Designer Contracts

A written contract or spoken understanding between a designer to client, used in employment, product sales, or rental and mortgage occupancy, is proposed to be imposed by the laws of the city, state, country, and internationally. This legal document explains the relationship or terms between a designer and a client. The parties involved in the contract must sign his or her to consent to the agreement. The following form is a template for a painting contract, but before using any contract, the designer should create the designer’s own agreement and the contract should be drafted in his or her specifics, and someone should review all contracts carefully.

Interior Designers' Contract

This agreement made the _________________ day of ______________ between Customer(s)__________________________ & company(s)_____________________________ for the following Project: ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Resonsibilities _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(In agreement: Terms and Conditions: The design company will complete tasks called the "Scope of Work," the design company will produce a service or instruments called the "Documentation," and the client will pay the fees and reimbursement of expenses, called the "Project Fee.")

Scope of Work (Problem solutions)

• The work(s) detailed by the designer to complete a design/service specific to the client's wants and needs.

Documentation Quotation Preliminary Design

• Plans, procedures, and products written as a unit and priced as stated.

Documentation Actual Development Design

• Scope of work defined
• Refinements to Preliminary designs
• Materials and finishes used to complete the work
• Location Permits
• Units
• Pricing

Develop Agreement Finalize agreement

• Amendment or changes
• Client signature and Date
• Company signature and Date

Notice of Cancelation

• You may cancel this transaction, with no penalty or obligation, within three (3) business days from the above date
• Other rules may apply in state codes.

Notes and questions

Schedule Objective

Scheduling or writing a work schedule is a plan or method to complete a job. The written schedule is for a planned objective of completing a design and supplying the appropriate materials in the design job. This schedule will reference the sequence of the work specified, the contractors used on the job, and the operation of timeframe to complete the job as per date agreed upon. As an example, it allocated the work in a three-week completion date.

Scheduling

A planned objective for completing a design: A schematic of the work, and an outline of what the client and designer want to achieve on the job. This complete design needs to be estimated out and decided on by the client and designer. In this aspect, can the client afford this work, and does the designer want to take on the Job?

Supplying the materials in the design: Make a list of materials, fixtures, hardware, paint, lumber, plumbing, electrical, flooring, etc. Get a set price on the materials, where to buy the materials, availability of the product, and installation of materials, and the installers agreed upon by the client and the designer.  

Contractors used on the job: Make a list of potential contractors and have three to five options for the client to choose from. Have the client meet the contractor and review the scope of work schedule and business qualification. The operation or timeframe to complete the job as per date agreed upon in writing.

Reference the sequence of the work specified: Make or create a timeline or a work schedule for the time allocated IE: three weeks to four months. One way is to create a Gantt chart.

You can find a template copy online under "Gantt Chart for Construction" or through an Excel program if provided by your computer. 

Learn Your Client’s Needs

The designer’s job is to find out what the client needs in the home, and what they desire from hiring an interior designer. After the designer completes the profile, he or she has the information they need to develop a successful design concept and have a solution for any problem the homeowner might have with their house.

• Do you know your client, their background, or the design problem?
• Do you know what the client owns or wants in design?
• Have you asked questions that will help you make the right design decisions?

The four items that need completing before the designer can think of designing for a client are as follows.

Client Profiles 

The method of developing a client profile aids the designer in learning what they need when going to a job for a potential success of the design. The designer should accomplish this for every job. 

The first and most important part of a client profile is the contact section. The designer needs this information from the beginning to the end, so they can communicate with their clients when needed.

·         Name(s) or Contact(s) for the project

·         Physical address

·         Phone, email, and fax numbers

General Information

This information helps the designer understand how the space in the home is used, what they need to complete the task, operating schedule, project time frame, and personal accessorizing. The following list is part of the general information needed. The designer may create whatever question he or she feels is necessary for the project.

What area(s) involved in the remodel, and how long have you been in the space?

How long do you intend to stay in this space?

What is the budget for this project?

What is the time frame for the project?

What is your favorite aspect of the space?

What existing items are to be kept in the space?

Do you entertain; explain often, occasionally, or never?

When you entertain, is it more formal or casual?

Do you prefer a lot of accessories; some or very little?

Would you like to include paintings, awards, or accessories/artifacts?

Would you like to include plants? Yes, no, live, or silk

Please list any allergies, health conditions, or special requirements that need to be met. 

This last question pertains to animal hair, smells, natural products (Down or feathers), and fibers in fabric, latex, or asthma. Many design products could have one or these items that could cause issues.  

Lighting

Types of lighting helps the designer understand their uses and how natural or artificial light in the home, what is needed to make the general, ambient, or task lighting in a design, and personal accessorizing with structural or portable fixtures. The following list is part of general information needed to add lighting. The designer may create whatever question he or she feels is necessary for the project.

Does the space have too much, too little, just enough light?

Do you feel there is a need for additional natural or artificial lighting?

Do you prefer fluorescent, incandescent, LED, accent lighting or ceiling fans?

Do you prefer warm or cool lighting?

KEY: WARM light begins at a 2700K (Kelvin) measurement or orange on the CRI gauge, and then it rises to 3000K (yellow), 3500K (Pale-yellow), 4000K-5000K (Dark blue), 10,000K (light blue) or COOL.

The color scale above is used to explain warm or cool lighting by temperature or Kelvin rate. The Kelvin scale is a useful gauge to use when comparing warm white light or cool white light, whether incandescent, fluorescent or Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs/lamps.

Color

This information helps the designer determine what colors the client prefers. Color used in the home can make a room look larger or smaller by what color is chosen. Colors visually reduce or expand the space. The designer can achieve this by using a dark color to reduce the room’s appearance, or light paint colors to expand the space. The color accompanied by lighting can make a space look different as well, and the designer will explain this when he or she explains the 60-30-10 rules when choosing a color. 

The 60-30-10 rules are simple. A designer recommends that 60% of the home is painted in a light color so the house will not lose size or appearance. The 30% of a home should be an accent color that coordinates to the light color. Last, the 10% is a pop or dark color added to a space. This is the “wow” factor of the entire color scheme. By following this rule, it helps the designer offer the maximum design experience for the client. 

The following list is part of the general information needed while using color. The designer may create whatever questions he or she feels is necessary for the project. 

What colors we will use in the spaces?

What colors do you like?

What colors do you dislike?  

What do you prefer light, dark, bright or dull paint colors?

Would the designer visually expand or reduce the space? 

Windows

Information on windows helps the designer offer window fashions for the home. Window fashions used in the home can make windows filter more or less light into the various spaces of the home. The designer can achieve this by determining where the sun configuration is located, and how much light or heat enters a room. When the designer explains different treatments for the home, they can communicate the various choices available. The color, accompanied by light, and the window fashions can make a space more functional, and the designer will explain this when he or she discusses the various window fashions. 

The following list is part of general information needed while choosing window fashions. The designer may create whatever questions he or she feels is necessary for the project. 

How many windows are in the space?

What direction(s) North, South, East, or West do the window(s) face?

What type of treatments; blinds, shutters, curtains or draperies do you prefer?  

Do you have any specific ideas for the window treatments? 

Wall coverings,

This information helps the designer determine wall-covering applications the client prefers. Wall-coverings used in the home can give a room character from the various patterns available. The designer may use various sizes of pattern to make a wall have a different appearance.  The space in a home takes on a unique design dictated by the print on the paper. There are thin patterned textures, or thick patterned textures,shapes, stripes, colors, and residential or commercial grade wallpapers.  

Other wall coverings could be paint, plaster, wood paneling, and fabric. Depending on the texture, pattern, and colors can also make a space visually reduced or expanded.

What wall colors/coverings will remain in the space?

Do you have any specific wall treatment in mind?

Do you prefer paint, wallpaper, faux finishes, or other finishes on the wall?

Note: If the homeowner wants a faux finish effect, the designer will need to ask if the homeowner wants a negative or positive application.

Floor 

Flooring information helps the designer determine what the homeowner is looking for in creating a foundation to the home. The client may favor carpet, hardwood, tile, or natural stone. The flooring used in the home can give a room a base or foundation to the remaining design the designer creates. There are thousands of flooring variations to choose from, and if the designer is familiar with the home décor, he or she will know where to affect the room with the proper flooring.

The designer may use various styles, sizes, patterns, and loop count to make the home have a different appearance. The space in a home takes on a distinctive design stated by the motif of the floor. There are several sizes in tile or stone, and countless textures in carpet. The many colors of carpet and wood are endless depending on the manufacturer, and the residential or commercial class flooring can be low or very high in cost.  The product, and the labor to install the product in a home, drives the cost.

The following list is part of general information needed while choosing window fashions.

1. What floor coverings will remain in the space?
2. What floor coverings added in the space?
3. Do you have any specific type of floor in mind?
4. Do you want to select carpet, tile, wood, stone, and other floorings?
5. Would you like a sustainable, natural, engineered, or laminate product?

The designer may create whatever questions he or she feels is necessary for the project, but don’t make this too long of a process, or the homeowner may become frustrated and impatient. After the designer receives the client profile information provided by the homeowner, he or she can make a proper decision how to deliver the best design, styles and themes desired.

Introduction to Accessorizing the Home

Accessories provide homes with meaning and mortality, which will assist you in knowing the difference between a residence or a showroom. You can determine a story by the home's style of accessories. The home's style dictates how the residents lives, to what is their interests or passions, where the homeowner has been whether traveling or growing up in different cultures, and it may reflect on tragedy or separation of loved ones.

Designing a home is difficult if you focus on just accessories. Many times, accessorizing is determining what is good to use and what not to include in your design. So many of the remaining accessories could be heirlooms, and that distinguishes the use of an accessory that has an attachment.

Comprehending concept through principles and embellishment of elements can be very easy. The best way to learn what the homeowner has available is to look through his or her home; the garage, the basement, the attic, or any storage. This is how a talented designer finds accessories to use in design. Usually, the object one uses in design or displayed in the home can create an attractive design layout. The designer should always make a list of what they can use on the property.

Objects a designer may use in displays are collectibles of figurines, plates, rocks, mirrors, nostalgic memorabilia, books, plants, glassware, antiques, awards, and bowls. The designer will know when enough is enough. The designer doesn't have to use everything, so use what needs to fit in the space properly.

But, if the client has a plethora of decorations—this happens when the homeowner buys everything they like, and not pay attention to where it will go when they get home—from different styles, and they put it together. The designer needs to explain that every space needs an attractive transition of style from one area to the next and show proper placement to the homeowner.

A designer will echo a brilliant design using the following groups for design elements or color by using the following items as a theme.

·         Color story in the home or homeowner's desire

·         Interests of the homeowner

·         Favorites of the homeowner

·         Desires of the homeowners

·         Layering of the owner's belongings

·         Focal point or Buffet

The designer will create arrangements of dolls or a decorative cylinder filled with corks or hotel keys. Antique stores, craft galleries, and flea market are fun places to shop for collectibles.

A memorable something can be an attractive and exciting story to boot. By making a pleasing display of accessories, family, friends, and neighbors will get a tickle from the way the house looks with various displays of personal interests or memories.

Avoid placing like items at opposite ends of a fireplace mantel.

Don't be dull and show symmetry on shelves and mantels. Instead, rely on clusters of objects to balance one another. Propped and overlapping photographs feel more casual Help unite a vignette on either end of the mantel.

Skirt distributing or using a single accessory to a room, and the designer should arrange groups and combine items that share a similar palette, character, and texture. Vary the size of pieces and use odd numbers for each vignette arrange elements in a pyramid tallest object in the back, from highest to lowest, if an item is small, group it with other minor items on a tray or in a bowl.

If an object is low, set it atop a decorative box or books. Unless you live in a library, mix accessories with books. Place paperback books in the bedroom or some place low-key. Books are treasures that warm up a room, and the most inexpensive accessory you can find. Don't forget the foundations of design and make a space warm and inviting.

The tall candles (gradation) on a coffee table, weighs down or holds the arrangement surrounded by objects of descending size. Minor items grouped tastefully on a tray, display a presence of similar items. The bowl of fruit works like fresh flowers--think "living" arrangements" never place something that looks old or outdated in space, as this can create a never moved or never touched look in the home. Pay close attention to scale; your arrangement should not be too big or too small for the surface of the item that the accessory is displayed. Think of a 1⁄4 piece of pie, and then look at your table using 1/4 of the space for arrangements.

Don't fill every tabletop with various accessories or too ornate. Design needs a chance to sink in, and one needs to rest from too much of everything. Always stagger sizes on coffee tables or flat surfaces. A stack of books can sit horizontally or vertically. Large to small Use books that coordinate or tie into other close objects within sight group objects that share a common character with consideration use unified colors, multiple finishes or texture.

Add individual items or unique pieces add a characteristic of the class, style, and passion. Don't hide an emotion in a closet if one is a collector. Group items together on shelves or tabletops display groupings on a wall. Only use curio cabinets when one's objects are valuable, or delicate Escape looks that often look tired or repeated and hinder interaction. Keep items moving in one's direction in any design. Combining lots of similar items make a combined weight, and this works well in grouping a design.

Whenever using mass or the volume of belongings, whether heavy to light, consider these accessories when designing the spaces in the home. These are not the only items, but they are four of the best to use in space to show various masses.

·        Color/Style/Stone/Glass

Collections do not need to be of high value. A display of PEZ dispensers, Asian fans, straw hats, or Tsum-Tsum characters can have a significant influence on your design. Frankly, practically anything can look decent if you group enough together. Fret not If you have a few right pieces, toss in a few "phonies". One can always replace the few phony items with better ones as you gain them.

Be diligent in finding great value for frugal décor, and resonate an accent color when rooms have accent colors that are dominant. Repeat the colors in the accessories to tie the chamber together. Keep your eyes entertained. Provide your eyes with some place to travel. Display the accessories to pick up the dominant accent color in the room. One will actively look for the color in another location or object.

Glass accessories on the coffee table make even ordinary objects look unique because it makes things stand out or sparkle. Look for balance, and use sculptures or adjust lamps on a console table or use art groups to equalize large or tall photographs.

Equalized photos will bridge the distance between furniture and the ceiling in high spaces or large gallery style walls. Be open to surprise when everyday objects are taken out of perspective and titled as a work of art. Use old weight scales, horse tricycles, radio flyers, cups on a chandelier, books for a table base, hubcaps for wall art, and trunks for tables; there is no end to the possibilities of what you use to make a statement. People decorate with vintage microscopes, scissors, and magnifying glasses, or even old telephone glass insulators that look like old bells.

... The only limit to design is your imagination.