We offer some guidelines on getting the greatest benefit from the design process and creating a successful relationship with your design professional. This article has been adapted with permission of the BSA (Boston Society of Architects). The original article about working with an architect is available on the BSA web site.

As the owner and client, you must take responsibility for a good working relationship with your artist or designer to insure the success of your project.

Good communication—the key to success in any endeavor. Be clear about your needs so your artist or designer understands your preferences, lifestyle, and intended use of the space to be designed. Ask a lot of questions and be sure to get answers in language that you understand.

Decide on your budget—don't be afraid to discuss budget with your artist or designer at the outset—both the ideal and the maximum you are willing to spend—and communicate it clearly.

Make decisions in a timely manner—Try not revisiting or reversing decisions you have already made, because it is likely your artist or designer has already acted on them and designed accordingly. If you do change your mind, tell the artist or designer immediately.

Review promptly—The drawings and materials the artist or designer prepares for you are essential to the timely and successful outcome of your project. The artist or designer will appreciate your returning them quickly with questions and concerns.

Be flexible and patient about achieving the design solution—Your design professional will have your best interests at heart, and a desire to achieve the best results with a high level of satisfaction. Sometimes the best solution is arrived at through a process of sketching, discussions, and revisions, which take time.

Some suggestions to help you choose the right decorative artist or designer for your project:

Experience
Experience in many kinds of situations is usually helpful. The person you work with should be a professional who is committed to creating high quality work and who will follow through with the details of the project while respecting the environment they are working in.

Chemistry
You should be convinced that the artist or designer will listen to you. You should be comfortable sharing details of your lifestyle, needs, and budget as well as your hopes for and concerns about the project.

References
Be comfortable requesting comments from other people for whom the designer has worked. They should be satisfied customers who can attest to the designer's, or the painter's, ability to respect agreements about services, fees and schedule.

Firm structure
Be sure that your project will be a priority for the artist and will not get lost in the shuffle of a busy practice. Insist that the person with whom you have developed a rapport continues to work on your project. The firm should be committed to projects such as yours. If you choose an artist who is "moonlighting," he or she may be less available for day-to-day construction-phase work as needed.

Firm size
Some decorative finishes employ people to execute the work that someone else has designed. In a large-scale project this is understandable. But for smaller projects a senior-level professional is more likely to understand exactly what is needed for installation on your project. Ideally, in the case of decorative finishes or "faux" painting, the person who has created your decorative finish is the person who installs it.

Design Philosophy
You and your designer should be philosophically, aesthetically and ethically compatible. Regardless of the artist's goals and stylistic preferences, you should have confidence that your project will be specially designed with your needs in mind.

Services
Decorative finishers' services vary. Some with larger companies might provide base painting included in their fees, while others will recommend painters whose work they can vouch for, and either contract with that person on your behalf, or let you choose your own painter. Regardless of the way it is arranged, application of the base paint is an important part of a fine decorative finish and it should be done by a qualified professional who understands the requirements of the decorative finisher.

Design Fees
Fees should not be the determining factor in selecting your decorative finisher. Variations in cost generally reflect variances in service. Define the scope of service carefully, including covering possible areas of cost-savings as well as extra options. Style of finishes, materials, number of layers needed, site conditions and the size and configuration of the space all contribute to the final cost of your project.

Questions to Ask Your Decorative Artist or Designer

1. What does the designer/artist see as important issues or considerations in your project? What are the challenges of the project?
2. How will the designer/artist gather information about your needs, goals, etc.?
3. How will the designer/artist establish priorities and make decisions?
4. Who from the firm will you be dealing with directly? Is it the same person who will be designing the project? If not, who will be designing it? Who will be doing the installation?
5. How interested is the designer/artist in this project?
6. How busy is the designer/artist?
7. What sets this designer/artist apart from the rest?
8. What would the designer/artist expect the fee to be for this project?
9. When will fee payments be expected?
10. What are the steps in the design and installation process?
11. What does the designer/artist expect you to provide?
12. Does the designer/artist have a specific design style? Can he/she show examples of past design work? Can he/she modify individual style to suit your project?
13. What will the designer/artist show you along the way to explain the project? Will you see drawings, sketches, and design color boards?
14. If the scope of the project changes later in the project, will there be additional fees? How will these fees be justified? Ask about "change-order" conditions.
15. What services does the designer/artist provide during installation?
16. How disruptive will installation be? How long does the designer/artist expect it to take to complete your project?
17. Can the designer/artist provide a list of past clients with whom he or she has worked?
18. Does the designer/artist carry commercial insurance

Some Recommendations - to get the best result in the end
You can avoid common pitfalls that occur during design and construction projects.

• Remember that you get what you pay for - be sure to hire a qualified artist or designer, not just the least expensive one.
• Do not expect to save money by hiring non-professionals.
• Ask for a contract or letter of agreement detailing fees, schedules, budgets and tasks, and monitor the process outlined in the agreement.
• Take time to plan for your project - and allow your artist or designer the time needed to properly design, install, and order any necessary special materials.
• Do not allow your artist or designer to rush you to decisions (about detailing, materials, etc.).
• Make all design decisions before installation begins. It can be expensive to change your mind later.
• Resist revisiting decisions once you make them. Every decision affects work done after it; changes can be costly.
• It is not reasonable to expect that a decorating project will heal a marriage, friendship or company; it won't.
• It is unwise to try to fit your needs into a beloved design. Instead, allow a design to grow from a thorough understanding of your needs.
• Ask many questions until you get the answers you need in language you can understand.
• Ask questions about anything you don't understand.
• Do not substitute "bargain" materials for good materials.
• Allow budget contingencies for both design and installation.

Call us at (508) 359-5753 or email to discuss projects for your home, your business, or a client project. We look forward to working with you.

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