Jenny, I'm kind of the opposite of you in that I'm in the NY metro area where there are zillions of designers. The choices are overwhelming, yet I don't know anything about these people. And while my budget would not be classified as low end, it's not in the stratosphere either, so I don't want to be calling a bunch of people who are likely to turn up their noses at a project they deem too small. Many of the designers whose portfolios I have looked at online have an aesthetic that is way too traditional for me. And a few with more contemporary leanings seem to be billing themselves as "designers to the stars." A star I am not. So the whole process has been a bit confusing to me. Thank you for the tip on the ASID website,palimpsest. I will make a fresh start there.

Thanks for the input. We have it narrowed down to two, both of whom charge hourly. One is more expensive than the other, but we like the houses she's designed in the past better, as they seem to have more interesting and unique features, customized to the individual clients. Her natural style also seems to be closer to our own. She also uses technology to mock up interiors, which I find helpful since I'm not good at visualizing 3D space on my own. The other is a one-woman shop, more old school (she hand draws tile diagrams, for example), and with a natural style a little different from our own. I get the sense she's very good at good, solid basic design and could work with our style, but less creative. She's very practical and down-to-earth, though, which we like. We're actually right on the border in terms of using a designer or not - we have a pretty strong sense of our own style, likes, and dislikes, and we're actually looking to replicate a lot in our current home. In some ways this would be a good fit for the more basic designer, as I could do a lot of it myself and likely use her a bit less. On the other hand, with her I don't know how much added value I'm really getting beyond what I'd come up with myself. While the more creative designer will be more expensive, I also think I'm more likely to end up with something better than what I could do myself. Decisions decisions.

I absolutely agree. Especially unfair to the client. I see so much "work" that is substandard, and deceptive. In Boise there is a lack of licensing anything - but of course licensing interior designers here would be the perfect solution. It may take more fires, more home owners deaths to get the attention of anyone that is willing to make the governmental changes. A real industry tragedy. Claiming to be anything that you are not is illegal. Fraudulent and deceptive. But in the interior designer - decorator realm clients here tend to accept it - because the decorator has a "flair" for what they do. Have you ever hired a person claiming to be a doctor, dentist, attorney, or engineer because they have a "flair" for what they do? Of course not. Health and safety concerns may end up changing the playing field as more and more people move here from states with legislation in the interior design arena.

If you like Flegels, their in-house designers are easy to work with. Go on their website and see if you lik eone. If you do contact that person and see if he or she would be work with you on an hourly basis.