Isn't hiring an interior designer a lot more expensive than if I do it
myself?
Not necessarily, unless your store is "Bob's". :) Stores have a high overhead and typically charge a 250%-300%
mark up (and often times more!) on the furnishings that you are buying and THEN mark them down to reflect a so-called "discount" price. This is how they attempt to make you feel that you are getting a "good deal". Their "good deal" is still at least a 100% mark up or more!.Our mark up is considerably
lower, even if we are getting our items at a "designer discount" (which is sometimes at a higher starting point than that of a "stocking dealer" or store). Our prices to our clients are never higher than that of a furniture store for the same items. Furthermore, we have the expertise and experience to help you avoid
making COSTLY mistakes! Store "designers" generally do not have the same experience or design aesthetic to put it all together successfully. Some of our items sold are exclusive, however, and cannot
be found in any stores. True, some designers charge very high fees and
mark ups however, our fees/mark ups are very reasonable. And some designers
ONLY sell very exclusive VERY high-end furnishings, which are very expensive.
We sell furnishings at all different price points as many of the same or similar furnishings that you would find in a store, and often for even less money! Therefore, hiring an interior designer who is also coordinating everything can actually SAVE time, money and best of all --- make the entire process fun and much less stressful!
Are there any other fees that I need to know about?
In most cases, there is only one other fee that is required; this is a
nominal design fee of about 500 dollars for each major room design or
a bit more for extensive renovations. (or less for very small jobs) This
is an upfront one-time design fee to cover the time spent with drawing,
shopping, planning and consultation. The only other fees not associated
with purchases, might be for consultations with architects, builders and
associated craftsmen, but there is only a charge for this, if the consults
become extensive which is not very common. You will NEVER receive a bill
and think, "What is this for?"
Do I have to pay you to just come out and see if we would like to hire
you?
No, for qualified customers, the first visit is always complimentary unless you live in Manhattan or more than a 30 mile radius of Katonah, NY. Manhattan clients will be charged $100 to come out. If you are between 31-50 mile (except NY City), the charge to come out for the initial consult is $50. If you live over 50 miles away, please call the office about the possibility of working long distance. Yes, it is possible!
I still really want to purchase everything myself, will you come out
and just help with colors and layout, etc?
Yes, this is a service we will provide.
Can I use my own craftspeople/contractors, ie: Painters, wood workers,
etc?
Absolutely, yes!
Do I have to order everything all at once?
No. We will come out and discuss your needs with you and a general idea
of budget. If we are starting from scratch we will do a room layout with
all the items that need to be incorporated. After the selections are made,
you will receive a bottom line, comprehensive cost estimate. From this,
you may decide that you need to wait on certain items or we may need to
look for something else to fit the budget.
What if I don't like something after it arrives; can I return it?
First of all, this is VERY rare! If a mistake was made either by the manufacturer
or us or there is damage during shipping, then of course, all necessary
remedies will be taken at no charge to you. Stock items (non-custom) would
be returnable, however most companies charge a 20% "restocking fee"
and the client would be responsible for all shipping charges to and from
the manufacturer. Custom items, unfortunately, are not returnable. Please
rest assured, however, that in our 13 years of business, this has never
happened. We do everything in our power to make you happy!
Do you have a minimum size job that you will take on?
No job is too small for us! As a matter of fact, some very "small"
jobs have ended up being very big jobs as the client was so happy that
we ended up doing the whole house! And, they referred us to their friends
too!
Do I have to buy every piece of furniture from you?
No, of course not! This is something that we will discuss in the beginning
and as the job progresses. Certainly, if you would like to handle certain
rooms or items on your own, that is totally fine as long as we have discussed
it up front.
What if you're not finding anything that I really love and/or it is
not in my budget?
Simply put, this has never happened. We have access to hundreds and hundreds
of sources for home furnishings and it is part of our talent and expertise
to find the perfect items that you will love and in the price that you
can afford!
How long will it take to get everything?
Lead times from manufacturers/vendors vary widely. Typically, from the
time you order something, you can expect to have it on average, in about
3 months, but it might be in a week, or it could be 6 months. We will
notify you about any back orders, lead times or unexpected manufacturing
delays as soon as we find out. We want you to receive your items as quickly
as possible too!
Can I speak with any of your former clients?
Absolutely, we have an extensive list of long-time clients who would be
delighted to speak with you!
Are you available to take on new clients at this time?
We never take on a job where we would be unable to give you the time and
attention that would be required to complete the job expeditiously and
to your great satisfaction.
