While design television has made us more savvy about interior design, and often more inclined to tackle it ourselves, sometimes you need to call in a professional. There’s no shame in that! You wouldn’t perform your own open-heart surgery or defend yourself in court, would you? (Please say no.) A designer can open your eyes to ideas and solutions you wouldn’t think of yourself. Here are some tips for how to make the most of the experience.

1. CHOOSE WISELY

Image: Edmond Dantès

Interior designers don’t come in ‘one size fits all.’  You want to find a designer who “gets” you and what you want/need. One who will stay on budget and deliver a beautiful space at the end of the project. Right? Then you’ll want to interview them. More than one, probably, because you don’t know how the first one will compare to the next until you talk to number two (or three or four or…). See these 10 questions to ask an interior designer before hiring and you’ll be all set.

2. AGREE ON TERMS

Image:   Amy Hirschi, Unsplash

What services do you want your designer to provide? Do you want advice, a design plan or a finished space? Will you buy fixtures and furniture, or will they? Who will deal with contractors? Do you want them to style your space? What does the budget include? What’s the best way to communicate? What if something goes wrong? Ask questions until you’re comfortable with the process.

3. DO YOUR PART

Image: Mikhail Nilov

Help the designer know what you want—and in this case, pictures really are worth a thousand words. Make a mood board (Pinterest is great for this). Share pics of items you want to keep. Be clear about how you want to use the space and how you want it to feel. Then when the design process starts, stop sending new ideas—you’ll just muddy the waters and slow things down.

4. BE HONEST AND DECISIVE

Image: RDNE Stock project

It’s important to keep an open mind but equally important to be honest about what you like and don’t like. If you absolutely hate something the designer proposes, say so. (Nicely, of course.) Your designer is a professional, they shouldn’t take it personally.

You should also be prepared to make decisions quickly. That will help keep the project—and the budget—on track. Isn’t your first instinct usually the best anyway? If you do change your mind about something, let your designer know ASAP to minimize the impact on cost and schedule.

5. RESPECT THE RULES

Image: Nubelson Fernandes

Your designer is a professional with a business to run and you are likely not their only client. If you have scheduled meetings, don’t send a flurry of emails and texts in between meetings demanding immediate responses. If you do, expect to be charged for the extra time that’s outside the scope of your agreement.

6. PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME

Image: Mikhail Nilov

This should be a no-brainer, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded. If you followed Step 2 then the type and timing of payments shouldn’t come as a surprise. Timely payment will keep your project moving forward as it should. Besides, it’s the right thing to do.

7. TRUST YOUR DESIGNER

Image: Kaboompics.com

If you’ve done a good job letting your designer know what you like and what you want, they should be able to create a space that’s even better than you imagine. That’s what designers do. That’s the reason you hired them in the first place. Let the designer design.