You won’t find an outstanding commercial interior designer just anywhere.
The truth is that a great commercial interior designer should be able to take your business, vision, aesthetic, colour palette, and more, and integrate all of these elements into your space in a way that feels consistent with your brand.
Commercial interior designers also need to be cognizant of the impact that interior design has on workflow and productivity in office spaces.
With these factors in mind, commercial interior design isn’t a job you want to entrust to just anyone. The hiring process should involve plenty of research and careful vetting. If you need to hire a commercial interior designer, here are several key steps you should take.
Review Their Credentials
The first thing you should do whenever you engage a commercial interior designer or commercial interior decorator is to confirm that they have the proper qualifications and licenses.
Of course, start by asking the designer about their credentials. Then, visit the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) directory, which will list all of the registered commercial interior designers in Toronto. Designers that are registered with ARIDO are required to invest in professional development, meet the Ontario government’s registration requirements, follow their standards and code of ethics, and keep professional liability insurance.
Check Out Their Portfolio
With many different commercial interior design services to choose from, it’s important that you identify the right fit for your project. While it’s easy to be blown away by the designer’s portfolio, they may not have experience with your type of project.
Consider whether or not they have the range to deliver what you need, and if possible, look for portfolio examples that are similar or at least relevant to your project.
Ask Them to Provide References
Like any company trying to earn your business, a commercial interior designer is going to showcase their services in the most positive light. You should be taking what they say about themselves with a grain of salt. For a more balanced opinion on their services, it’s wise to hear directly from past clients. Ask the designer to provide 2–3 client references that you can vet.
Look Up Their Online Reviews
Beyond client references, you can also vet social proof by scouring the web for online reviews. Google My Business (GMB), Facebook, and Yelp are some of the best places to start as most clients will leave reviews on one of these three sites.
You can also check Ontario’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) for more information about the company, as well as client feedback and complaints.
Ask Plenty of Questions
Before hiring a designer, you should feel comfortable with the commercial interior design services that they are offering. If you’re unsure as to whether they will be able to fulfil the vision for your space or accommodate your schedule, for example, it’s best to address these types of issues before entering into an agreement.
Contact Direct Interiors today to book a consultation with one of our expert interior designers and tour our luxury furniture store in person!
For more inspiration, visit our website to see our portfolio, read testimonials or get in touch.
TESTIMONIALS
“Rob and I just wanted to let you know how HAPPY HAPPY we are with Miriam. She is absolutely amazing – she truly knows what she is talking about and her EXPERT advise helps with the decisions and what pieces we want to order. She does care about her customers and making them have a very nice look in their home. Simply something that I thought would be nice to share.”
– Julie
“My wife and I have been working with Kevin for over 3 years. He is attentive to every detail and has helped bring our vision into a reality. He also helped us select items for our office. Highly recommend him for his interior design services.”
– Karnjit
“Absolutely love my experience at Direct Interiors. From the day I walked in, to the delivery of the furniture, everything went smoothly! I’ve been working with DeeDee. Her attention to details is second to none. I’ve had many ideas and pictures for my furniture and lighting selections. She was able to source pretty much every piece at unbeatable prices.”
– Yulia
“Excellent patient sales people full of knowledge and not pushy see Dee Dee she was great and got me exactly what I wanted and showed me spending more money is better long term having a piece that is a statement and built solid so you will have it in 20 years.”
– Jeff
“Best place for high quality furniture. Vanessa decorated my entire house, I couldn’t be more pleased!”
– Niusha
“Excellent prices and quality designer assistance. Bring several pics of the room and any samples of colours you can (eg wall paint, flooring, etc) … Many of the items come in a variety of wood types and stain colours so this is essential to help you chose.”
– Shelley
“Vanessa and her team are fantastic, their service and design expertise are phenomenal. “
– Rocky
“Great customer service, timely delivery, excellent quality”
– Nataile Froom
“Excellent service with Mani! Very helpful and pleasant”
– Anita B
“My salesperson, Lina, is the soul of patience. I am a decorator, and frequently bring my clients to Direct Interiors because of their wide and beautiful selection. For my most recent shopping excursion, Lina readily provided multiple quotes while my clients weighed all options. She researched alternatives for pieces that weren’t available. She was a fantastic resource as usual.
I have always found the sales and support staff at Direct to be very accommodating and service oriented. I highly recommend Direct Interiors to design professionals and anyone who is interested in creating a beautiful home.”
– Mary Bannet
“I worked directly with Kevin Chiu who is a great designer. He has excellent product knowledge and knows all the options available through various different brands and manufacturers. Kevin is very attentive, provides excellent customer service, and my experience from start to end was fantastic! I am very pleased with all the items we selected and I would highly recommend!!! “
– Anita Pastor
“Thanks so much for helping redecorate our home! Worked closely with Vanessa, Tessa and Katie who were all fantastic throughout the entire process. Very highly recommended!”
