Building Nevada - April 2000

Interior Design Mistakes

Avoiding the most common pitfalls

by Cindie Geddes

Who hasn’t been there? You buy a new home, choosing it for that amazing 20-foot ceiling, only to find your new furniture looks like Barbie Dream House accessories once inside. Or you begin moving in that custom-built cabinet only to find it won’t fit through the door. What about that dark corner you didn’t notice? Or the carpet that looked so great in the showroom, but now makes your furniture look like it came from the Brady Bunch? No, wait, the worst? The paint that matches everything, gives your home that decorator feel, but makes you look like you’ve contracted malaria.

"We save the client money on mistakes," says Judith Fermoile, ASID, owner and designer for Fermoile Design Ltd. in Reno and a Governor-appointed member of the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design, and Residential Design (state.nv.us/nsbaidrd), which regulates the industry. "In the long run, homeowners really don’t save money doing it themselves." Katie Jesse, an interior designer with Domus Design Group in Reno, says a lot of talented people out there can perform some of the work themselves, but they often go beyond their limits and do things they should hire out. Then when they do retain a professional, that person ends up having to redo some things or spend time fixing mistakes which costs more than if they had been hired for the job from the beginning.

A common mistake that comes up again and again when speaking with designers is a lack of experience in working with scale. "A lot of people have big problems with proportions," Fennoile says, "and don’t know how to scale things for a room" Barbara Woolf vice president of Soled Design International, Inc in Las Vegas, says this is because they arc not used to seeing a room as a whole. "People tend to pick what they like on the showroom floor," she says, "but an experienced designer can visualize the completed room while still in the planning stage. Though they may purchase items one at a time, over time, they have done a complete study of design and scale and will choose items to fit in each setting."

Planning is the key to design. Jesse, who has 10 years of experience in interior design, insists it is important to have an overall design concept even for the smallest projects (though she sees people with huge projects skipping this important step) Each room needs to be seen as an independent design element. Even if it’s going to be done over time, in stages, it still needs to be thought of as one piece. "People can make an awful mish-mosh of things," says Fermolle. "They don’t look at the big picture. They just say, ‘I want a sofa,’ without seeing how it relates to the walls, the windows, the coverings. They don’t quite know how to put it all together."

With planning comes budget. Yes, budget. You can’t just buy a couch and call the room decorated. Well, you could, but no one would believe you. When you see the room as its own design element, you have to budget for all the pieces of the element. "By not knowing what they have and what they are willing to spend," says Jesse, "important elements aren’t incorporated into the initial budget and the design is compromised." Some pieces of the element that get overlooked? Finishing touches such as lighting, window treatments and accessories (which can cost as much as the furniture).

"Lighting is one of those important things people make a lot of mistakes with," says Woolf, who has worked all over the world in her 30 years as a designer. "When I light a room," she says, "I individualize lighting, like spotlighting each table setting in a dining room. Someone else might just stick one big light over the table." She also emphasizes that lighting should fit the style and use of the room. For example, you would want sconces for a traditional room rather than recessed lighting. And never put fluorescent lighting around the mirror in the bathroom unless you really like to see yourself with that washed-out department store look. Consider what the lighting is for — mood, emphasizing accessory pieces or sheer utility.

Accessorizing can be tricky for the nonprofessional as well. "A lot of time people don’t have the experience to focus on or bring together the details," says Jesse. From architecture to interior elements, details can make a room. "Simple things like molding and trim are the details you don’t notice until they are actually there. Then you appreciate them."

Woolf suggests you begin the design process before the house is even built, so you can know where to put windows and the fireplace and the like. It’s better to do it all in the planning stages, rather than dealing with time-consuming and costly change orders. Or if you are buying a home from walking through a model, remember all you know about design and try to see the space and how the rooms will function, rather than being wowed by the decor.

On a smaller scale, Woolf says interior plants are very important — they warm a room instantly. She also advises people to look for a few important accessories, rather than a lot of little stuff. "People tend to accessorize too small," she says, which brings back the issue of scale. A big room needs big accessories. A lot of small items will just look like clutter.

Interior design also involves a fear element. "People aren’t brave enough to use color," says Fermoile, who after 20 years of experience in Reno, says, "Don’t be afraid of color. That’s my mantra. Too many people stay on the quiet side, the dull side, choosing what they see in furniture stores only." Woolf agrees, adding that wall color and plants can do a lot for a room and for the people occupying the room. "I do a lot of color analysis for clients," she says. "A lot of people disappear against certain colors. Color can make you look tired or sick."

A designer offers expertise, but not just in design. They also have the skinny on stateof-the-art appliances, quality merchandise, where to find particular styles and new products and their applications. They know what’s a fad and what is style, and they can save you from having an outdated look before the carpet even wears out.

"Even someone on a tiny budget would be wise to go to an interior designer and pay for some time," says Fermoile. "Even an hour can really help someone immensely." She suggests you take notes and be organized when you go in. Settle on one room and have a lot of pertinent questions ready. Blueprints are a plus, but the designer should come to your home. Know your budget — a designer will run from about $75 to $150 per hour — and what existing pieces you want to use. Clip pictures from magazines so the designer can see what styles you like and implement what will actually work in you home. Know how much you want to do yourself. In an hour, she says, a designer can give you a concept you can work with or that you can work out through a designer through their vast network of sources.

When choosing a designer, first call a few and talk to them. See if they have a demeanor with which you would enjoy working. "Look for a sense of humor," says Fermoile. "This can be fun; it’s not a trip to the dentist." Ask if they have time to devote to the project and whether or not they have residential experience. You don’t need a license for residential design, but the designer should have experience. Ask for references, and then call them; ask for a portfolio and a résumé. Make sure they have liability insurance. Ask if they are registered. "There are capable designers who never get registered," says Fermoile. But she adds that for her, she feels anything she can do to step up and take tests and prove herself a professional helps her and the client. Registration proves a designer has passed the National Council of Interior Design Qualifications test (which requires a good two days to take), as well as a Nevada-specific test on construction codes and health safety issues, and has at least two to three years of experience. "They should at least have a business license," she points out, "and it’s nice if they belong to a professional organization." You can also contact the World Wide Interior Design Referral Service (800/775-ASID, or interiors.org), which is run by the American Society of Interior Designers.

In the long run, a designer can save you money. She or he can find you quality you won’t be replacing in a year, style that stands the test of time. She can go to sources you could never find for products you wouldn’t want to live without. She can turn your home into your castle. Hopefully, she can make you laugh along the way.