Meet Your Match

One of Britain’s most famous decorators, the late, great David Hicks, said: ‘The best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them.’ Employing the services of a professional to help build or decorate your home can lead to a far more polished and coherent result than doing it by yourself. But the process can be daunting. Redecorating or renovating is one of the most substantial investments you will ever make, so it’s vital to approach it in the right way.

A good starting point is to pull together pictures of houses, room sets, furniture and styles that you like, and get a clear idea of your own taste and the designers you’re drawn to. ‘You will live with these interiors for a long time, so it is best not to rush the process,’ advises Beata Heuman, known for her colourful and original schemes. ‘Before you contact anyone, think about your own style and aesthetics.’

The next step is to contact the designers that appeal to you. ‘Interior design is not just a creative business, it is also a project management one, so make sure you hire a company with an operation that can sustain the workload your scheme will entail,’ says Natalia Miyar, whose contemporary interiors exude glamour and luxury.

‘Make the time to visit their offices, so you can see the set-up and what their support structure is like,’ she advises. Both Heuman and Miyar agree that rapport is key. For a project to be truly successful, there has to be a mutual connection with a prospective client.

It may sound obvious, but if you are embarking on building work – either a new build or extensive remodelling – and are planning to engage an interior designer, contact them at the very beginning. ‘It’s best if the architect and the interior designer can work together,’ says Heuman. ‘It will give the best results and reduce the chance of mistakes that need correcting. In simple terms, making sure water pipes or plug sockets are in the right locations.’

Before works start, you should also have agreed upon a fee and have a clear idea of the proposed design. How fees are calculated varies hugely between practices – some charge a fixed fee, some invoice for their time, and others fund their work through commission on purchased items.

While some practices present designs as mood boards, with suggested fabric swatches and floor plans, others produce detailed drawings or 3D renditions. Ben Pentreath, renowned for schemes that blend traditional aesthetics with bold colour and engaging detail, explains his studio’s process:

‘We like to be given as thorough a brief as possible, through tear sheets, Pinterest boards or conversations over books in the office. We need to know what you like and what you don’t. Often, our role is in encouraging clients to draw out their own ideas; equally, to suggest ideas they wouldn’t have had alone. There are no rights and wrongs to decoration but there are many pitfalls. Having the experience to pull a project together is how we assist.’

Whatever the method, it’s important you can visualise what is being suggested. At this stage, agree a timeline and voice opinions or suggestions – changing your mind later on can be expensive and cause delay. You should also decide how involved you want to be in the process. Some interior designers welcome the opportunity to include their clients in research such as showroom visits or sourcing trips for antiques, while others prefer a hands-off approach. Typically, you will liaise more with your designer in the beginning, taking a step back once the project is under way, leaving them to manage everything from contractors to deliveries. Taking the first step can sometimes feel like a fishing expedition – how do you hook the best trout in a teeming pond? Or perhaps you need to engage a new designer due to a relationship breakdown – a personality clash or unrealistic expectations.

It’s not unusual for the initial excitement at the start of a project to wear off once you hit the first wall. In these situations, there is a helping hand: Sandy Mitchell set up the RedBook Agency after experiencing his own dilemmas and rocketing budget while renovating an 800-year-old Berkshire property. His business (with a roster of highprofile clients including the Duke and Duchess of Bedford) advises on how to launch a project by bringing together the best teams, from architects and interior designers to planning consultants and project managers. He takes a rigorous view of the matchmaking process. ‘We use spreadsheets initially as there are so many details to take into consideration, such as location, age of property and the needs of a family. The next stage is to find where a client sits stylistically. You get a clear idea from their response to internet and magazine images. Occasionally, we get someone with little idea of what they want. A good starting point is to ask where they sit on a sliding scale of one to ten, from Ikea to oligarch.’

The RedBook team then collates, researches and whittles down potential design practices to two or three candidates. ‘We match personality, size of practice, technical capability, expectation and process,’ he explains. Only then is it time to introduce the client. ‘We offer more than one choice as it’s so important for a client to like who they are working with. It’s much easier to know if there is chemistry if you can make a comparison.’ Sandy’s final tip is to be decisive and answer emails or calls promptly. ‘Clients often want instant results but can be frustratingly slow at answering questions. Respond quickly and be aware that your delay is affecting workflow. And pay your bills quickly, you’ll be amazed what a difference it makes.’ There’s not a professional out there who would disagree.

By Catriona Gray