How to Find the Right Designer

Interior designers are trained to listen, understand, and work with you to achieve effective solutions that meet your design needs. As a client, selecting the right interior designer for your project is one of the most significant decisions you can make. You can select an interior designer using a variety of methods.

• DesignFIND is ARIDO’s online referral program. This service offers clients looking to hire an interior designer a web-based, user-friendly system to search through. You will have access to comprehensive profiles of interior design firms capable of helping you with your upcoming project.
• Direct Selection or Word-of-Mouth: For residential or relatively small commercial projects, you might select an interior designer based on a personal recommendation, or seek out the name of one who has designed a similar project that you like. Ask friends, acquaintances, co-workers and family for names of interior designers they have employed and would recommend, though always call ARIDO to verify if the recommendation is a member in good standing. You might also seek out the winners of the ARIDO Awards, based on their projects showcased on this website.
• Requests for Proposal: For large-scale commercial projects, a Request for Proposal or RFP can be developed and distributed to a number of appropriate design firms for response. See below for details.

Take time to interview a number of interior designers before making a final decision. When you meet, the designer will explain the design process, how they work and how they charge for their services. They will also ask you in-depth questions about your needs and the scope of the project. It’s important that you feel that the designer’s approach to design is in line with your objectives and that both parties feel comfortable with the prospect of working together. Most importantly, always ensure that the designer you select is a member of ARIDO.

To ensure that the final project is of the highest quality and within budget, always sign a contract that lays out the scope of work, the designer’s responsibilities and payment schedule prior to any work commencing. ARIDO recommends that all members use contracts for their work and offers contract templates to members that can be customized to specific projects.

A key component of a successful design project is to focus on quality in the selection process. Quality-based selection involves comparing candidates based on criteria like:

• Experience in successfully providing similar services
• Overall history and reputation
• Familiarity with relevant local aspects: geography, culture, facilities and professional consultants
• Management experience and skills
• Project methodology
• Technical competence
• Unique value-added qualities, such as creativity and innovation
• Commitment to the client’s interests
• Quality of references

By taking these points into consideration, you can ensure you begin the project confident that you have chosen an interior designer who can manage your project from start to finish.

Hiring an Interior Designer

No matter what type of project or how extensive the work, the steps to hiring an interior designer usually follow the same pattern.

1. Develop a design brief or notes that identify the project needs and list the scope of services required. For larger-scale commercial projects, develop a Request for Proposal or RFP and outline the format for the proponents’ response. The free brochures and templates available below are invaluable for this. 
2. Establish a list of potential interior designers with relevant experience.
3. Contact the interior designers on your list. For larger-scale commercial projects, issue the Request for Proposal or RFP.
4. Interview the interior designers. For larger-scale commercial projects, this can be done before or after they respond to the RFP.
5. Review the proposals submitted by the interior designers.
6. Check qualifications and references.
7. Select an interior designer.
8. Finalize consulting agreements in writing. 

How to Develop a Request for Proposal or RFP

For larger-scale commercial projects, the combination of online RFP brochures and RFP templates comprises a thorough and efficient method to develop a Request for Proposal or RFP, the best foundation for the success of any commercial interior design undertaking. An RFP is a document that describes the project, identifies the project needs, lists the scope of services required and outlines the format for the proponents’ response. For projects where the interior design firm has already been selected, the template can serve as a checklist or review of requirements, responsibilities and procedures.

Download ARIDO’s brochures and templates for the easiest, most comprehensive way to construct a specific RFP.

Corporate/Office Projects

Brochure
Standard Template
Project Management Services Schedule

Retail Projects

Brochure
Standard Template
Project Management Services Schedule