I feel so lucky to be able to call Caitlin a friend. When I was first thinking of staring my business I took her out to breakfast and asked her question after question. She was so gracious and has always been so helpful in mentoring me with my business and blog. She is seriously talented! I think she is such an amazing designer and truly a wonderful person to know.
Here are her confessions of a designer.
I love working with clients who have an idea of where they want to go with a room. Even if there is only one element they are bringing to the room I think the better sense a client has of what they want, the better the outcome will be. Even though we are hired to be the expert, at the end of the day, the client is the person who will live in and utilize their home day in and day out so the more input they have, the more suited to their lifestyle the design will be. While some clients can get over involved, I generally love having a client who gets excited about the decisions we are making but is also open to taking a few risks and letting me stretch their design sense a bit.
I think an ideal client is also someone who is realistic about their budget and what they are comfortable spending. Sometimes clients have grand dreams about what they can or want to spend, but at the end of the day that is not realistic and it ends up being a stressful situation for both the client and designer.
Interior by Caitlin Creer
I think the personal relationship you have with your designer is as important as the match up of design styles. A designer should definitely be picked because you admire their style and what they have showcased in other projects. It pays to do your homework before hand and research who and what your options are when working with different people. It is also really important to establish a pattern of communication with your designer and be reasonable about timelines for them to follow up with you and respond to your needs and questions. On the same note, remember that you are not the only client and respect the demands on their time.
Interior by Caitlin Creer
That it will cost you much more. I usually have much better and more affordable resources for items than my clients do and in the end they probably end up spending what they would have paid retail or a little more but they get the guidance and input of a professional.
Interior by Caitlin Creer
I always tell my clients to be honest about their opinions. My feelings are never hurt if an idea is turned down and I would much rather have my clients communicate their concerns durning the process than to end up unhappy with the end result because they didn’t open their mouth during the design process. It is also important that clients be honest about what they are really comfortable spending and what their budget can accommodate.
Interior Board by Caitlin Creer
I feel like the outcome of e-design projects is most successful the closer you stick to the plan that you are presented with. There are inherent challenges with e-design so it is also important that you communicate clearly and don’t forget the details. I also think you need to keep in regular communication with your designer. If they send you a concept and you don’t respond for a a week or two, your room has been put on the back burner by that point.
Interior by Caitlin Creer
This is so hard. I love Lee Kleinhelter for her fun and Crisp Aesthetic but I also like lots of layers and accessories which is why I would love to colloborate with someone like Betsy Burnham.
Thanks Caitlin!
I'm such a huge fan of Caitlin…she always has such amazing ideas and her interiors are so gorgeous! You are so lucky to know her and be able to pick her brain! (c:
i loved caitlins answers…you can tell she's a pro!