IMO your needs are too vast for one designer to tie up 2 yrs of their time. Are you prepared for the expense of a designer being on call because IMO that is what you want. Why not tackle one job at a time with a designer , see how it goes then move on to the next job. There are many ways designers bill and you need to find one that works for you. Myself i would want to know exactly what is your first priority? There are interior designers and often they do not do exterior design. I generally bill by the hour and that includes telephone calls . travel time , shopping anything where I am needed in my time. I have clients I have worked with many times and for those my billing is sometimes different.

So go back talk to the designers you have already contacted and start with one job at a time to see how you work with them, there is no one size fits all. You will also need to specific as to what you mean by for instance window refinishing.

" I prefer a designer with resources who will oversee the work. " Are you saying you have a long list of things you want to accomplish over the next 2 yrs and you want that designer to put together the plan of attack, the vision and then have the designer implement it and oversee the project while using their contact of contractors so that you don't have to deal with that part, too?

@Patricia Colwell Consulting this is one way I need help - to know where to start with an overall big picture that ties it all together. I would prefer to work with one person though began to realize that might be impossible. Thank you.

You need a style assessment and concept design for the whole home first. That’s your blueprint for everything moving forward. A master plan. That’s the expensive time consuming part.

Then every time you start in a room, you’ll have that blueprint, and the time you spend with the designer for those stages will be minimal compared to the initial phase.

What do you think 160 hours of design time as the start is going to cost you? Or a master plan for a 3000 sf home? Because you probably will be low on your guess.

You can’t design on the fly at the drop of a hat and a phone call. Not without doing all of the foundation background work FIRST. So, a lot of money happens first.

I would look for an Interior Designer who has a degree/s not a "Designer" or Decorator. Since you also have exterior work, you may want to look at Architectural firms that also have an Interior Designer on staff or if they don't, often their portfolio will show on-line will give credit to who the Interior Designer was. This will give you a feel for that person's work. And yes, with a bit of research and a lot of interviewing you can find an Interior Designer that will do it all from start to finish and help you achieve your vision. With that said, I do want you to go into this with your eyes wide-open as you will be hiring someone with a degree/s, experience and lot of holding your hand and with that comes an open pocket book on your part compared to hiring a "Designer" or "Decorator who usually isn't going to hold your hand and have their own resources or the level of experience that I think you may be looking for. And there is no magic design-speak, just find a person you are very comfortable with and like their portfolio. If their portfolio doesn't reflect what you want, then move on.

Yes, I need both a style assessment (new term) and a plan of attack. Thank you, that helps already. My initial plan, when we bought the house, was to begin with the innermost rooms. The entry, living room and dining room remain.

After reviewing my list last night, it seems less overwhelming. Refinish floors/widow interiors, window treatments, lighting, update a railing. The exterior will likely take us two years to keep funds manageable. As I type this, I wonder if the interior can wait 2-3 years, after retirement when I would have time to enjoy the shopping.

Yes, @tedbixby, it would be ideal to work with a designer that has established relationships with contractors, much like we had while remodeling the kitchen.

@User, the fees in my area range from $110-150/hr. It's what I have to do to keep moving. I will review credentials again.

following

I have to tell you all that I have been browsing Design Dilemma for six years and have great respect for what you, as designers, do and tolerate. I learned what I can manage and what I won't attempt. You all helped me through full remodels of a master bath and kitchen that we love. Now I'm stuck.

Working with a designer is a different world for me and hope your advice will ease the pain for both me and the designer. So far, the four I've spoken with I found via the Houzz website. I have considered looking at the high end builders.

@JAN MOYER I devised the 2-year scenario as an attempt to keep everything financially manageable. If I say $50k, I suspect a designer will laugh. If $50k completes the exterior, I'm happy. Without taking the time to shop, meet with contractors to provide estimates, etc., how do I arrive at a budget? Or know if my hardwood floors need what level of attention? Or what my house would look like without shutters. Ugh, And the miriad of light fixtures - makes my head spin :)

First, you make a wish list of everything YOU think you'd like to do. You separate exterior from interior. You separate "furnish my living room, from remodel my master bath. Do you want to move walls? Re do a kitchen ? Refinish all the floors? You literally go through all the areas that are bothering you.

You say, I can spend 50 k this year, 50 k next year. Now comes the hard part. You get an honest designer and say I want you to help me figure out if this is even somewhat realistic. You don't meet, until YOU have done some work. Made an idea book of rooms, be they kitchens, or baths, or living rooms that appeal to you. I will warn you. While 50 k is not sneeze money, it isn't going to be enough to get the skill set, and ATTENTION you want. No designer who minimizes a clients resources lasts very long. A good one treats your money like her own, gives you VALUE for those dollars . But at some point, years of experience merits financial reward. That's going to be your problem, almost certainly.

You COULD of course, post a couple threads here. Don't overlap, and post pictures. Definitely separate interior from exterior. At this moment we're all in the land of "vague" are we not?

I will post threads, This is a four-level mid-70's split level. Please define transitional style?

tdemonti- IMO "transitional" is a catch-all phrase. If you are going to post your rooms on Houzz, the most helpful thing you can do before you do is to put together Ideabooks (as Jan suggest) as that will help us get an idea of what you like. That said, you state that you want someone that can oversee the whole project so I'm wondering what you are hoping to achieve by posting threads?

Posting a thread is the alternative to a "right now" on site designer. The op needs to organize thoughts, do some HOMEWORK. A little brainstorming won't hurt. It will help her to focus, and focus the budget which is probably not going to cover the wish list. : )

@JAN MOYER dont tell my husband that! (Wink). I've been browsing and filing ideas on my desktop for years but will try to create an idea book here to give you an idea of our taste. Here's my rendition of a floor plan of the "main level." By the math, my measurements are off, but close. The dining room in parenthesis was designed to be a formal dining space but, for us, it's more of a thoroughfare. The entry/living/dining room has a 10' ceiling. The upper level is an 8' ceiling.

Please keep in mind that my hubby and I combined households and our current furnishings are what I call a mish-mosh. I'm rather embarrassed as I look at these photos. Pardon the telework. I'll work on posts for different areas.

This view is from the entry looking straight ahead. The wall paper in the entry was removed.

This view is from the entry, to the left. we use the dining table at Thanksgiving.

Thank you, thank you.

So. You already did a kitchen you love, despite its size/footprint remained the same? . Now , you are left with generous rooms, typical of that multi level time period. You have a room ( dining) ) that is serving no real purpose ( a thoroughfare ) . What in fact is the goal? What functions for what rooms? I ask, because fifty K won't cover a refurnish of those spaces with a decent designer.

You and hubby need to think through what you want. New furniture won't change the use, or your living habits , unless you design and furnish with these purposes in mind. You'd have to answer that question for any designer. What do these spaces look like, right NOW??. How do you entertain, how many? Where do you watch tv, hang around? Do you wish you had a space dedicated to something ELSE? What is the something else? If you leave this to a designer to figure out, to fill with who knows what? You will be back here as an unhappy camper, who expected someone to read her mind. : )

We could put a table back in the (dining ) area but I'm afraid it will become a catch all. This area is probably the biggest challenge. We opted to keep the kitchen separate rather than open it to the living area to keep the noise, view, and odors reasonably contained. We do entertain on a small scale but could have larger groups with different furnishings. That's an apartment size sofa in the picture.

Hubby could live in a cardboard box and Knows I'm not frivolous. Other than furnishing, the living and (dining) rooms, the spaces desperately need updating. During the dark, cooler months, we spend time in the living room. Our only TV is there. Otherwise, we are outside.. We really have no other needs for use of space unless teleworking becomes permanent. Would that be a tacky use of the open (dinino) room?

Honestly, this house is too big for two of us. We bought the location - a dead end street, great neighbors, big fenced yard for the dog, creekfront for kayaking and fishing, woodland garden for me, and reasonable commute for both of us. The finished lower level with fireplace and sliding doors to the yard is our hobby area. We plan to be here another ten years.

My expectation of a designer is help determining an interior/exterior "style" to pursue, color selection, furniture placement and selection, lighting. Ideally, he/she has a group of contractors that will see us through.

No pictures are posted. :) Post them of ALLLLL THE SPACES.

You will be stuck, until you decide what purposes you want to devote to spaces. I'd have enlarged the kitchen before I even got to this point. "Odors" ......something I never understand. Venting takes care of that. What else? Onions? It's food for heavens sake! Post the pics and sit down with hubby. That's your plan , for now.. Homework, in other words

The entry for this is far more functional that usual for a multi level. But the living floor is way less functional. This house has already traveled far down the piecemeal—look a squirrel—route. There was no master plan to create function and flow. Consequently, money was spent unwisely, on things that did not create function and flow. You either bite the bullet and redo some major costly things, or you sell and move and do better on the next house. Nice furniture and pretty colors does not fix meta design flow inadequacies. You’re talking decorating, when you need design and ripped up walls and dust.

50K is not going to begin to cover that.

I think it is wonderful that you found a house that checks off your boxes for location as you can always make changes to a house but checking off location boxes isn't as easy. I disagree that you do multiple posts as I think managing multiple ones is going to become too overwhelming for you. I'd start with the Living Room and include photos of the kitchen as that will give us a sense of your style ( as I believe you said that was recently renovated?). Also, get photos into Ideabooks. Do the posting and let's see if we can help you work your way through " determining an interior/exterior "style" to pursue, color selection, furniture placement and selection, lighting." And eventually we'll figure out what to do with the unused dining rm space.

i am thrilled to see the different approaches each of you have. Truly. And, I need to take some time to figure out how to use the idea book feature.

Keep in mind this is a mid-70's split level. Not high end by any means but simple, casual and comfortable. The houses in the neighborhood range from $180k for a small 2BR ranch to above 400k. The bones are good, as they say. I suspect this was fully redecorated once or twice in its 45 years but no apparent structural changes. The eaves are nearly 4' deep making the house very light-challenged but the views are nice.

In the meantime, for a sense of style, here are photos of the small master bath remodel and 1 of 2 guest rooms. I'll add living room and kitchen photos separately. In addition to remodeling the bath, we removed rooms of wallpaper, painted and re-carpeted the bedroom level. Louvre bifold doors for the master bath and two closets in the master bedroom. Shutters on the MBR Windows.. The sink base is custom designed/made. The stain really does match. The top is HiMacs. The copper on the wall is from the remodel. Working with the red tone in the stain, I opted for mostly gray-greens, SW egret white (or white heron). The label is in a folder.

This is a small bedroom.

I already see a red flag, here. From my reading of the ask in your initial post, you want a designer who will also oversee the construction/remodels, is that correct? If so, that will be very dependent on the state you live in. In California, where I am based, I am not allowed to sub-contract tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, sheetrock installers, or carpenters, for example) unless I also have a general contractor's license, which I do not. I can draw up the construction docs for permitting, collaborate with those contractors, engineers, etc., but I cannot run the fees for those services through my business. So you should first see what is legal in your state before you hire someone. You will likely have to hire both services.

Once you've figured that out, a designer can put together a master plan for you and then work with you and your contractor to develop the budget and schedule for the remodel in phases.

This will not be inexpensive. And if it includes decorating on top of the remodel, it will cost even more.

Hi, Sabrina. We are in south central Pennsylvania. We are not planning any structural changes, just updating what is here. I spoke with the township and do not need permits to replace doors/windows unless enlarging them.

@User It never dawned on me but you are right about how functional the entry is. You have a point about flow because we come into the house from the garage, not the front door where the coat closet is located.

Interestingly enough, tonight, for the first time, I spoke with the wife of the couple who built this house. She had avocado kitchen appliances.

@tedbixby I will likely add a few separate posts with different subjects so other can take advantage when searching for advice.

@JAN MOYER we seriously considered a few ideas for expanding the kitchen but we really wanted to keep it separate. We gained a good amount of useful counter space when we changed the foot print.

Here are kitchen photos. It's nearly two years since remodeling. We gained much functional space by relocating the doorway to th (dining) room. Some of this may be familiar from other posts. The colors in the photos are a bit off. The cabinets are a custom stain to pull up color from the floorIng and blend with adjacent hardwood. The countertop is Corian Juniper. The selection was lousy but white appliance because the kitchen is on the north side. . We skimped on the appliances because they are easily replaceable. This layout works well for two of us working in the kitchen at the same time. I'm working on an oil painting for the wall space.

First money I'd spend would be to FINISH what you began. Appliances in stainless, and a flooring update in the kitchen. I Admit I am curious as to why the soffits didn't come out at the remodel . All that is in them is lighting, so they were not carrying any plumbing: ) But ....the I "can come back at it " approach is not the best, and generally what happens is money gets blown away in a more helter skelter manner of trying to do too much on limited resources, and the best result is never achieved in any individual space. Finish.....: )

I agree with Jan. Though it appears that you feel the kitchen is completed, it really can be taken to the next level by putting in a new floor, SS appliances and consider getting rid of that 4" back splash and put a tile back splash in. The problem otherwise is that you are going to put money into other areas and the kitchen will only be emphasized that it wasn't "finished." Also, is the refrigerator partially in the eat in kitchen area? The refrigerator looks like it was an after thought and was just put there without much thought of incorporating it.

This is a very challenging dilemma...but the most obvious conclusion is...you really need a designer..the kitchen re-design is fraught with mistakes in my view...and the architectural challenges are overwhelming...i disagree with the concept of doing one thing at a time..this requires an overall plan from the beginning...to be approached in stages that you are comfortable with...

I always hate to hear too much about compromise..and “i can live with that”....so the biggest challenge here will be the”plan”...

The kitchen is done. Sorry. I could've written the article about how to design an easy to clean kitchen. The floor is soooo easy on our bodies and to keep clean. The soffits separate the two areas and add dimension. I would've chosen a smaller fridge but it blends in. I still need a ceiling light fixture or ceiling fan, and a softer range hood.

The wall between the kitchen and living room is load bearing. It stays.

The plan is to design and finish the living room and (dining) room but it overwhelms me Colors, proportion, furniture placement. We don't have a separate family or TV room Below are photos of the current space and mush-mosh.

I started an Ideabook but am overwhelmed by just selection of wall sconces alone. Homework is right! Question. What is light fixture finish dependen on?

The wall behind the apt size sofa is where the refrigerator and range are located

Going clockwise. This seems like the best space for the television to avoid glare.

The wall on the right is the garage.

Looking the opposite direction, the wall on the left is the garage. The kitchen is to pthe right.

I would say pick a designer you can work with, and then pick a room to work on. Your house is great. Just focus on 1 room at a time and gradually work your way through the house.

Rather than looking for specific items for your Ideabooks the best thing for you to do is look at photos of rooms. Start with the living room, search Houzz living rooms and when you see a photo that you like. put it into the IB. If there is something specific in the photo that you like, make a note of it under the photo. After a period of time, we'll see your style develop and we can go from there. Showing us sconces doesn't really help until we get to the point of (and if) you needing sconces.

This is where you have a big disconnect with what you want, what you’re willing to do, and your budget. You just don’t want your complacency with mediocre challenged, even though you want better. You aren’t willing to do what it takes to get better. Which is fatal to design.

The kitchen needs help. It was an unfortunate design, and needs attention and changes to turn it into something that will have been worth that expense. You’re not willing to listen to suggestions to revisit the design and improve it. That’s a giant red flag for a designer. What makes the rest of the house different as a project? Will you listen to anything about it?

What about this whole home redesign is going to be appealing to a designer to work with you, if you just don’t listen to the suggestions that you’re given? What’s in it for a person who wants to see the joy of something coming together better than the homeowner ever imagined it could be? Because that’s the why behind it. This is not a “portfolio job”. It won’t reflect well on their skills if you’re resistant to doing what it takes to get a result worth having. It’s not even a job where they are going to earn from product sales. And that isn’t about money, although that will rear its head. The communication style and fear of letting go to listen and trust makes for huge frustrations. That’s not fun. If they can’t really make a difference in the home, because you don’t let them, they are not going to be into you and your 2 year plan to timesuck more than they’re actually getting paid. Money isn’t enough for that frustration level. And there won’t be enough money either, because no one would be willing to pay the real time costs for the $500 lifeline 15 minute Zoom to fix a problem that could have been prevented with better listening and more trust.

You‘re just are not a good candidate for a good designer. A newbie, who hadn’t yet learned? That you might get. The experienced one that you need will be “too busy”. So, DIY it to death, and just live with the results you create. It seems that you’re happy enough with that, and don’t really care to have a next level home. So why go to the angst and expense of having your worldview challenged for the better? Spend your money on the 1001 suggestions of a crowd sourced plan, and don’t take it up a notch. Why bother with wanting something better and more? It will just challenge your complacency.

Yes, @tedbixby, read that in the tutorial and will do. Seems less daunting.

Thank you @laurafhallen. I am focused on the living room.

@User you saw the floor plan. What would you do ?

You mentioned retirement. Do you really want to invest a lot of money into a house that has many steps/levels, no bedroom or bathroom on the main floor and will not be user friendly if anyone develops mobility issues?

@chispa Good point. My thought is to invest in better furniture pieces that can move with us, and less so for pieces that likely won't. such as an armoire for coats. The costliest aspect is probably updating the 45 year old exterior with resale in mind. The WOW factor for this house is the creek front.

@User I see that the primary flow issue in this 70's house is that tge coat closet is placed for guests at the front door vs. the occupants coming In from the garage. I think the unused (dining room) will take on more of a utilitarian role of some sort. Maybe library to eliminate various bookshelves throughout the house.

I appreciate the challenges that everyone poses. You are making me think in new ways.