Have you ever been inside a stunning hotel lobby, a fashionable meeting room, or perhaps some other interior space that really caught your eye? Do you think all of the design elements of the space happened by accident? Doubtful - in almost all instances a professional interior designer was hired to create the space, select the finishes and determine the color schemes.

Interaction

I am quite sure you have been inside someone's home that was a fashion / design nightmare. They are everywhere. No doubt not everyone has the ability to spend tens of thousands of dollars on interior design. Often you can spend much less and get highly desirable results. Think: do you think it is worth $150 to find out what it might cost to redo a room or perhaps an entire house? You might be able to get an interior designer to come and consult with you for just an hour or two for this amount of money. You might be surprised by what you can do! There are affordable alternatives that many designers know about.

New Homes

Are you thinking of building a new home soon? If so, you are crazy if you don't get an interior designer involved early in the planning process. This individual will add lots of spice to the soup!

Designers often work with architects. The combination of talents can produce spectacular results. Interior designers can offer much with respect to the final fit and finish of rooms and how they relate to each other with respect to color and texture. Try your best to budget in some money for the services of an interior designer on your upcoming new home project.

Decorators - Not the Same

Have you gone to a paint store and seen the person who works with the wallpapers and window coverings? That - in almost all cases - is an interior decorator. Don't confuse this person with an interior designer. Decorators can be very talented. Many have vast experience with colors, wallpapers, and other finishes used to decorate a house. These are fine qualities.

Interior designers take these talents and enhance them. They often have college degrees in design. A decorator rarely - if ever - has the extensive training that accompanies an interior design degree.

If you just want help selecting a wallpaper, then you might do fine working with a decorator. However, if you want to blend carpets, furniture, wall treatments, paints, interior trim, etc. you better hire a designer!

Lighting

One aspect of interior design that is rarely discussed is that of interior lighting. Light fixtures and the quality of light they produce have a direct and dramatic impact on the rest of the room. The lighting of items in a room is important. Lighting can make or break a design.

It takes years of experience to understand how to use both direct and indirect lighting. If lighting is important to you, be sure to work with a designer who has lots of lighting experience. Visit past jobs at nighttime to see how the professional handled difficult situations.

Ask about color temperature. Light temperature refers to the color quality that different bulbs produce. Not all light bulbs create light tones and colors equally. This can affect how your furniture and other things look when they are lit at night.

Be Honest

When you get ready to work with an interior design professional, be honest with yourself and the pro. If you don't get along or feel that the designer's approach is too radical, then speak up! After all, it is your money!

Don't feel as if you owe the professional anything. All you owe this person is respect. Go slowly at first to make sure you have the right pro on your team. Once you feel comfortable and everyone knows the plan, move ahead!

Related Articles:  designer help, designer associations, planning checklist

Interior Design Planning Checklist

Step One:

First figure out what the maximum amount of money you have available for the upcoming project. This step is often overlooked. Once you commit to the budget, you can then make clear decisions concerning what will be done when. Your money will control how much change you will accomplish.

Step Two:

Make a list of what you want done. This sounds simple, but requires some discipline. Pictures help in this process. Select photographs from magazines and catalogs that illustrate design elements, furniture, colors, woodwork, etc. that you like.

Your list must contain priorities. Be realistic. Indicate the things / rooms / projects that are absolute musts. Keep in mind that you should work in some type of order. Don't organize projects such that workmen walk through or past rooms or hallways that were just finished! They could ruin brand new work. Use common sense.

List priorities with each project or room. Keep in mind that it is easy to add an area rug, furniture or window coverings, but hard to change wallpaper or permanent fixtures.

Step Three:

Once you have your budget and wish list(s), it is time to call in a professional. Start this task by asking friends if they have used a pro. Consider visiting designer show houses to see the flavor of designers.

You need to feel comfortable with a professional. Ask them pointed questions about past jobs. Ask for references. See if you can't visit past jobs. At the very least, look through photo albums of their past jobs.

Talk in great detail about the fees your professional will charge. Get all points in writing. Ask the professional for a written proposal regarding their scope of work. Find out just what they will be doing to earn their fee. A true professional will not get defensive at all with this procedure. If they do, you need to find someone else to work with!

Step Four:

Don't go over budget! Need I say more?

The BIG Group

The largest interior design association is the ASID. That acronym stands for American Society of Interior Designers. They boast a membership in excess of 30,500. This group includes actual designers, students and manufacturers of design / interior products. Thousands of the designers in this association specialize in residential interior design.

To maintain membership in this group, the pros must take periodic continuing education classes.

Want to find an ASID member in your town?

ASID - 800-775-ASID
www.asid.org

A Second Choice

As you might expect, there is another professional association of interior designers. It is called the International Interior Design Association - IIDA. This group is a professional organization that strives to "enhance the quality of life through excellence in interior design and to advance interior design through knowledge."

This group has over 10,000 members and is growing. It is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois in a fitting location - The Merchandise Mart!

Members of the IIDA must also perform periodic continuing education. This insures that they are exposed to the latest technology, codes, products, etc. The trickle down effect is that you - the consumer - get great information from an association member.

Contact the IIDA at:

IIDA - 888-799-4432
www.iida.org

Sources of Free Design Literature

Would you like some free pamphlets about interior design? Ones that help you maximize your investment in the services of a professional designer? Great! Call the two phone numbers below and ask for all FREE literature that is available. Ask for a listing of professional interior designers in your area while you have them on the phone! 

• ASID
  800-775-ASID

• IIDA
  888-799-4432

Both phone calls are TOLL FREE.

"Kitchen design resources abound. Be very careful of advice from those who've not worked installing kitchens for at least twenty years."

Tim Carter - Founder - Askthebuilder.com

Kitchen Design Resources - Lots of So-So Advice Out There

Read every kitchen design article you can find, contact kitchen associations, go to kitchen and bath shows and take classes if they are available. You will get an enormous dividend payback from this investment of time. It may seem like a pain, but you will quickly forget about it when you are sipping coffee in that new kitchen!

Related Links

Kitchen Design Basic Principals - Simple and Easy

Top Kitchen Design Tips & Guidelines - DO NOT SHARE - SECRET!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghcKo_fqNBY

How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?

What do you think your kitchen remodeling job or new house kitchen is going to cost? I would venture to say somewhere between $10,000 and $60,000. Yes, that is a big spread, but it is realistic. I once did a kitchen remodel job that included the addition of 150 square feet of space. The price tag for that job was close to $90,000! The point is this: Kitchens cost a lot of money. If you goof up the design, you will be quite unhappy each month as you make the second mortgage payment.

Are There Good Kitchen Associations?

There are many more than just 20 design ideas for kitchens. I recommend that you contact the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) for further information. Go to their website and check out the Online Remodeling Guide. You can also order a free copy of their Kitchen & Bath Workbook.

Other Kitchen Design Literature/Design Sources

Aside from the NKBA you can get virtually unlimited kitchen design ideas from four other sources. Kitchen cabinet manufacturers often have an abundance of useful literature and design guides. Look for these in the showrooms you visit. If they are not visible, don't hesitate to ask the salespeople for these books. I know they exist as I have given them to my customers. The design guides vary in quality depending upon the manufacturer.

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Create your perfect kitchen using my Kitchen Remodeling Checklist as your remodel guide. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

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You can also glean great information from the monthly home improvement and design magazines at newsstands. Often these magazines will have wonderful photos that you can scan for a solution to one of your current problems.

Should I Hire a CKD?

Finally, I recommend that you hire a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD). I'll bet one is in your city or town. These individuals have participated in extensive classes, training, and testing. They have excellent design publications at their fingertips. Don't you think it might be worth $300 or so to make sure you don't waste $25,000? I thought so!

If you want to try to do design work yourself, then you might want to try out different computer design programs. Some can be had for less than $100. You might just luck out and create the perfect kitchen.

How many times have you flipped through a copy of one of the home improvement or home decorating magazines? I would venture to say that every issue has at least 10 photographs of some type of kitchen setting. Some of these may be in ads but no doubt they are there.

Heavy Traffic

Great architects and interior design people locate kitchens near the center of most houses. They recognize that this room is the center of activity. You need to recognize that your kitchen floor, cabinets, countertops, etc. will be subjected to accelerated wear because of the heavy traffic through and in the room. Often it may only cost 10 to 15 percent more money to get substantially better quality in cabinets, flooring, paint and other items.

Form Follows Function

I suggest that you spend the necessary time to research all of your design options. People often confuse "design" with "decorating". They are NOT the same. The color of paint or style of wallpaper has little to do with how efficiently you will operate in your kitchen. Your kitchen may look great but if it does not function well, you will be unhappy. The decorating theme should be an extension of your personality. However, don't place top priority on the look and style. Here is how I would accomplish these tasks.

Seek Professional Help

There are many complicated aspects of actual kitchen design that are impossible to include in this bulletin. Thousands of pages have been written on cabinet placement, types of cabinets, the work triangle, appliance tolerances and such. There are professional kitchen designers who have mastered these elements. They know exactly how to get the most from your kitchen space no matter how big or small it is.

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Avoid flaws and mistakes when planning your new kitchen. Use my Kitchen Remodeling Checklist as your remodel guide. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

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One of my newspapers - The Dayton Daily News - sponsored a design contest. They had homeowners nominate their kitchens for a free design makeover. Four Dayton Ohio area kitchen design companies submitted designs for the contest. It was absolutely amazing how the Certified Kitchen Designers (CKD) manipulated the tiny spaces into highly efficient kitchens. Hire a CKD to develop your plan. You should spend your time selecting cabinet styles, colors and paint!

Islands - A Potential Oasis

If your kitchen has enough space for an island - a kitchen usually needs to be at least 13 feet wide for an island - you are in luck. My wife Kathy and I happen to have an island that is two feet deep by six and a half feet long. It is fantastic. I have built islands that contain bookshelves, eating bars, the primary sink and cooktops. My neighbor has an island that is seven feet by six feet! I constructed it five years ago during a major kitchen rehabilitation project. The kitchen designer used cabinets and complimentary trim that make the island look as if it is a piece of furniture.

Dressing up Cabinets

One of the coolest things I have done with a simple wall cabinet is to order it without the door panel. The cabinet comes with a door frame with or without grids. I then order a piece of hammered clear glass from a local art glass studio. The look is dynamic. If you have attractive dishes or other items you wish to display behind the glass doors, this is an excellent way to achieve it. If you are really ambitious, you can install mini-lights inside the cabinets to cast a warm glow at night time.

Are you building a new house with tall ceilings? Think twice before you add soffits over the top of the cabinets. Why not install a matching crown molding around the room made from the same wood and stained to match the cabinets? Higher end cabinets usually offer this as an option. Use the top of the cabinets to display baskets filled with seasonal dried flowers. Have your kitchen take on the mood of the season. Cabinet tops are excellent flat surfaces that allow you to add eye appeal to your kitchen space.

20 Kitchen Design Guidelines

Many of these ideas I have developed from 20 plus years of installing kitchens. Most of these ideas are not new - they are just overlooked by ambitious homeowners eager to get the job done. Avoid the temptation of instant gratification. Spend the time to look for errors in your kitchen design. It will be worth it!

Sizing Your Kitchen

If you have the luxury of designing a new kitchen where walls can move, then make sure you have enough space! Use you existing kitchen as the benchmark. What don't you like? Where could you use extra space? Make a list of all current space defects in your kitchen. Solve these defects on your new plan.

The 26 Foot Work Triangle

Don't overlook this critical concept. It can get complicated with certain designs. If you have any doubts, consult a CKD on this one!

Doorways and Walkways

Make sure that entrances into and out of a kitchen are at least 36 inches wide if at all possible. The NKBA says 32 inches. However, I have found in practice that the 36 inch width is really preferable. It is easier to move appliances in and out of the kitchen for one. People such as my mom who use walkers find these openings more user friendly too.

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Avoid flaws and mistakes when planning your new kitchen. Use my Kitchen Remodeling Checklist as your remodel guide. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

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Eating Area Clearances

If you have a table or eating bar in your new kitchen, make sure that the edge of the table or bar is no closer than 36 inches from a wall or other object. You will need every bit of this room to move the chairs in and out and for people to navigate around a person who is seated.

Dual Sinks

The last 10 kitchens I have built or remodeled all have a second sink. Most are smaller bar sinks on a secondary wall. Homeowners love them! It is a great place to clean vegetables or get a glass of water if the other sink is busy.

Dishwashers

These appliances need to be close to the primary sink. The NKBA suggests a 36 inch maximum distance from the edge of the sink. I feel that 24 inches is a better number. They work best when they are immediately adjacent to the sink.

Ventilation

You should have an exhaust fan in the kitchen. Cooktops need at least 150 CFM capacity. Whole kitchen fans are rated according to the size of the room. See Builder Bulletin #98 on sizing kitchen fans.

Roll Out Shelving

This is an old idea but one that is very useful. Roll out shelving is excellent for pantries and canned food storage. It really saves you from getting on your knees or reaching over objects to get to those things deep in a cabinet.

Stenciling

Keep the thought of wall stenciling in the back of your mind as you select cabinets and countertops. A painted wall with a stencil can really pull out some of the colors in the cabinets or counter top. If you paint the stencil on a separate background border color, you can then successfully paint the walls at a later date without compromising the stencil.

Appliance Counterspace

Make sure that you have adequate counterspace on the sides of appliances. The NKBA seems to gravitate towards a minimum of 15 inches. This is an OK guideline. Shoot for 18 inches if you can.

Appliance Barns

Who wants to see the toaster sitting out, or the can opener? Try to select an appliance barn that sits on the countertop but is connected directly to the wall cabinets.

Dynamic Ceilings

Can you tray or create different levels in the ceiling? Do you own a ranch home? If so, you can build a sloped roof or even a cathedral ceiling in the kitchen. It is an awesome touch, especially if you can include several skylights.

Indirect Lighting

If you can create some hidden lighting on the top of your cabinets that washes the ceiling, you will be amazed at the look. It is soft and adds a unique touch of class after dark. Under cabinet lighting will do the same but for the full effect get lighting on top of the cabinets.

Flooring

Your floor is a major design item. It is a large visual target. Be careful that the flooring doesn't clash with the cabinets! Give cork flooring a serious look! It is PERFECT for kitchens! See Builder Bulletin #183 about this fantastic material.

Natural Light

Sunlight will change the complete look of your kitchen. Try - at whatever cost - to enlarge windows or open walls into other rooms so that more natural light enters your kitchen space.

Garbage / Recycling

You now need space for both. You can get cabinets that accept cans for both. Hide these cans within slide-out cabinets.

Drawers

You can't have enough drawers. I happen to like the ones beneath cooktops that accept all of our pots and pans!

Electricity

Be sure that you have plenty of electric outlets. You want at least three separate 20 amp circuits for just the countertop outlets!

Countertops - Edges

Eliminate sharp corners. Make all outside corners a radius.

Islands

What can I say? You NEED one, and a big one at that!