How Do Interior Designers Charge Their Clients for Design Services?

How do interior designers charge their clients for services rendered? This question is relevant to both interior designers and their clients. To an interior designer, knowing how to bill a client for a potential contract that they hope to get, without over-billing or under-charging can be somewhat challenging. As a professional interior designer, I know the dilemma of trying to charge reasonably without shooting myself in the foot. I know I am not alone.


And then there are the clients. Most clients don’t know what to expect. Many people believe that interior designers are very expensive and would not even dare to think about employing their services. Some ask why they need a designer’s input when they can do it all by themselves - the DIY enthusiasts, of course.

But what happens when you have a project that does require the input of a professional designer? Something more complex like renovations or partial upgrades; interior design works that require design layouts, blueprints, 3D drawings, etc? How about the not-so-complex tasks like a kitchen or bathroom upgrade on a budget or upgrading a dull, drab living room?

There are many ways that an interior designer can charge for services rendered, and this book (also available as an e-book), will show you how. In this book, you’ll find different billing structures. There will be at least a couple of pricing structures that will work best for you and your interior design business.

So whether you are a client who wants to be sure and happy about the way you are being billed, a designer that plans to start up an interior design business or you are already a practising interior designer who wants to avoid costly mistakes that will either make you lose revenue (despite your hard work) or, at best, allow you to just break even, you will be glad you got this book that comes in both digital and paperback forms.

16 Reasons Why Slate Kitchen Countertops are Increasingly Popular


Slate is one of the finest traditional natural stone materials used as kitchen worktops for hundreds of years. It is attractive, has a surprisingly modern look, is durable, and is non-porous. Today, slate worktops are popular for kitchen and bathroom top surfaces. Below are the reasons why.

Why Slate Countertops Are Popular

  1. They have a distinctly handsome appearance, with an elegant and classic look.
  2. They come naturally in blue-black, grey, and muted black hues and blend beautifully with any decor style: traditional, contemporary, or ultra-modern. (You can also find a variety of red, brown, deep purple, blue, and dark green shades).
  3. Slate is non-porous. This quality makes it impermeable to oils, food stains, and bright-colored juices.
  4. As countertops, its longevity is unsurpassed. Slate material is estimated to have a lifespan of close to a century.
  5. It is an excellent antibacterial kitchen worktop material and does not encourage bacterial growth.
  6. Slate is a much better alternative to marble kitchen counters because it does not absorb stains and does not dull with age.
  7. Slate cannot be shined or polished to a glazed finish like marble or granite. Its beauty lies rather in its unique natural rustic look.
  8. The stone is hardy and will not chip or get scratched easily (if you use soft slate instead of hard slate, scratches may occur. They can be rubbed out easily with a smooth, hard-surfaced implement).
  9. It is a dream choice for high-end designs. Slate is used extensively by architects, interior designers and many homeowners who desire luxury kitchen designs.
  10. As a kitchen countertop, slate is very easy to maintain. It only requires cleaning like you will for other natural stone worktops.
  11. There is no need to use special cleaners. A mild soap and a damp cloth will suffice.
  12. It stands up very well to heat, so you can place your hot pans on its surface without worrying about marring your countertop.
  13. In comparison to granite and marble, despite its good qualities, slate countertops are much less expensive.
  14. If you do not like the bold, busy, and streaky patterns of granite and marble, slate, with its stellar looks, is a great alternative.
  15. It has a more uniform appearance than its close relatives - granite, marble, and quartz.
  16. Slate is now an on-trend kitchen material with its rising popularity.
With a kitchen worktop made from slate, your kitchen design will be a conversation topic when people walk into your home.


Blue-black shades of slate tiles will transform any kitchen into a
sophisticated food preparation cum family hub zone.


Tips:
  • Avoid the cheap, cut-throat price slate materials that dominate the market. They stain easily and will fade with time, and they delaminate often.
  • The best quality slate is natural slate smoothed with diamond-edged machines (using fine diamonds to abrade).
  • If you want a wet glazed look typical of granite (slate has a soft matte sheen), rub its surface with lemon (cut in half), or buff with coconut oil.
  • The natural slate is slightly brittle and has sharp edges, so before you install it as a worktop, have it rounded off (with a powered hand grinder) to avoid cuts or injuries.

Slate vs Laminate for Kitchen Worktops? (Video)





Related articles:
7 Ways to Upgrade your Kitchen without Spending a Fortune
Is It Wise (or not) to Use Marble for Kitchen Countertops?
Top 5 Materials for Kitchen Worktops
How to Design Your Kitchen Layout
5 Best Kitchen Layouts: How to Design Efficient Kitchens

What is a Roman Shade?

Roman shades are modern and stylish window treatments made from fabric. Categorised as soft window treatments, Roman shades can be used to add a stylish minimalist theme to an interior space.

Unlike blinds, shades have no adjustable vanes or slats that help you adjust for daylight filtering, rather, they came in various types with different levels of opacity.




Roman shades offer a clean, smooth look that is elegant without being overbearing, like heavy curtains and drapes. Its streamlined look works well with rooms that have small to medium-sized windows. This doesn’t go to say that you can’t use them for wider windows. However, with wider windows, you may need to install two or three Roman shade panels.

How you install Roman shades depends on the type of windows you have. If you have beautiful window openings with mouldings, trims, and elaborate sills, then it's best to fit them inside the window. This will keep the architectural details in view. However, if you have non-descript or plain windows typical of modern homes, it is better to mount the shades on the outside of the window frame.

Types of Roman Shades


There are different types of Roman shades. The variety of fabrics and opacities means that these shade offer a choice for every kind of window and every type of interior design concept. It also means that there is always a choice available to suit everyone’s taste and style. The different types of shades include:

  • Cascade Roman shades
  • Pleated Roman shades
  • Cassette Roman shades
  • Waterfall Roman shades
  • Flat Roman shades
  • Relaxed Roman shades
  • Cassette Roman shades, and,
  • Hobbled Shades

Features of a Roman Shade


1. They stack up evenly in horizontal folds when opened.

2. They are visibly smooth with a clean uncluttered look, and without bump or creases.

3. New innovations in liners and operating systems.

4. Can be raised or lowered with the help of a cord system and rings sewn on the back of the fabric.

5. Gives a clean, streamlined look to the window

6. Roman shades are available in both rolling and stacking options.

7. Durable and easy to clean.

8. Available in an array of colours, textures, patterns, and dramatic designs,

9. They usually have a neutral colour back lining for a smooth consistent view from the outside of the building.

10. Roman shades can be customized to feature curved bottoms, embellishments, tassels, embroidery, fringe, or other types of bottom trims.

11. Thermal or blackout liner for energy efficiency, light blockage, and complete privacy.

12. Can be equipped with cordless operation for both convenience and child safety.


Roman shades have a wide price range, from the cheaper versions to the much more expensive ones. Prices tags will depend on the fabric used, the features they have, and the type of operating system they possess. 



Further reading:
Energy Saving Window Treatments - Honeycomb Window Blinds
How to Clean Honeycomb Window Blinds
How to Clean Bamboo Window Shades the Easy Way
Soft Window Treatments - Basics of Window Dressing
Home Decorating Fabrics by the Yard Online

What are Plant Terrariums?

A terrarium is a glass container that holds natural plants, pebbles, rocks, and soil. It is an ornamental piece of a natural setting that makes a great table or shelf display for your living room, foyer, or bedroom.




There are two types of terrariums, the open ones and closed kinds. While the open terrariums are open to the atmosphere and contain dry-weather plants that need the occasional weekly mist, the closed terrariums contain vegetation that requires a moist environment to thrive. The glass walls allow for both heat and light to enter the terrarium.

Aquariums and terrariums have some similarity in that they are glass containers, but while one contains fish in a natural environment, the terrarium contains a mini garden, kept in a unique environment that’s conducive for plant growth.

The kind of plants you can grow in terrariums depends on whether they are the open or closed types. Plants that thrive well in open terrariums are succulent plants like cacti, aloe vera, and jade plants. while closed terraria are best planted with moisture-loving plants like ferns, moss, air plants, and orchids.




Plant Terrariums as a Home Décor Item


If you like interior décor objects with a natural setting, you will love terrariums. It is like a mini garden or forest enclosed in its a little world. You can create one yourself because they are quite easy to build as long as you use the right plants conducive for the different types of terraria, the open or closed system. You can also purchase them if you are not a hands-on individual like many of us.

Bring new life into any interior space with terrariums by adding them to your room in any of the following ways:

  1. Perfect for accenting your coffee table
  2. Great for creating a mini-oasis atop your study desk.
  3. On a floating shelf, set at eye level, no higher than 5’0” from the floor.
  4. As a display item on the foyer console.
  5. Create a lush focal point with moss, ferns, and flowers with a terrarium
  6. As a centrepiece for your dining table.
  7. As a piece of furniture on a stand to serve as a coffee table, just like an aquarium coffee table.
  8. In the bathroom, you can hang a teardrop terrarium with an adjustable hanging rope.
  9. As decoration object displayed on a chest of drawers in the bedroom.
  10. Hang it solo to round out an empty corner or grouped with similar pieces for a stunning display in any room with ‘dead’ corners.




Features of a Terrarium


  • Closed terrariums are self-watering. The mini garden releases water vapour which collects on the glass walls of the container and trickles down into the soil.
  • Because they are self-nourishing the plants in closed terrariums require very little maintenance.
  • Every terrarium has a drainage layer of charcoal (or gravel) that ensures excess water drains away from the soil and prevent root rot.


Related posts:
Where to Display Indoor Water Features in Your Home
Top 5 Materials for Kitchen Worktops 


How High Should You Hang Curtains and Drapes?

Curtains and other types of drapery are an important feature of your interior space. Without window treatments, a room will look incomplete. When curtains are well installed, they can transform a lacklustre wall into an elegant feature that becomes an integral part of the décor and art featured in the room.


Curtains come in various forms, styles, fullness, and lengths, and include pinch-pleated drapes, cased-heading curtains, box pleated, eyelet, tailored pleat, tab-top, and goblet curtains.

Currently, the popular trend in curtains and similar window treatments is floor-length, ceiling-height curtain panels. They are hung with iron rods or other decorative curtain rods with different styles of finials.

Because they are the final feature that completes a room's design, it is important to know the best ways to hang them and how high to install them so that they become an enhancement to other interior décor elements.

The Most Appealing Heights


For a professional and stylish look, the most appealing height is the full wall height, meaning a drop from the ceiling. That complete vertical adds a great dimension to the interior design and gives walls the illusion of extra height.

For those who prefer not to install their curtains at the ceiling height, it is important to position the rod a minimum of 6” from the top of the window and a maximum of 12” above it.

If you have high ceilings, you must go higher so your window treatments don’t appear squat. So, the higher your ceiling, the higher your curtains must be installed.

If you are using a valance or swags, install them so that their top ends are about 12” to 15” from the ceiling if you have high ceilings. If your ceiling height is low, install your curtains with a gap of a maximum of 12” from the ceiling.

To summarise it all, the most important rule for beautiful and professional-looking window treatments is to hang your curtains and drapery high.

Tips

  • One trick you can employ to make your curtains appear taller and make them more eye-catching is to combine two window treatments. This adds to the design of both the wall and the interior space.
  • To achieve this, hang the curtain rod at least 12 inches above the window and hang bamboo shades or roman blinds directly under the pole. When the curtains are drawn open and the blinds are pulled one-third way down the window, it will conceal the blank wall between the rod and the window frame. 
  • Remember to leave an allowance of about 1” from the curtain hem to the floor, to allow for cleaning. 
  • Extend the curtain rods beyond the width of the window by a minimum of 4” on each side. This measurement must be taken without the finials to give the illusion that the window is wide. 
  • Steam iron the curtains to remove any wrinkles, because if you think that the wrinkles will “fall out” in time, they will not.


Further reading:
What is a Roman Shade?
Soft Window Treatments - Basics of Window Dressing
Home Decorating Fabrics by the Yard Online
How to Clean Honeycomb Window Blinds
How to Clean Bamboo Window Shades the Easy Way

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