How to Use an Interior Decorator to Fix Up Your Office
Hiring an interior decorator to help you fix up your office is a wise idea. Decorators have a plethora of ideas to solve all your decorating and functional problems and a whole arsenal of help to make your dream office a reality. You tell him what you have in mind for decor and what your specific needs are, and he'll take it from there. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Collect pictures from magazines or the Internet of office spaces you like. Your decorator will then be able to determine what styles you like, such as traditional, contemporary, European, shabby chic, rustic or eclectic. Good places to look are the home offices sections at HGTV.com, Bhg.com and Housebeautiful.com.
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Tell the decorator what colors you have in mind. She'll show you samples from her paint chips and fabric swatches, and you can zero in on what you like. If you want to include wallpaper, tell her if you prefer flowers, birds, golfers or plaid, for example. Also, tell her if you would like a chair rail, extra heavy molding or anything else that you envision.
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Share your ideas for flooring, if you're going to change it, and what you have in mind for the windows. He'll show you different drapery or curtain styles or blind or shutter options.
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Show the decorator what items you need to store in your office, as well as equipment, such as computers, printers, phones and/or a CD player. This will help her figure out the required furnishings. She'll know if you need bookcases or cabinets and a computer-friendly desk or a purely decorative one.
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Tell the decorator how you want the office to function. Will it be just for paying the bills and taking care of family business? Or will you be working full time out of it as a sales rep? This will help the decorator figure out the desk, file, bookcase and seating configurations.
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Tips & Warnings
Interview a few decorators first to be sure you are on the same page. If you feel her portfolio does not go along with what you have in mind, move on to another one. Your decorator wants to be comfortable with you, too.
Don't go in with an exact preconceived idea of what your office is going to look like. You give the decorator your wants and needs; he comes up with solutions.
