will our project cost?

A Good rule of thumb to follow for kitchen renovation is to budget about 10% of what you house is worth. As for everything else, it completely depends on your level of taste and budget.

How do I work out a budget?

I have a budget tool that we can work through together that will give you a good idea of what your furniture budget should be, depending again on your level of taste.

Do I have to make purchases through you?

Yes, unless we’ve agreed that you’ll be making some purchases independently. These items need to be discussed as early as possible in the process.

Why do you have a mark-up on product purchased through you?

As a designer, I typically receive anywhere from 30-50% off of trade resources for furniture and lighting. To run a successful business, I need to make a 25% margin on these purchases. If I don’t receive a discount that is worthy of a markup, say 10%, I’ll ask you to buy those items directly. Items like appliances that don’t typically offer a discount to anyone, can be purchased through Hi-Luxe in order to get special designer rebates but will not have a markup on them. My goal as a designer is to always have you pay less than retail!

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