Many people have no idea what Decorators do. Think that paying decorator makes no sense, as they do not do much. Well… not entire truth! And I am sure most of you will realize that when shopping for things for your home. Which can be very frustrating sometimes when it comes to deciding which item to take, will it fit your space, will it match or go well together, what colors or fabrics to choose…

When hiring a Decorator, the communication is a very important key. If you think that hiring and paying someone will be the last decision to make, think again. Decorator is there to facilitate the process but your input is valuable, at the end is still your home not Decorator’s. You must be very honest and open about things you like and dislike, so that Decorator can understand your needs. Pictures would be ideal starting point.

Decorating is not only about choosing color, fabrics or furniture. It should be reflection of your personality, your hobbies, passions and more. A professional decorator should be able to pull all details together and them into their final vision for your home. Many of my clients would like to meet outside or office, when I ask to meet at heir home, they do not always wan. I know that homes are very intimate part of life but this is the important part to be shared with Decorator, which could give a direction of the project when you know more of personal details.

Budget. Your budget should be respected. You have to be honest and realistic about the budget so that would be possible to achieve the best results. We can make the most of your budget, however, it is also impossible to work with a very small and unrealistic budget to achieve the client’s goals. We can guide you through and talk about ways to save and where to spend. Most of the time people forget about the labor involved (painters, handyman etc.), shipping, delivery and assembly fees. I remember once being told off when I was honest with the client. The client presented me with hundreds of pictures what she wanted and ask to remodel a 2 bedroom apartment with complete 2 bathroom remodeling, breaking/moving walls, wooden flooring, all custom made furniture (to copy designers pieces), a lot of special lighting, walk in wardrobes etc.. The budget was 100,000AED. When told her that it is impossible to fit in such budget. The client was very upset and according to her she was paying (fee had to fit into the same amount!) for us to fit it all and we had to be ‘pros’ to be able to do. We do decorate/remodel but do not make magic!

We do help people to prioritize their need and spend the money in the right places and on the things they need, not just like to have. Decorator’s job sounds like a fun job, and we do agree on it, however not all parts of the job are so glamorous and pleasant. It is fun to look for those special pieces, fabrics and furniture, but the down side is the driving from one place to another tirelessly, walking around and trying to find all! Then billing comes, the paper work.. Which is the beast of all of us.

Beyond shopping, styling, running around and driving, most decorators do heavy lifting too. So is not always as glamorous as our clients imagine. Lifting and moving furniture, carry shopping from store, to hang art perfectly, sweat… Forget the manicure, when work involves dust, unpacking, nailing.. Yes, you can say – ‘hire an assistant’ but the other side – ‘would you, dear client, pay for an additional charge?’ .

Where we get inspirations and new ideas? Everywhere! Well, we are always on! Our mental note book is always on and takes notes regardless we are travelling, watching a movie or just walking down the road . Creative work is time consuming.. Many hours don’t make it onto the bill. The job is not 9 to 5 where you close the door and you know you are going to have a weekend off. Sometimes we work 70 hours per week and get paid only for 20.. Tons of research to stay on trend of today, learn about new colors, designs and products. Time spend to make color samples, attend workshops and handle billing and books.

So if you think that designer makes a lot of money, if you compared it to a guaranteed 40hour week salary, you see things differently !