SET A TIMELINE
Courtesy of CAROLYNLEONA
According to Liz Goldberg, founder of Raleigh-based design firm CAROLYNLEONA, planning ahead is key. “We always create a timeline when we get started, so we know all planned install dates and work hard to stay ahead of these dates.” Goldberg also uses Ivy, a business management software geared toward designers, to centralize projects and stay on top of deadlines and expenses. Once the timeline is in place, designer Andrea May suggests holding weekly or bi-weekly site meetings.
KNOW YOUR BUDGET
Courtesy of Andrea May Interiors
“The best way to stay on budget is, of course, to know what your client wants to invest in their project and then to select and specify early,” advises Andrea May of Andrea May Interiors (May also uses Ivy to help manage expenses). Goldberg suggests deciding when to splurge and when to save: “Pick 2 items that will be your star, the focal point, and spend on those! Then let other details take more of a backseat to support your shining stars and save on those items. I love mixing high/low.”
ESTABLISH YOUR DESIGN LANGUAGE
Courtesy of Architectural Digest
“Establish your design language so everyone working on the project knows what you mean when you say you want something to feel “modern” or “traditional.” I like to do this visually through precedent imagery,” says Danielle Walish, a former interior designer and current Creative Director at The Inside.