Designer Tips

Tip #1 - How to properly hang a picture
Tip #2 - How to pick the perfect paint color every time
Tip #3 - How to mix patterns like a pro
Tip #4 - How to select an interior designer
Tip #5 - How to work with an interior designer

Designer Tip #1 - How to properly hang a picture

You may not know that there is a right way to hang a picture so that you only have to make one set of holes; it will be perfectly level, and it will stay in place (really important when hanging groupings of prints or collages).

Here’s what you’ll need:

Step one: Hold the picture up (better yet have someone else hold it up) and place a small dot at the top of the picture roughly in the center.

Step two: On the back of the picture hold the wire taut with two fingers as though it is being held by 2 hooks. Measure from the top of picture to where the hooks will be as well as the distance between your fingers.

Step three: Find the center point of the wall or area where you’d like the hang the picture and place a dot here on line with the top of the picture line you’ve already marked.

NOTE: Sometimes you won’t actually center the picture on the whole wall but say between the corner and an open door that always stays open.

Step four: Measure down from your mark the distance from the top of the picture to the hook line. Mark this with a small dot on the wall. Next measure over from your center line half the distance between the hooks. Mark the location of the hooks with small dots, hammer the hooks into the wall, hang the picture and level it with the level.

Designer Tip #2 - How to Pick the Perfect Paint Color EVERY Time

Most designers recommend Benjamin Moore or Pratt and Lambert Paint. Even though these paints are more expensive, the higher cost is due to a higher ratio of pigment and titanium dioxide which is used as a binder and allows the paint to cover more easily. Do not use Behr, Home Depot or Ralph Lauren paints (even though Ralph Lauren is expensive) they do not cover and you will be using coat after coat to get the coverage of 2 coats of quality paint. Especially if using a dark accent color, make sure to use one of the recommended brands, as they use a tinted base to mix your custom color- this will prevent streaking, dripping and chalking of the paint when it is dry. For example the only real "Chinese red" I have ever found to be successful is made by Pratt and Lambert, due to the tinted base.

Many builders like to use Duron Paint which is OK if you request their higher grade of paint, not builder grade. Make sure your painter or contractor knows in advance the brand of paint you desire, as you don’t want then coming in the day of the job with 5 gallon buckets of a brand you didn’t specify saying "well, I matched the color, it’s all the same."

Labor is the most expensive part of any painting job, whether it is done by you or a professional. Make sure you use the best paint you possibly can find.

No one likes to hear this, but the best way to avoid mistakes is to buy the smallest quantity of the paint you are considering and paint a 3 FOOT by 3 FOOT test swatch of the color in the room. Live with it for several days, look at it in different light- daytime, evening, etc. and then make your decision. Even if you have to buy a whole gallon of paint, $20 is a small price to pay for avoiding a wasted weekend of painting or several hundred dollars if a professional painter does the work.

If you refuse to do this, I recommend going one shade lighter than you think you want. Walls reflect off each other and make it seem like the color is more intense (one shade deeper on the fan deck strip) than what you see in those small samples. Yellows, pinks and blues all intensify dramatically- you might consider even two steps lighter when using yellow due to its intensity.

Always look for color with warmer undertones (warm pinky beige will be pink enough on the wall vs. a true Pepto pink) Even cool colors like blues and grays can have a hint of warmth to them, this prevents the room from feeling cold.

Here are some of my favorite colors:

Benjamin Moore 1065, 1066, 1067, a nice warm camel

Benjamin Moore 303, a cheerful pale yellow

Benjamin Moore 1079, a pale neutral taupe

Benjamin Moore 997, a darker sophisticated taupe

Benjamin Moore HC-163, a pretty sage green (HC stands for Historical Color)

Benjamin Moore HC-134 and HC-135 great classic hunter greens, one has more blue than the other, great for accent walls as well as shutters and front doors.

Benjamin Moore Decorators White is a ready mix color that is great for trim- it is not too "blue white" and looks great with most wall colors. Trim should almost always be painted semi-gloss, walls should be flat.

Designer Tip #3 - How to Mix Patterns Like a Pro

Ever go to a show house and see a really charming mix of patterns and textures, and think, I would never have the nerve to do that. It is easier than it looks. The key is the SCALE of the patterns you select. Start with ONE large scale pattern, a floral, paisley or tapestry. Next, using the same colors, add a plaid, a stripe, or other geometric pattern. Fill in with small scale prints, or tone on tone geometrics such as diamonds, trellis patterns, dots or "squiggles". (Designers call these filler fabrics.) Try to repeat each fabric at least once in the room. Remember that every fabric doesn’t have to be a show stopper, there is a place for solids and fillers in every scheme. If you find too many fabrics you like for the number of opportunities you have to use them in the room, carry them into adjacent rooms, i.e., use a coordinating wallpaper in an adjoining room or bath.

When doing an entire house, I am often asked if the entire house must be done in the same colors. My personal preference is to take a certain color palette and use various VALUES and INTENSITIES of the same colors through out the house. For example, a scheme of red, gold and green could become soft celedon, pale buttercream yellow and coral in the more formal areas of the house, becoming more intense hunter green, red and camel in the family room, and brighter sage green, cranberry and yellow in the kitchen. If you like many different colors for different rooms, try to carry one unifying color throughout. Green or red are great neutrals to tie a house together. A lot of the old rules have gone out the window about mixing colors and styles, most people want a more eclectic look that doesn’t look like you backed a truck up to a furniture store and loaded up, but looks like you collected things over a period of time. I personally think that if you put things together that you love, they will look good together.

Designer Tip #4 - How to Select an Interior Designer

Ask friends, relatives for recommendations. Call 1-800-ASK-ASID for referrals to 3 designers who you can interview to find one whose style fits yours. Go to show houses or look at local magazines to find names of designers whose style you like. Use the yellow pages to find designers who work in your area. Selecting a designer is similar to finding a doctor, lawyer, accountant or psychologist- it is important to find someone that you share a rapport with. Above all, you should have fun!

Many designers will have the initials ASID, (American Society of Interior Designers) IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) after their names. These initials mean that the designer has passed a multi-day series of tests similar to passing the bar exam or CPA exam which ensures that they have the education and experience (a combination of 6 years of education and experience) to sit for the exam and they have pledged to uphold certain ethical and professional standards. These designers have the credentials to provide design services to residential and commercial clients.. In ASID, professional members of the Society are permitted to use the initials ASID after their names, while the words ALLIED Member denote that the designer has not yet passed the tests that are required for professional membership.

Ask if the designer is registered- most states now require designers to be registered by the state, which again assures you that the individual is committed to high professional standards and requires that the individual take continuing education credits on a continuous basis to stay up to date with current developments in the field

I am often asked the difference between a decorator and a designer. The main difference is that anyone can call themselves a decorator, they may or may not have any education, and this word implies that their qualifications are on a more superficial level than that of a designer. A decorator may deal with fabrics, color and wallpaper, but would not be qualified to do a commercial project dealing with building codes for example, or a job involving space planning, renovation or new construction. The word designer implies that educational, and testing requirements have been met enabling the designer to work on more involved projects.

Be sure to ask about the designers credentials, if your project does not involve major construction you may be fine with someone who deals with the more cosmetic aspects of the project, however, you may decide to do more work than you initially planned, or you may wish to rip out some walls to make better use of your space after you start the project, or you may want to use the designer on a commercial project later.

Credentials don’t always tell the whole story, as a few older designers were grandfathered into the professional organizations and may not have the same or any education as designers who were educated later even though they have the initials after their names so make sure to ask.

Designer Tip #5 - How to Work With an Interior Designer

After you have located a designer who you feel you can work with, how does the process start? Typically with a discussion of your budget, the scope of the project (is this a whole house or one room) and what you are trying to achieve. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a huge budget to start with, most designers are willing to come up with a master plan which can then be implemented as your budget allows. Many designers also do consultations, where they work with existing furnishings and accessories, arranging them in new ways, adding a few new pieces to create a new look with minimal expenditures. If you just need selection of a few paint colors, most designers are happy to consult with you on an hourly basis, although many have a 2 hour minimum feeling that very little can be accomplished in less time than 2 hours.

How do you convey your ideas to a designer? One of the best ways is to tear out pictures from various home magazines and explain what you like about each. Maybe it is a color, a feeling of casualness, formality, the style of a furniture piece or a window treatment. The more clues you can give the designer as to your lifestyle, your likes and dislikes, the easier, less time consuming, and less expensive the design process will be. Be as honest as possible, considering such factors as pets, children, travel, and the type of entertaining you do.

Some of the best magazine resources for traditional design are: Southern Accents, Veranda, Traditional Home and House Beautiful. Architectural Digest deals more with celebrities and lifestyles than classic design. Metropolitan Home, Elle Decor and House and Garden are good resources if you prefer a less traditional approach.

Many people are curious about how designers charge for their services. The answer to this question is that there are many different methods. Traditionally designers have tacked a markup onto the products they sell to compensate for their time. However, this is now changing, as most designers prefer to charge a design fee (either a flat fee or an hourly fee) for their professional advice, and adding a small handling charge to items purchased through them, allowing clients the option of purchasing items on their own or through sources such as North Carolina showrooms. Just be warned that if you do not choose to purchase through the designer you will be dealing with placing and expediting your orders and if there is damage you will be filing the freight claims.

However the designer charges, you should expect and insist on a letter of agreement for protection of both parties. Just like any other professional you deal with, you should get in writing how fees and purchases will be handled.