Architect or interior designer: who should you call?

I often get calls from clients who tell me that they want to change the layout of their homes to better reflect the way they live today. But they are not sure whether they should call me, an interior designer and space planner, or an architect. The answer, I tell them, may be both.

Years of experience has taught me that when considering a major remodeling or renovation of your home, it is often beneficial to start from the inside and work your way out. By that, I mean start with an interior designer and space planner who can determine exactly how you envision your new space and how you want it to reflect the realities of your everyday living.

That is why before I ever put a pencil to paper to develop a sketch or rough interior space plan, I conduct detailed interviews with my clients to collect important information that not only maps out the existing square footage and layout of their homes, but also determines how they live based on their responses to questions such as:

• Who is your family? What will your family look like in 10 years?
• How do you use this space?
• Where do family members spend their time? Are they together in those spaces or alone?
• How long are you planning to live in this house?
• How do you manage your time in the morning?
• How do you cook?
• Does the way you live today reflect restrictions or adaptations that were made for children or pets that are no longer living in the home?

I also ask specific questions about the budget they have in mind for the project - not only with regard to short-term design and construction costs, but also how the changes they have in mind might impact long-term costs such as taxable square footage and the assessed value of their interior renovations.

Based on the answer to these questions, we can help you determine whether the solution to your needs is an expansion or bump out that would indeed require the expertise and technical skills of an architect and/or engineer, or whether your needs can be suited by simply re-arranging the existing spaces to better reflect the way you live today.and how you anticipate living in years to come.

We are fortunate to have as part of our creative team gifted architects and engineers who are ready to help us when the job does call for a more extensive renovation or expansion. And we welcome the opportunity to work with the many design-build contractors who often employ their own architects.

Whether a project ultimately requires the services of architects or whether it is something that can be achieved by thoughtful interior space planning and design, clients get the best value and outcome when I get involved in a project in the early planning stages. Understanding exactly what my clients envision for their homes from the beginning ensures that every dollar that is spent will contribute to the outcome they really want - and need.

Give me a call (914.923.2393) or send an email today and let me help you make your dream home a reality - starting from the inside out.