THE MOST COMMON DESIGN QUESTION IS
“HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST?”
Long before I was an Interior Designer, I was a Police Officer. (Yes, that is me in the photo!)
When I was a cop and asked someone “how much have you had to drink?”, no matter how intoxicated they were, the answer was usually “two beers.” As a designer when I ask clients “what is your budget”, often times, no matter the size of the project, the answer is 60K. So my experience has shown me that regardless of facts and reality, 2 BEERS = $60,000 in the design world.
Thanks to hope-provoking design shows, many clients come to us with no real idea “HOW MUCH” their dream project will cost. They will give us their long project wish-list to include: a new kitchen, three new bathrooms, new flooring and finishes throughout, upgraded lighting, new appliances, new fixtures, paint, and all new furnishings and décor. Great, right? Well, hold your horses. When asked what their budget was to cover all of this, you guessed it, 60K was the answer.
So here’s a little BUZZ KILL… according to the “Cost vs. Value” report by Remodeling magazine (2012), the projected nationwide average for a midrange kitchen makeover is approximately 60K. Bummer, right? Yes, money can’t buy you love, but your 2 beer budget can cover the cost of hiring a professional designer and contractor to give you a gorgeous new kitchen and perhaps remodel a small bath too.
The TRUTH is that our experience with handling hundreds of whole-home design makeovers and remodeling projects have shown that 4-10 beers is a more realistic investment to tackle the above mentioned project wish-list. But remember, success is not always about HOW MUCH you spend – it’s about WHERE you spend and how you put it all together.
LET US HELP YOU. We specialize in interpreting client goals and selecting the most beautiful, harmonious, and functional elements for your space. Remember, design and remodeling projects are in our wheelhouse. If your budget isn’t flexible, then we can help turn your wish-list into a priority-list to make the most of your budget.
Take a deep breath and repeat after me:
“Good, Fast & Cheap – you can have two but you can’t have them all.”
NEXT MONTH WE’LL ANSWER THE 2nd MOST COMMON QUESTION
“HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?”
by Patricia Lockwood
President & Fearless Leader of Design Vision Studio
Award-Winning Interior Designer
Certified in Design Psychology
Founder & Past President, I.D.S. Palm Springs Chapter
Interior Design Society (I.D.S.) National Board of Directors
Author – “Sleepless in Portland”
