"Good clients are knowledgable.  
       
Great clients are well informed."

Those are the words I gave to a potential client, one who had never used the services of a professional interior designer and was in the midst of interviewing several other designers for their job.  So after the first meeting, I felt the need to provide them with some advice about their upcoming project. 

• Be practical in all your choices including what and how you spend the dollars. 

Great design does not equate with spending large sums of dollars although that is often the perception of my profession.  My advice to each new client when deciding what to spend : Put greater dollars toward just a few things that are most important to the design, that make the strong visual statement and that make the space function as needed.  Far less dollars can then be spent for the rest as fill in pieces.  Just don't skimp on something that will forever show you did.   And at the end of the day, if you follow that advice, you'll discover that the entire space will look like a million but cost far less.    

• You need to have a definite plan before you start any work. 

Our first meeting was about seeing your new space.  And shooting from the hip is great to build a bunch of fresh ideas about what you may want from the project but at the end of the day, the work you are contemplating will be an investment of time and effort.  So my advice: plotting and planning on paper reduces the chance for mistakes in time, in expectations and in dollars spent.  Steve Chase, the internationally known Palm Springs designer said about his work,  "I am more deliberate than spontaneous in my design."  I totally agree. Making a plan is worth every cent you spend. 

• Your designer needs to be your partner.

Another bit of advice: You are making a huge change in locations and environments.  That alone is a lot of stress.  The design professional you engage should make the process thoughtful, provide the needed counsel on critical decisions and has your best interest on the table. With the right design partner, you'll discover a sense of comfort in making the seemingly numerous decisions that lie ahead and that alone reduces anxiety. The best ROI will not be in how much money you spend for furnishings but in the designer you hire.  

• And make this home fun.   

A final bit of advice: This home should reflect the energy of the occupants and its guests.  So have some fun with making this house a home.  Encourage your designer to implement something unexpected, something that keeps the space lighthearted and brings a smile to every face that encounters the design. 

And finally don't forget to make this journey fun. Interior design can be overly serious from time to time. After all when 80% of our time on this planet is spend indoors, design impacts everyone who lives and work in the interiors and there is a need to make it right.  But take time to stop and reflect on the journey,... the opportunity to plan something special for you, your family and this house. 

For many people, creating a well designed home or office space is about how it will look when project comes to a close.  But that is just one objective to consider. 

We believe that it also takes a good, well conceived plan to guide the project and to ensure it will function as expected.  One key to that success is found in the details.  

Those details can include the use of interesting materials like fine woods, metals as accents to the woods, glass and stones for texture and in the case of a kitchen or bath, great looking hardware too.  Without the careful selection of materials, the design can only go so far.  Perhaps that is why our designs are based in the details as we design the space.  And it is the attention to even the smallest of details that matters at the beginning but especially at the end. 

Another key is finding a great supplier, one that helps the design team thru out the implementation of the design.  We've partnered with DuraSupreme Cabinetry for nearly two decades to be our sou primary source of cabinetry.... whether for the kitchen or the bath.  But this superior supplier also has great capabilities to make many other pieces including cabinets for the office, furniture for the bedroom, wine and media centers and architectural moldings to trim out the space, each with a wide choice of wood species, finish options plus a consistent and reliable delivery right on their own trucks. 

One client offered their appreciation when they commented at the end of the installation, 

" We had heard horror stories and frankly it kept us from moving forward with any plans. But Michael and Mike helped us make the informed decisions each step of the way so we were educated about what to expect. Plus they met our objectives and then some. Many thanks for the adventure.  We truly love and adore our home."     - Aaron and Evelyn Levy. 

So if you are contemplating a remodel or building new,... DuraSupreme provides us with all the tools we need to "customize" the space but at a "production price".... often with saving as much as 25% over local shop built cabinetry.  And if you are sensitive to the environment, you'll be pleased to know that DuraSupreme has policies in place that keep excess materials from heading off to the landfills.  

We offer a complimentary meeting to help you get started on the right foot with your next project. You can be confident with DuraSupreme as one of our team players and not only enjoy the design experience but you'll appreciate the attention to detail we provide.  Give us a call.  We'll be glad to partner with you on your next adventure.... and get all the details in place. 

Visit us in downtown Palm Springs, CA
The Design Collective Group, Inc.
and our retail studio:
Design Pure + Simple

• Voice:  760 - 322 - 3784
301 N Palm Canyon Drive
Showroom #103
Palm Springs, CA 92262