You’ve finally decided it’s time to renovate your outdated kitchen. After many years suffering through the existing space, you’re ready to get the kitchen of your dreams. Before you jump right into a major renovation, you’re likely going to want to speak with a professional who can help you achieve your desired design. In most cases, you’ll want to speak with an interior designer and bring them into the project.

An interior designer is not only going to help you put plans to paper, but also to assist you in the best way to allocate your budgeted funds. He or she will bring with them a unique set of ideas and solutions for the issues you and your space might be facing. The training and education they receive will ultimately help you achieve the best design for your space. A designer will serve as your advocate as you navigate the world of home renovation; but, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Before you call and interior designer, here are 8 things you should know.

Budget

How much are you willing to spend on your project? The important thing here is to be 100% honest and realistic about your budget. Many of you will be thinking, “I don’t know how much a kitchen/bathroom/house renovation costs!” That’s true, you may not know, but nearly everyone has access to the internet and the internet is full of information regarding the average cost of certain types of remodels. This information should be used as a guide to help you determine a budget. The truth is, there isn’t really an average – it all depends on the many different decisions you make along the way. Your kitchen renovation will cost considerably more if you select marble countertops instead of laminate. It’s difficult to gauge future total expense, so it’s best to start with an average and let the designer help guide you realistically based on the kinds of things you want.

Assess Your Lifestyle

In order to get the best results out of your renovation, your interior designer will need to know how you and the rest of your family use your spaces. Where do you eat most of your meals? Where do you spend most of your time with guests? What rooms in your home get the most use? What is and isn’t working for you in the home? These questions will help guide your renovation in the right direction.

Create a Must Have vs. Want to Have List

Communication is a key component in any renovation. With that being said, every project will have needs that must be met at the completion. Create a list of those required needs to meet, along with a list of things you would love to see in your completed project. You’ll get the most value out of your renovation if everyone is on the same page about wants and needs for the space.

Create an Idea File

Idea files are a great way to gather all your thoughts, ideas and desires for your renovation. In the past, designers would ask clients to gather magazine tear sheets, online photos and photos from catalogs into a file to be given to the designer. Before you call in a designer, have concepts and ideas for your space gathered in a central location that you can share with them. Today, Pinterest is a great way to gather inspiration and help you best convey your desires visually to your designer.

Forget HGTV!

We understand how easy they make it look and, trust us, we wish sometimes that these projects could be completed in three days. The truth is, it doesn’t work that way. What you see is three days of work with 30-40 contractors on-site at once and BOOM, someone has a brand new kitchen. What you don’t see is the 6, maybe 8, months of planning, scheduling and purchasing that went on before a single frame of film was shot. It’s a great source for design ideas, but remember to think realistically when considering what they are showing you. Renovations aren’t easy. There’s a reason why people say that if you can survive a renovation and stay married, you’re marriage can survive anything.

Personal Rapport

Personality will have a lot to do with how well your renovation goes as well. A renovation is a personal experience and will deal with some of the most personal areas in your home. It’s much better to have a good rapport with the important players in your project; like your designer and your general contractor. In the end, it will go a long way towards making your renovation a little less stressful and maybe, just maybe, enjoyable.

Prepare to Trust

Hiring an interior designer means bringing a professional into your home. A designer brings knowledge and experience to the job. They’ll offer you their advice and opinion based on the facts given. Although you may be tempted, don’t waste time second-guessing and being indecisive about your project as that will only serve to cost you time and money. Trust the designer for the professional they are and you’re project will give you greater results than you could have imagined. It’s their job to narrow down selections for you based upon your budget, your needs and your likes. Don’t focus on that single item whose color you disagree with, trust that the designer has the entire vision in mind when pulling everything together. Ride it out with them and you’ll love the finished space.

Have an Open Mind

Designers are creative people, the best designers also have technical know-how with an equally important analytical side. They’ll likely think outside the box, and are definitely likely to come up with concepts outside of your thought process or even your comfort zone – at first. In the long run, sometimes it will do you far better a favor if you let some of their ideas ride out. If you don’t see the vision, ask them to show you what the final product might look like. A designer should be able to provide you with a sketch, a perspective, an elevation or even an computerized 3-D model of their vision. They should be willing to do what it takes to show you what they see, and you should be willing to listen and explore. Sometimes the best design decisions are made during the times when you’re outside your design comfort zone.

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