A few years ago my mom decided to renovate several rooms in her Texas home at the same time … by herself. Just the THOUGHT of renovating several rooms at a time sounds beyond daunting to me. Now take that idea and add DIY renos to the mix! I should also mention that she had a firm deadline that this had to be completed by. Let’s just say that her deadline wasn’t very long at all. She spent so much time developing Pinterest boards for each space which proved very helpful. Although she initially tried to tackle this massive project on her own, after a couple of months she understandably became too overwhelmed.
In the beginning, she just wanted to get her feet wet with a 1-hour design session. Eventually, she hired an interior designer to manage the project. That was the first time that I’d heard of a 1-hour design session and I rolled my eyes at the thought of it. I thought to myself “Seriously, what can you really do in one hour except waste money?” As it turned out, loads can be done within that 60-minute time frame.
Like my mom, you might have created virtual mood boards and have attempted many DIY projects to get your house as close to your vision as possible, but it’s just not there yet. Enter a phenomenal interior designer with a 1-hour mini-design session and all of your design problems are gone!
If only it were that easy. But it’s not too far out!
What can you actually get out of it?
The short answer is a lot! This type of service works for a variety of people at different stages in the design process. Perhaps you haven’t started a project yet and you believe that you can manage it alone, but you just want to bounce some ideas off of a designer that you trust. A 1-hour sess could work for you.
Maybe you jumped into designing your house and you’re drowning in ideas and you can’t make up your mind about anything, let alone form a cohesive thought. Having someone to serve as your “design therapist” could offer you clarity and help to develop a definite sense of design direction.
Perhaps you are pretty content with your space, but you’d like a designer to offer some feedback. Designers can give you some “quick hits” on elevating the space or trouble-shooting an issue. A one-hour service could prove to be transformative.
A one-hour consultation sess would also prove beneficial to those who have staged their home to list. Regardless of where you are in the design process, your designer could provide styling suggestions, mood boards, suggestions for paint colors, drapery, furniture, & fixtures, spatial layouts, quick renderings, and maybe even product sourcing. The prep-work that happens before the on-site consultation can really determine what can be accomplished within the 60-minute time frame.
What to expect
It’s best to come prepared since 60-minutes is not a substantial amount of time. Be sure to share your mood boards as well as a list of questions prepared. If your designer is open to emailing prior to the on-site visit you all could discuss a lot. Be prepared to pay for their time though (they are professionals after all). As best as you can, try to have a clear vision for your space (both aesthetically and how you use the space). It would also be a good idea to focus on one or two rooms instead of attempting to address the entire house.
Assuming that you and your designer are a good fit for each other, the goal of the designer is often to convert you into a customer who is willing to hire them to execute the vision. Expect that your designer will offer to prepare a customized proposal. There is nothing worse than an ill-matched designer & client pair, especially when lots of $$$ is on the line. If this session goes well you may want to just pull the trigger and choose to partner with the designer. It might be just want you need.
I’ve seen a range of mini-sessions charge from $0 to $500+ for the hour. Interior designers are experts in their fields so it’s best to expect a charge. If your designer offers a free mini-session maybe offer a tip for their time, follow-up with a handwritten note, or better still, hire them! 🙂
