I frequently get asked about where and how I shop. Man, has that changed over the last ten years or so!
Ten years ago, interior designers almost exclusively shopped at “Trade Only” showrooms—“Trade” being the design trade. That meant that the client didn’t have access to many furniture, accessory, fabric, and lighting lines that designers did. If you happened to want one of those pieces, you had to go through your designer.
Your designer would either escort you through the design center showing you what he/she wanted you to see or just show you images of pieces he/she selected for you. You paid what the designer told you to pay – usually discounted from suggested retail price but also at a mark-up from the designer’s price. You paid the designer for her/his expertise in selecting the best pieces for you based on your style, budget and the size of your space. You expected the designer to resolve any problems with pieces brought into your home. This was the way of the designer for many, many years.
Then two things happened: Home improvement shows on TV and ready access to the internet. Now clients were empowered to do their own designing and then roll up their sleeves and create it themselves. And they discovered that they could sit at home in the evening and shop from their computer.
Manufacturers started catching on to this trend. Now they could sell directly to consumers without having to have a showroom represent them. Over the last five years or so, even dyed-in-the-wool upscale furniture manufacturers have developed their websites and many offer direct sales.
Competition heated up between companies offering similar items for sale on the internet. And suddenly you paid little or even nothing to have the product shipped to your door.
So how DO designers shop these days???
What I’m finding more and more is that I source pieces on the internet and simply provide the link to my client. Designers no longer make a significant amount of money by finding and selling pieces to their clients. Clients have found they can get the pieces cheaper, sometimes, than even the designer’s price.
In fact, I have two recent experiences where I know that was the case. I needed a new kitchen faucet and knew what I wanted. I got a quote from the local plumbing supplier and then did some internet research. I was able to get the faucet cheaper and even brought to my door by shopping on line.
I also recommended a table to a client recently. I got the pricing from the design center showroom then added in shipping, receiving, and delivery charges. The client did her own internet research and was able to find the same table, delivered straight to her home, for less. And it wasn’t just a little less; it was almost 20% less.
Of course, the client then takes on the responsibility of ensuring the piece is the right size, style and color and that it can be installed where and how they want. And they must resolve any problems with the piece themselves. But these are responsibilities that most homeowners are willing to take on.
So why would you pay your designer to shop for you – even if it’s just to give you the website link? There are still some excellent reasons: Probably the most important one is scale. Your designer has both technical knowledge and real world experience with what sizes will fit best in your space. This extends to everything from size of area rug, to size and shape of your chandelier, to whether your room is big enough for a “big boy’s” recliner.
And your designer is an expert at finding just the right piece that will fit with your style. She/he will know the sites to visit and can narrow down the search quickly to the right selection. You get just a few suggestions for the perfect piece instead of wading through thousands of wrong ones.
And, finally, I tell my clients that even with the link to the perfect piece, they should do a little more pricing research. Once they know the specific piece they’re looking for, they can do some comparison shopping.
And that’s how it’s done! Do you have favorite sites you visit for great prices on beautiful things for your home? I’d love to hear about them!
