Question One: Do you want your home to project a certain feeling that you can't quite describe?

Question Two: Would you like to think of your home as the place where your heart lives?

Question Three: Do you have a function for the design of your home that you can't decide how to accomplish?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it makes sense to consult with a professional interior designer. Many home improvements can be made with only small changes, and doing it yourself (D-I-Y) is tempting.

For example, windows do more than frame the outside view. They also frame a room's interior by providing accents and character. Changing your window treatments may be the only thing you need to do.

But to help you decide how to achieve the look that will best express the feeling you want your rooms to project, it's best to get some expert help.

Charles Gandy, FASID, president of Gandy/Peace Inc., in Atlanta says, “Do-it-yourselfers who want to change the look of their homes can avoid numerous dangers by turning to a professional interior designer for design consulting and professional project management. Interior designers offer suggestions to help do-it-yourselfers avoid design pitfalls and succeed with their design projects.”

Melinda Sechrist, ASID, owner of Sechrist Design Associates in Seattle, says, “Do-it-yourselfers often fail to create a sense of style when they change the look of their homes. Due to lack of planning or lack of knowledge, do-it-yourselfers make mistakes in many different areas.”

“A sense of continuity, or central theme, is essential,” says Mari Lyn Bushnell of Kirsch, manufacturers and distributors of drapery hardware and custom window coverings. “Successfully blending design elements and avoiding a piecemeal look is often an area for experts. A professional designer can have the most important impact on your project,”

Bushnell adds, “ensuring that materials are combined in a way that will harmonize in style, texture and color-lending an overall feeling of balance and proportion to the room.”

How can you find the right designer? Be sure to choose a designer who is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

ASID is the oldest and largest professional association for interior designers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., ASID provides ongoing support, education and resources for its 30,000-plus members. You can be sure that you will find the right residential interior designer near you by calling ASID's Worldwide Referral Service at 1-800-775-ASID, or by visiting the Web site www.interiors.org. News USA

Back to Dining Guide Home Page | Back to the top of the page