There are several myths about hiring a designer or decorator. One of these is that “It’s too expensive”. Another is “A designer will try to force a style on me that I won’t like”. In fact, the opposite is true. A designer can save you time and money in the long run by managing your budget as well as the work of other professionals, possibly saving you from hiring inexperienced or unscrupulous tradespeople. Another fear is that the home may become so formal and precious that it is difficult to relax in. Some clients love a formal home and some do not. It is quite possible to have a beautiful home which is easy to live in and care for. An experienced decorator or designer has met a wide variety of people over the span of their career. We all have our own personal taste. An experienced decorator or designer has seen so many options that they likely will feel no need to impose their own personal taste on a client. It is also an advantage to a client to have a peek into the personal taste of a designer or decorator. We have access to such a wide variety of trends and choices that what we put in our own homes is a bit of a filter of what’s out there. 
Designers also do not necessarily work only with wealthy clients in formal, high end homes. Casual, homey interiors are a great deal of fun to create. If you look at some of the high end magazines, you will see casual interiors that can be very expensive, indeed. In fact, wealthy clients often do want high end interiors. If a decorator or designer shows them budget items, they are often turned off or are unimpressed. All this goes into the range of what a designer can provide to the client. The interior design process is a two way conversation which can produce inspiring results. Having access to the creativity of a designer or decorator is a wonderful thing. You will be introduced to ideas and ways of doing things that you very likely will not have thought of yourself. This can be a huge advantage with our busy lifestyles where we are pulled in many directions and not all of the influences that we encounter have our best interests in mind.
Your designer or decorator truly wants your project to look fabulous when it is completed. After all, a recommendation is the best complement that you can pay to the designer or decorator. With a wide range of resources at their disposal, interior designers can frequently obtain products you can’t find on your own, and that are often of a higher quality than you may have been able to find on your own. Having done their own shopping all of their lives, many clients who eventually make use of the services of a designer are amazed at the range of products that are available. In one recent example, one of our Oakville clients who had downsized into a lovely condo was able to have her home and décor entirely refreshed, de-cluttered and pared down with new furnishings which were comfortable and which fit well in her space. A few colourful accessories added bling and sparkle. Had she kept her older furnishings, she’d have been forced to live in a cramped space simply because her older furnishings were still serviceable. Those furnishings were donated to a worthy cause and went on to help a less fortunate family live a little more comfortably. Marguerite Roberts, head of Mulberry Interiors, specializes in helping you make the best of possessions that you may already own. It is part of the creative side of interior design. Her focus on the magic of colour, balance and proportion has helped clients blend differing styles of possessions. Mulberry Interiors also is able to help you with the difficult decision of letting go of furnishings which simply do not work for your new phase of life. Sometimes, styles are so very disparate that replacement is really the best solution. In these cases, we specify an action plan over time to gradually replace useful but jarring items with much more pleasing choices. 
The input of the homeowner is crucial to any project. We truly enjoy an exchange of ideas, and believe that often the best results are projects where the client can see their participation in the ideas used in their own home. Have you been watching the decorating shows on television for years? Have you seen some ideas you might like to try in your own home, but are not sure how to proceed? Gather a collection of photos that illustrate the ideas as closely as you can and keep them where you can easily find them again. Show this collection of ideas to your designer, prioritizing the ideas according to their importance to you. Sometimes small changes to a home can make a big difference to what it looks like and how easy it is to live in. You might as well enjoy the home you live in!
Even just a paint colour consultation can convey a lot of design information. Subtle undertones in paint colours can make a huge difference in the overall look of a room. Beautiful colours can make uninspired furnishings look their best. Some people want light interiors and some people are interested in at least entertaining the idea of saturated colours. You may surprise yourself. We have been told stories about how in order to expand a space you must do this with as light a colour choice as you can get. This simply is not true.
Many people have inherited furniture pieces that they cherish but do not want to display in the main rooms. Perhaps these pieces just need a little updating or repair. Reupholstering an old chair used by a loved one can bring it into the main rooms of the home to take pride of place. Are you interested in some of the unique rustic furniture pieces now available? We live in such interesting and creative times. Creative furniture designers and manufacturers had a great idea when they began to craft furniture pieces from reclaimed materials.
The best way to ensure that your project is what you want is clear communication with the designer or decorator. Discussion between client and designer will bring out issues such as problems that currently prevent you from using your space as you would prefer. Discuss which heirlooms, artwork and other favourite pieces you want to keep. Be clear which pieces that you could live without, are willing to change or move to another area of your home. Sometimes, after watching a television décor show, clients may have an unrealistic idea of what quality pieces actually cost. Have you noticed that the budgets presented for these shows do not include compensation for the designer or for the tradespeople? In the real world, these people do not work for free. Remember the old adage: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Be prepared to pay for quality and great design. Reupholstery is not inexpensive. How could it be” There is a lot of new fabric and significant skilled labour involved.
This should not prevent you from having a wish list with a few extravagant things as well as practical, quality items. These upscale items often are what make the room look finished and are well worth the cost. Compare the cost of a sofa to the current cost of a car. Car prices have steadily increased over the past twenty years. Sofa prices sometimes seem to have not progressed as far. How much quality material is there likely to be in a $600 sofa? Not likely much. Be prepared to pay for quality. There is a mid range as well as a high end for quality investment pieces. We truly live in a golden age of choice. Having determined your decorating goals, you are ready to consider the guidance of a designer or decorator to help you achieve these goals without costly mistakes and unfortunate choices. You should feel comfortable with your designer or decorator. Decorating is very personal and it is, after all, your home. Since 1993 Mulberry Interiors, interior design consultants have been assisting clients in Oakville, Mississauga, Burlington, Brampton, Milton, Georgetown, Etobicoke, Toronto, and Vaughan. We specialize in residential interior design and decorating and are at our most creative when we use colour as our theme. Photos are representative of the quality and creativity of work that we can do, not necessarily of our direct work. We offer a full range of interior design services such as choosing paint colours, space planning, furniture sourcing, custom draperies and soft furnishings, flooring selection and accessories.
Call Mulberry Interiors now at (905) 849-6423 to book a consultation. We look forward to working with you to increase your enjoyment of your home.
Full Décor Service
Colour Consultations a Specialty
Window Coverings including Draperies and Blinds
Furniture
Flooring
Space Planning
Accessories and Wall Art
