Interior Design Tips - Most Hated Room Design Ideas

Just because some ideas are popular does not make them practical, or lasting. In the interior design business, even the hottest trends can become hated room design ideas fairly quickly. Here we share a few trends that were once popular but which have become anathema.

Hated Living Rooms Designs

Perhaps the most popular living room design idea in recent memory, at least in new homes built in the past 20 years, the TV-over-the-fireplace has become the least appreciated design choice you can make. This, despite the fact that so many new homes feature a built-in location for the TV, above the fireplace.

For many designers, it’s the fireplace that should be the focus of the family’s living space, not a large black plastic appliance. Then, you have the ergonomic inconvenience of placing a television at a height that is largely uncomfortable for many to watch it, instead of at eye level. (Yeah, how did that neck-breaker of an idea become acceptable?)

While funk and faux may make a space unique, it may also be too unique. After all, few homeowners stay put for decades any longer, which means they’ll eventually need to sell. Though the family in the home below may have loved living in the funky design of the living room below, odds are prospective buyers will find it off-putting.

"Asking a buyer to adopt your specific design style is risky," says Jill Hosking-Cartland, an interior designer in Windham, NH. "Most buyers see these polarizing design elements as work they will have to do and spend money on to make the home a reflection of their own personal style."

Outdated everything – need we say more?

(Sorry you had to see that!)

Hated Kitchen Designs

As the most-used room in the house, kitchens tend to be most reflective of the homeowner’s personal style: including everything from the merely practical to the latest, most innovative looks and appliances.

White appliances make a kitchen feel dated. A 21^st Century kitchen will feature stainless steel or black stainless-steel appliances. And, while they don’t all have to be SMART, they should certainly be digital.

Black stainless is all the rage in kitchens across the country!

When a picture is worth a thousand words – little else needs to be said.

From open shelving to reclaimed wood, and from mixed countertops to mixed metals, this kitchen is breaking all the rules of a well-designed, harmonious space (and that’s without even mentioning the color!)

There are so many challenges here the prospect of redesigning the space is daunting but, considering the psychic damage that is likely being done the family that lives here, designers should be lining up to bid on this job.

When DIY has gone out of control, a designer is needed to fix it.

OK, just stop already!

When working with a homeowner, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that they are part of a transient population; they’re likely to sell their home sooner rather than later. According to the US Census Bureau, just 37% of Americans have lived in their homes for more than 10 years, with a median duration of 5.9 years.

This means that they, and you, should design their home with the high probability of resale in mind.

Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

What is Good Customer Service Really About?

The ability to know a customer and anticipate her needs; and, to finally, creatively, and effectively recover from a problem or challenge, are the very cornerstones of good customer service. For an interior designer, where the interaction is so very personal, the importance of such service cannot be overstated.In addition to understanding the customer, simple good manners, kindness, and remembering to constantly communicate with and thank customers for their business are the basics of exceptional customer experiences; the type that leads to positive testimonials and referrals, as well as increased income.Customer-centric Thinking Will Enhance Your BrandOf course, knowing these things and putting them into practice can be very different exercises. After all, those of us in service industries are as human as our clients; which means we too can suffer from a lack of patience with problematic clients, or we can just have a bad day. Yet, for a designer, not only will good service have a positive effect on sales, exceptional service will also define your brand!Accomplishing such a lofty goal requires placing the goals and needs of the customer first – without reservation or hesitation – and committing all of your assets, talents, and mental energy to that. In other words, you can’t just say it, you have to mean it.Doing this is not always easy. Human nature is fundamentally self-centered but, if you understand that doing what is best for the client is also what is best for you and the success of your design business, you're more than halfway there already.There is an axiomatic business philosophy that can help you achieve this customer-centric goal: Tell people what you’re going to do for them; do what you told them that you were going to do for them; and, finally, tell them that you did what you told them you were going to do for them.This type of customer-centric thinking will not only enhance your reputation with your clients, it will also reinforce such thinking for you and your team, keeping good customer service at the forefront of your business model.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Marketing Tips – Be More Responsive to Client Inquiries

One of the best things about the “information age” in which we live today is that clients and potential clients tend to have a better understanding of what they want from their interior designer. On the other hand, some clients who use the internet for research learn just enough to become dangerous – to their designer and themselves.Overall though, today’s clients know what they want, and when they want it – now. With the internet at their fingertips, they can quickly access a nearly infinite number of ideas, products, and potential designers. If they send an inquiry and don’t get a response from one designer, it takes little for them to get in touch with another.Understanding this craving for “instant access” that is at the top of mind of so many consumers is critical to your ongoing success. In fact, there is recent research which indicates that, if you respond to a potential client within five minutes of receiving a message, it increases your chances of reaching that person by 100 times, compared with responding after 30 minutes, for example.This means that responding promptly to potential clients’ voicemails, emails, and other messages, from homeowners and office managers, from your website, social media page, email marketing, or any marketing effort, will greatly increase your likelihood of winning the job.How to be More ResponsiveIf you set a goal of being more responsive to client inquiries, you're going to boost the odds of landing a contract in your favor. The average time it takes a small business to respond to a potential client is 48 minutes. You can set yourself apart and impress your prospective customer by being far more responsive.

• Establish a hard time frame – Since you know that the faster you respond to inquiries the more likely you are to get the job, you and your team should establish a goal of replying to inquiries within a hard and fast time frame. For email inquiries, the faster the better; literally within minutes. For phone inquiries, perhaps half-an-hour will do. Experience will tell you if your time frame is working for you. If not, make adjustments – and – ensure the entire team knows your goal and sticks to it.
• Use a forwarding system – A busy designer is often out of the office, working with clients and potential clients, or with suppliers and subs. To overcome such limitations to communication, set up a system that will quickly forward calls and emails to you, wherever you are. Of course, you must then adhere to your own time frame for responding.
• Set up a timesaving process – Wasting time on inquiries which are not serious or are out of your market can disincline you to be responsive, which can cost you the better jobs. Creating a streamlined process for handling inquiries can help you stay focused on the work and use your time efficiently. For example, a simple questionnaire that can help you determine if the potential client is a good fit for you will save time and energy and will reduce frustration.

Do you have an efficient process for responding to new client inquiries? Share your thoughts below and help another interior designer take their business to the next level.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Marketing Tips - 4 Basic Business Tips

In an age of internet marketing and online sales, we sometimes forget the basics of face-to-face encounters with potential clients. Since we experience such interactions almost daily in the design business, it seems a good idea to remember some of the basic business tips for success. As a designer, you can never forget that you're dealing with human beings, not some anonymous online entity.While these tips may seem obvious, they are rarely top-of-mind for most business owners today. We hope this reminder will help you keep them there, for your benefit – and the benefit of your clients:

• Be professional – It should go without saying but, in an age where civility and simple courtesy seem to have gotten lost, a bit of decency and graciousness will go a very long way. In fact, because such behavior seems so rare today, displaying your professionalism will make you stand out from the crowd as unique, considerate, and dedicated to your craft. These are all characteristics of the most successful interior designers.
• Open communication – A little bit of effort goes a very long way here – and is also a sign of your professionalism. Being patient and willing to chat with a client, even when busy, is a hallmark of a dedicated designer. Perhaps more important is your willingness to call back when you miss a client inquiry. Do this in a timely fashion even if it’s just to say, “I haven’t had a chance to look at that issue for you yet but, I will just as soon as I can, then will call you back with your answer. Thanks for your patience.”
• Improve your listening skills – What’s that old saying from our favorite design business coach, Epictetus? "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." In a service industry that is as personal as interior design, the ability to listen well could not be more important. Listening is the key to understanding your client's vision for their space(s). If this talent is not among your skill set, you’d best take some classes – pronto. Can you hear me now?
• Close the deal – Hard to overemphasize this one; in fact, we’ve mentioned it in many posts. It remains a weak spot in the skill set of many independent designers – a reluctance to ask for the sale. Perhaps it’s best to think about it like this; before making a deal and beginning work, the client owes you nothing. Regardless of how much work you may have out in measuring, sketching, and estimating a job, she owes you absolutely nothing for your work – until you ask her to buy and she says, “Yes.”

In other words, if you hope to get paid for your efforts, it is your responsibility to close the deal – asking the client if she is ready for you to implement your proposals. It is not the client’s responsibility to ask you to work for her.As a designer, you can never forget that you're dealing with human beings, not some anonymous online entity. Keeping these four basic business tips in mind will help.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Helping Your Clients to Be Master Entertainers

Though not directed at interior designers per se, an insightful article at the website PopSugar.com offers some hints to the sharp designer about helping clients make their homes more guest-friendly. Titled, “What Guests Really Notice in Your Home,” the article presents a To-do list for homeowners expecting guests. While some of these tips are well beyond your abilities to help, you would do well to keep a few of them in mind if you have a client who likes to entertain.From the scent of the home to displaying fresh flowers and eliminating clutter, the homeowner’s responsibilities are minimal but effective. Obviously, sharing such tips with your client would be to your long-term advantage. For the rest of the list, you can certainly offer solutions as you work to reimagine the spaces in the home:A Well-Stocked BarWhile it is not your responsibility to ensure that the bar is “topped off” and ready to serve the needs of any guest, there is nothing that says you can’t make it an interesting conversation piece, and even a focus of the designated entertainment space.A Well-Appointed Guest BathroomFocus on the spaces that will see the most traffic during a party. The guest bath is obviously one of these spaces, and it has the potential to make a statement on behalf of the homeowner; at a minimum, that she cares about the comfort of her guests. An Organized EntrywayFirst and last impressions – well – make a lasting impression. Keeping this area welcoming yet well-organized can be quite a challenge but, in the long run, it will pay off for the homeowner.Again, while actual party-prep is not your responsibility as a designer, helping your client feel comfortable in their home, and in the ways they use the spaces you design for them, certainly is. Keeping these few points in mind when working with clients who enjoy entertaining can only help you help them make their guests comfortable.Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Online Marketing Tips: Branding Your Interior Design Business

Early in 2010, a woman in Denver, Colorado, decided it was the perfect time to launch her interior design business. She’d finished school and an internship, and had spent two years working for another well-known designer in town. She had some nice references with a decent amount of work in her portfolio and, while her reputation was not overwhelming, it was solid.Through her experience with her employer, she had built contacts among suppliers and contractors in the business and had managed to put together an acceptable level of interest from former and prospective clients. Above all, she had faith in herself, that she could help people create the home of their dreams, and that she would find success on her own.Being more tech-savvy than most, she knew she would need a great website and sought help from one of the most respected website development and internet marketing firms in the Denver market, figuring they would have the local knowledge she would need in support of her efforts. Using stunning digital imagery and extremely descriptive copywriting, her new website was a huge success – branding her as an up-and-coming player in the Denver interior design market.Over the next few years, she exceeded her own expectations and her new business grew by leaps and bounds. She built a team of associates and support personnel that helped her greatly and, finally, felt confident enough in herself and her team that she was able to end the contract with her web developer and outside marketing support, saving herself quite a bit of cash.When Your Brand Begins to FadeWithin months, her brand began to suffer and she had no idea why. For the first time in three years, her sales went flat, then began a slow and subtle decline. Over the next 18 months, she struggled to understand what was happening and, while she was not in danger of losing her business, she came to realize that she would need help to save it.Re-enter her former internet marketing team, the folks who had helped her build a great website did her blogging/copywriting and social media marketing and helped her develop and reinforce her brand.You see, what our talented but inexperienced business owner had failed to learn from her startup experience is this… Branding your design business is a never-ending task – and it will change over time – based on market forces and other factors.How to Employ Consistent BrandingWhile the team she had built had taken over much of what her contractor had been doing for her, they lacked the experience and insight required to respond to shifting trends and new technologies. Essentially, they were simply copying and repeating what had already been done for them, using stale content while expecting fresh results.

• Imagery must be enhanced with video – While quality imagery remains important, in today’s online marketplace, video has become a critical element in a consumers’ buying decisions. In fact, the more visual your product or service – and interior design is nothing if not visual – the more valuable video will be for you.
• Creative copywriting requires experience – and the ability to tell a story. While building your brand will be done largely through the copy on your website, reinforcing your brand and enhancing your reputation will be done by blogging. This can be extremely challenging when the subject matter is even somewhat repetitive. After all, how does one make stories of multiple bathroom redesigns sound original? Experience and creativity are required to overcome the sense of redundancy that such blogging can generate.
• Social media platforms are always changing – From changing policies to shifts in audience demographics, knowing how to get your message across through social media is a constantly shifting target. It can be extremely time-consuming, especially for a novice, and requires almost daily immersion and a great deal of experience, if you want to avoid wasted effort.

For our Denver designer, things were soon back to normal. Her business continues to grow and she is again exceeding expectations, thanks to consistent branding and a comprehensive marketing strategy.Of course, not every emerging designer can afford to hire outside help for web development and marketing support. However, based on the experience of our business owner, you can be successful in branding your design business if you keep these things in mind.Have you struggled to establish and maintain a recognizable brand for your interior design business? Have you overcome those challenges? Share your experiences in the comments section.Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

How to Know the Personality Type of Your Remodeling Client

An interesting article at Houzz.com claims to be able to predict the personality type of remodeling clients. Using just five questions, including two that have nothing to do with remodeling, author Hannah Kaspar claims to be able to predict how laid-back or difficult a remodeling client may be during a project.

While knowing this information would certainly be helpful, is this the best way to determine it?

From laid-back to controlling and from impulsive to procrastinator, your client’s personality type will obviously influence how smoothly the project runs (or not). Whether one can tell the type from the questions below, however, is problematic. Although, this little quiz may be better than nothing.

1. You get an invoice from your builder that has a line item you don’t understand. What do you do?

• Cross out what you don’t understand and pay only for what makes sense to you.
• Worry about it a little, but ultimately decide to pay the invoice in full. You’re sure it’ll make sense later.
• Call your builder and get your questions answered before paying the bill.
• Put it aside for now. You’ve got time before it’s due.

2. What’s your ideal date?

• Something I plan the day of, if not right before — spontaneity is key!
• A dinner at my favorite restaurant, where I know the menu like the back of my hand. The waiters call me by name, and the service is amazing; not a single request goes unfulfilled.
• An ideal date is one that’s planned together, with open communication and a lot of wiggle room.
• I’m up for whatever my date has planned. And even if I don’t like it, I’ll be a good sport, and he or she won’t hear a peep about it (for now).

3. What’s your biggest complaint about remodeling?

• The dust and the noise. I hate my home not feeling like my home!
• I feel as though there’s so much to focus on at home that my work/school life takes a backseat. I never get anything else done!
• My only “complaint” is that it’s not free! Ha!
• I hate the end phase. All the little bits of stress from the project add up, and I feel as if I’m going to lose my mind. I just want my house back!

4. Which song lyric resonates with you the most?

• Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing gonna be alright. — Bob Marley, Three Little Birds
• I got to do things my own way, darling. — Rihanna, Consideration
• Put it off until tomorrow, whoa, whoa. — Dolly Parton, Put It Off Until Tomorrow
• Hello, daddy. Hello, mom. I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! —The Runaways, Cherry Bomb

5. Describe your perfect remodel in three words or short phrases.

• Well-planned. Controlled. On time.
• Drama-free. Clean.
• Easy. Low stress.
• Well-directed. Under budget.

Ultimately, experience and relationship building will determine how well or poorly you get along with any remodeling client – and any personality type. Keeping the answers to questions 1, 3, and 5 in mind might be helpful as you interview a potential client, though.

Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Quick and Easy Home Design Tips: How to Bring Summer Inside

From time to time, an interior design job requires subtle touches that may not come to mind immediately. For a client who loves the outdoors but lives downtown, or who loves the beach but lives in the middle of the country, you can bring summer inside with these quick and easy home design tips.Often, the smallest change can alter the feel of a space significantly. These tips will help you set up a client’s home in ways that make it feel spa-like and outdoorsy.

Imagination Brings a Trip to the Coast Inside

For client who miss life on the coast, a strategic use of decorative sea shells as an accent can bring the coast to them. (AcanthusAndAcorn.com)If you're looking for more than just an accent, sea shells and a rustic shelf, along with a few other items, can alter the entire feel of a room. Is this what vacation looked like when they were children? (CompletelyCoastal.com)

Wood Bath Mats Add Luxury and Reduce Humidity

It’s easy to add a touch of luxury to the bath, along with an outside feel, using wooden bath mats. Hard woods like ash, or Aromatic Japanese hinoki wood, are naturally resistant to humidity and have some antibacterial properties. They will help to reduce the feeling of dampness and the potential for bacterial growth that is present in a thick cloth mat. (Crate & Barrel, dog not included)

Beach Accessories in the Home Tell the Story

Hanging beach towels in the bath may be the quickest, easiest way to bring summer inside. For anyone who’s slow to grasp the concept, these towels tell the story loud and clear! (MyHomeIdeas.com)

Outdoor Showers Bring the Beach Home

Last but not least, if you can’t bring summer inside, set up an outside shower, enabling your clients to feel like they’re living at the beach. An outdoor shower near the pool makes sense anyway but, for those who want to feel closer to the beach, this is a great way to get them there. (CoastalLiving.com)You can take it a step further by adding beach themed accessories…Or a nautical theme.Do you have other ideas to make a home feel “summery”? Share your summer home design tips in the comments section below.Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Best Kitchen Upgrades for Better Home Improvement ROI

In a previous post, Value of the Most Popular Home Improvement Projects, we outlined for you where your clients can expect the greatest return on investment for remodeling the rooms of their homes. While none of the most popular home improvements offered an overwhelming return, bathrooms and kitchens consistently showed the best ROI. Here, we present some of the most profitable kitchen upgrades to improve the ROI of a remodel.You can use these tips to help close the deal on kitchen upgrades when you have a client that wants to “think about it some more”.Recessed lighting, double sinks and ample room to sit and eat are the top trends in kitchen designs, according to a recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) survey. Yet, according to Realtor.com, custom cabinetry, a kitchen island, creative lighting, granite counters, large pantry, stainless-steel appliances, tile backsplash, and breakfast bar.

Hot Trends in Kitchen Appliances

High-end appliances, also known as “kitchen bling”, are typically the most expensive renovation, usually with an equally high ROI. Call it a need for eye candy, but shiny new appliances – fridge, stove, stainless-steel dishwasher – have a huge impact on prospective home buyers, which is good news for the current homeowner.From retro to contemporary, appliances can “make the space” when it comes to kitchen renovations.

Custom Cabinetry in the Kitchen Offers Good ROI

After appliances, cabinets are the most expensive item on a kitchen upgrade checklist, averaging between $3,900 and $12,000.Custom cabinets say something about the homeowner, reflecting both taste and functionality. (Ikea.com) 

Island Living

While a trip to the Bahamas might be nice, island life in the kitchen has huge potential for increasing the value of a renovation. Combined with granite counter tops, another popular improvement, a kitchen island should always be considered, if space is available. (Mutfak Modelleri)

Stone Countertops are Hard to Beat

Pure white is making a comeback. When added to the countertops, you may be creating an unbeatable combination for your client. (Mutfak Modelleri)While the immediate goal of a kitchen renovation is to make the most popular room in the house even more livable, it’s always wise to keep the eventual return on investment of kitchen upgrades in mind for your client.Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today. 

Interior Design Tips: Kitchen Cabinets for the Most Popular Room in the House

It has long been said that the kitchen is the most popular room in the house for most families. Yet, it is often the bane of their lives for interior designers. Perhaps the reason for this is that the kitchen IS the most popular room, meaning everyone in the family has an opinion about it.Well, in case you were wondering, the adage is true. According to a study by Realtor.com, analyzing the rooms most mentioned in listing descriptions, the kitchen has overwhelmingly become the most popular room in the home at 69%, followed by the bedroom (49%), garage (35%), and living room (21%).This means that, as a designer, you must place as much importance on kitchen design, functionality, and comfort as your client does. Obviously, knowing which features of the kitchen will help it stand out among other homes is critical to a successful redesign.Some features will add value to a kitchen, while other amenities are less relevant to buyers. Custom cabinetry ranks at the top of the list for adding value to a kitchen, followed by a kitchen island, creative lighting, granite counters, large pantry, stainless-steel appliances, tile backsplash, and breakfast bar. To protect yourself from angry clients, stay away from over-the-stove microwaves, maple cabinets, and 4 x 4 tile floors.If buyers like custom cabinets (and they do), and they also like wood (and they do), then it makes sense to focus on finding the right custom wood cabinets to add value to your client’s kitchen.Custom Shaker-style wood cabinetry offers far more than ample storage in this redesigned kitchen. (NewHomeSource.com)Lighter woods also have their place when the client wants an open, roomier feel. (NewHomeSource.com)The simplicity of design does not have to mean simplistic. Paints and veneers add flexibility to wood cabinetry that is hard to match. (Phil Kean Design Group)The concept of “home” still pulls at the heartstrings, and homebuilders say that upgrading certain features and adding special flourishes remains high on buyers’ shopping lists. As shown above, #1 on that list is the kitchen!Looking for more new design trends, tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.