I’m sure that good design and having a beautiful home are important to you, after all if they weren’t you wouldn’t be reading this! If you’ve never worked with an interior designer before the very idea of having a stranger work with you on your personal home space can be a little daunting. I get that!
I expect that you’ll have so many questions, and even a little bit of fear of the unknown. You’ll likely be wondering “what’s the process?”, “how much will it cost?”, “what if I don’t like what the designer chooses for me?”, or “are there options if I don’t need a service with ‘the works’?”.
As a designer with many years of experience, both here in Australia and abroad, I’ve been asked all of those questions (and more!) many times over by wonderful people just like you.
The way I work is a little different to other interior designers – we are as unique as the interiors we create! I offer a complimentary ‘Discovery Call’ as an initial starting point so that we can work out together which of JM Interiors packages is the right fit for you (to be suit your individual situation, your budget, your lifestyle, and of course your home!). The Discovery Call is a no charge service that I consider to be a super important first step in my design process.
In our Discovery Call we discuss your home, what styles you like (and don’t like), time, budget, and of course what your expectations and needs are. We want to make sure we’re a good fit!
I have put together a suite of packages which suit just about everybody – from giving you advice and information to undertake the project yourself, right through to a full scale ‘JM Interiors do everything for you’ service. I want you to love your new space!
- Dive In – a 2-hour working session in your home with professional recommendations on how you can improve your space.
- Fire and Water – focussing on selecting the ‘hard finishes’ for your kitchen, laundry, and bathroom.
- Grilling and Chilling – guidance to create an idyllic outdoor living space in which to enjoy the many benefits of life in the tropics.
- Designer for a Day – taking your existing furnishings and give them new life and purpose through strategic room arrangement.
- Let It Flow – our feng shui package, this option focuses on bringing positive energy into your home or business.
- Sell In Style – providing the staging support your need to attract your ideal buyer before going to market.
- Designer On Tap – up to 10 hours of design advice when and where you need it most.
- The Full Monty – perfect for the busy professional who just needs to ‘get it done’!
- E-Design – the online design experience providing you with a master plan for creating a professionally designed space or entire home.
So, how should you prepare for your design consult? Being prepared is not just good time-sense, but it also helps to calm those nerves and fears you might be having about working with an interior design professional (scary I most certainly am not!).
Know what your end-goal is
Are you a busy professional growing your business, or working in the corporate world and needing a space to both entertain and unwind? Or maybe you’re an empty-nester looking at downsizing but still need to keep enough space for family and friends to visit? Are there furniture pieces that must be incorporated into the new design project? Having the end laid out is a very good place to begin!
Determine your budget
This is important (for obvious reasons) but it’s also a great time-saver to have worked out how much you are able to invest in your project before our design consult.
Timelines and restrictions
Good design work does not happen overnight – if you’ve got holidays, parties, any other event that should be considered make sure you note it down so we can work around it.
Decide who your decision-makers are
Making sure that all decision makers are included in the process is SO important! As a design professional I am able to bring opposing styles and needs together, but having all of that input around the able together is really important to ensure no one’s views get missed.
Be aware of your family’s daily routines
Do you have early risers and late sleepers in your household? Does someone work from home occasionally and need a dedicated space within the family living areas? Taking notes on what routines and needs your household has will be very helpful in the design process.
Be honest about your belongings
Do you have a comic book addiction, maybe you collect antique vases, or maybe you’ve got boxes of wines from your last trip to the Barossa. These are all part of who you are and your home’s design should be a reflection of you. Tell me about these parts of your life and let me create a unique way to showcase them!
Your style likes and dislikes
Put together a folder of magazine cuttings or create a Pinterest board that you can share with me so I can see what you like and dislike. It doesn’t need to be perfect … after all as a design professional one of my magic powers is in creating something amazing from the scraps you’re able to share with me!
Bring an open mind!
It’s important to keep an open mind through the process! As an experienced interior designer, you can be guaranteed that I have many tricks and solutions up my sleeve that you may not have considered.
My design inspiration is drawn from the laidback, tropical lifestyle that is uniquely Darwin – from modern tropical to relaxed coastal or luxury vibes. There’s a lot of styles in that range but together we’ll create a Darwin-style that suits you and your lifestyle perfectly!
You’ll find a complete list of my packages HERE – I can work with you on-site or remotely; distance is no barrier! If you’re still unsure about what you need from an interior designer … jump in and book a DISCOVERY CALL and we can work out which is the best way to get your project started.
