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Chicago's
Premier Designer Resource
Showcasing residential and commercial
interior designers and architects
Matchmaker
From Shelter Magazine, written
by Lisa Vincenti
Deciding it's time to call in the pros when it comes to an interior design
project is no light decision. Not only will you be spending lots of money,
but the designer selected will be in your home and hair for the next six
to twelve months... ripping up flooring, trashing cabinetry, tearing
down walls, and, not to mention, selecting the furnishings and decor, you
will have to live with for a long, long time. One misstep can turn your
dream home into your own personal nightmare on Elm Street.
Needless to say a home renovation or re-design can be a hairy undertaking.
Luckily. Enterprising professionals, such as Linda Cohen of Designer
Previews, wants to make sure those projects go as smoothly as planned. Her
business is sort of a love connection, a matchmaker between homeowners and
designers or architects.
"Linda is a buffer in the beginning," says Tom Segal, an interior designer
at Kaufman Segal Design. "Clients who have never worked with a designer
often go to Linda and she can sit down and go over the ground rules. She
gives clients comparison information - an idea of what designers are doing
and what they charge."
Cohen, who works with a stable of 30 architects and designers, meets with
clients looking to hire a professional designer. She visits the client's
residence armed with portfolios of completed projects. The Interview,
which can take anywhere from one to two hours, is meant to narrow down the
list of potential candidates to two or three based on past projects and
designers' portfolios.
"After the initial meeting with me, clients walk away with a pretty clear
idea of how to proceed, having one to three designers they would like to
meet," says Cohen, who charges a flat fee of $100. "I'm involved until a
contract is signed."
Cohen carefully vets the designers and architects she works with to ensure
that clients get the best service. Designers need both a strong portfolio
of completed projects and a good business head on their shoulders. "You
have to have creative people, but also good business managers. Designers
have to be capable of handling high-end projects and be able to handle the
clients impeccably", she adds. Designer Previews offers clients a sense of
security.
At the end of the day, the designer hired is more than just a creative
force in a project. The designer you choose will become an intimate part
of your daily life.
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