12 Must Follow Interior Designers on Instagram

12 Must Follow Interior Designers on Instagram

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Interior Design

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Tips on Hiring an Interior Designer

Tips on Hiring an Interior Designer

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Interior Design

Getting your dream home designed can be an incredibly exciting and satisfying experience. If you’ve never worked with a designer before, getting started with the process can seem complicated and confusing. To help out, I have put together some questions to ask your interior designer and tips on hiring an interior designer.

FINDING A DESIGNER:

Many of my clients find me through my previous clients or by coming across me online.  Interior designers keep a portfolio of their designs. Browse through as many portfolios as you can, noting photos that fit with your vision for your home. If you are in love with the work of a designer located elsewhere, reach out to them to confirm that they would be willing to take the job in your location and see if they have the necessary permits and licenses needed to work in your area. Rachel Blindauer Interior Design has permits to operate in Florida, California, and Massachusetts that I have obtained for my clients with multiple homes and offices.

TRAINING VARIES & STATE REGULATIONS VARY:

While most states I have worked in doesn’t require the NCIDQ exam to do commercial interiors, Florida does. Commercial Interior design requires knowledge of building codes/safety regulations, and the budget spent per sq ft is also low compared to residential, which restricts your vendors/product selections. Residential Interior Designers don’t have to pass the NCIDQ exam but while some designers have 6-7 years of college training plus field experience like myself, not all do. Interior decorators decorate but often do not have any training, some might have some to no experience, or perhaps are really just in a sales position at a store. Personally, I don’t consider people earning a commission on how much furniture they sell you as designers. I have heard nightmares from clients that had a “free” designer fill their home with furniture. Nothing actually fit and none of it was returnable to do the custom nature of upholstery and finishes. Lack of measuring, compensation based on sales and a lack of experience can result in costly mistakes, so make sure you select your designer well.

PERSONALITY AND COMPATIBILITY:

Interior designing is a personal process. It involves opening up your home to a designer and sharing your likes and dislikes with them. Planning and executing takes time and sometimes a year or longer, depending on the size of the project. When you’re choosing your designer, make sure your personalities are compatible and that you are comfortable with them.

DECISION MAKING:

Plan your interior design project around a time when you can focus and give it due attention. Schedule your meetings with the designer when all decision-makers are available and make your meetings more efficient by preparing ahead with notes and questions. Couples should align their direction together before meetings. When it comes to big decisions, take time to consider the options, and make sure you love your choice and how it will all look together.

If you don’t like a particular choice, let your designer know. Rachel Blindauer advises “I look at hundreds of products, designs, and layouts before I present, so if one doesn’t suit your taste or budget, I’ll have backups. If what you want doesn’t exist I can also custom design the items.”

THE WAIT:

Rugs, shipping, and custom pieces can take some time to be created. Often projects take a year from initial concept to installation. There will also be times when things don’t go as planned. A part of the design may need to be revised on-site, or an item could get broken during shipping or installation, etc. During these times, trust your designer. One of the benefits of hiring a professional is that they are proficient in handling these scenarios.

INSTALLATION:

During the final installation, I generally advise my clients to leave and even go on a short vacation if possible. The installation is the stage interior designers plan for months in advance. At our firm we bring in accessories, flowers, etc. to perfect the home then do a photoshoot. Following this, we do a big reveal and then leave the accessories temporarily in the home for the clients to determine if they want to purchase any of them.

TIME, COST, AND QUALITY:

Consider the three factors of Time, Cost, and Quality, and rank them according to your priorities. While every designer will do their best to optimize all three aspects, knowing how you rank them will let them know what to focus on. Whether you need the design and installation to fit within a tight budget or a short timeline, let the designer know from the start of the project. The design firm will need to analyze if they can help you achieve it before they even start. A good design team will strive to meet these objectives while providing the best interior design to the client.

For further information on Rachel Blindauer’s process please follow the below links:

Schedule your consultation today!

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A Beach Holiday

A Beach Holiday

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Interior Design, Residential, Trends

Interior decor during holidays generally take the form of evergreens and colorful decor. Some people with green thumbs may even opt for holiday decor with plants like a poinsettia or a Christmas cactus. However, in warm weather regions, this style can be out of place. As an interior designer in Sarasota, Florida, I prefer to decorate with tropical plants for the holidays.

With a bright and vivid range of plants to choose from, tropical beach style home décor is an invitation to be creative. Some of my favorite holiday décor in this style make use of easily available plants like monstera and palm leaves. Dried palm leaves can even be given light shades of color to make them more festive. Or simply add more colorful plants and flowers, the choices are endless. Houseplants also tend to pair well with this decor style, adding to the greenery indoors.

Here are some ideas on using locally available plants to decorate around the house for the beach holiday vibe.

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The Art of Color – A Palate of Favorite Neutrals

The Art of Color – A Palate of Favorite Neutrals

by | Jul 28, 2019 | Color, Interior Design, Products

I always determine the paint color after all of the furniture, fabrics and finishes have been selected because wall color is really what pulls the whole room together. Most of the paint colors I do are custom paint colors for this reason. I always suggest consulting a designer on what color would best to pull everything together under your specific color of light in the space. You would be amazed at how the light changes in different geographical locations. For example you wouldn’t take the hot bright colors used near the equator and expect them to look amazing in Alaska, but the same applies from midwest to west coast. Having said that the below are a few of my favorite colors under the San Franciscan sun.

palateoffavoriteneutrals

Neutrals:

  1. Revere Pewter Benjamin Moore
  2. Rockport Grey Benjamin Moore
  3. Wood Ash C2-439M by C2 Paint
  4. Urban Living RLUL215 Ralph Lauren
  5. Ventana 11-25 Pratt & Lambert
  6. Devonshire Green 1489 Benjamin Moore
  7. Silver Mink 33-25 Pratt & Lambert
  8. A late addition, but absolutely gorgeous and masculine is 1547 Dragon’s Breath by Benjamin Moore

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The Ceiling is the Fifth Wall

The Ceiling is the Fifth Wall

by | Jul 27, 2019 | Commercial, Interior Design, INTERIOR DESIGNER, Residential

I have a thousand things going through my head every time I walk into a space. I first look at the way everything is and then in my head visualize changes and adjustments that I would do to improve functionality, aesthetics, comfort and marketability (in the case of a commercial space). I see the possibilities and look past what is there. So next time you see me walk into a space and I zone out looking at the walls, touching wood finishes and inspecting table heights you’ll know what I’m doing.

Given that constant analysis I do, I find that most people forget to even think about the ceiling. In the 16th century designers always heavily considered the design of every wall including the ceiling. Think about it, how boring would the Sistine Chapel be without the designer requesting Michelangelo do the ceiling?

Next time you look at a naked ceiling ask yourself:

Architecturally could you add interest to improve the architecture. Think board & batten, plaster work, ceiling medallions, and don’t forget chandeliers!

Is the space monochrome and can you paint your ceiling to match that color? Dark ceilings create more intimate spaces (many restaurants do this). A mid-tone color makes a great monochromatic statement when paired with accents of that color around the whole room. Bedrooms are also a great place to use a pale painted ceiling.

Is there a design that you could paint/wallpaper/upholster on to the ceiling?

Let Rachel Blindauer help you think through your project starting with a complimentary consultation.

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