ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) offers a checklist of questions to help you interview candidates: http://asidla.org/find-a-designer/interviewing-a-designer/ .

But based upon years of meeting potential clients, here is my unofficial advice that you may not find in a book or website.

1. Ask friends and family (whose house décor you like) for recommendations. This is no guarantee that you will agree once you meet the person, but at least you’ll receive an endorsement from people you trust (and hopefully ) respect.
2. Screen the designer on the phone by describing your project and ask if it sounds like something that would interest them. You have to make sure that you and the designer are in the same league. There is no use wasting anyone’s time if the designer isn’t appropriate for your situation; their skills, experience, and requirements should be compatible with your needs and comfort level.
3. Schedule a meeting and ask if there is a consultation charge. You don’t want to be surprised.
4. Do your homework before the meeting. Google the company and look at the website.Not all designers have sophisticated sites or have published works that would appear on Google. Many designers obtain new clients through referrals and just don’t have the time or need to focus on technology. But they should have something you can review.
5. Try to meet at a time when you are relaxed and can focus. If you are constantly interrupted by children or other distractions, you should reschedule for a more appropriate time when you can talk, look and listen.
6. Trust your instincts. You and the designer have to like each other in order to form a trusting partnership. It’s a little like dating; things you don’t like initially will only grow with time.
7. Find out how the designer communicates and make sure it is compatible with your needs. If you are more comfortable with detailed correspondence and the designer tends to operate more casually, you will both feel frustrated and affect your relationship. But also verbalize how you like to work before the job begins. No one reads minds!
8. Be honest about how the decisions will be made in your house; is your significant other involved? Will he/she be a decision maker? If so, make sure that both of you attend all designer presentations so that you don’t waste time or duplicate efforts having to repeat everything.
9. Have fun! This can be a fun process. Try to enjoy!

Some things went well and some things about my designer (s) and the industry drove my CRAZY. There seemed to be no accountability for time and money.

So I have vowed to be the designer who is responsible for budget and schedule.

I know what a leap of faith it is to turn your home over to someone else and to trust that they will make the right decisions for the right reasons. My husband often commented that it seemed to be a conflict of interest that designers make their money from marking up client purchases. What is the incentive to buy less costly items?

Well, I’m here to tell you that there are many honest people in this industry who truly make the right decisions for the right reasons. We want to make our client’s visions come to life and to search for the best values. We not only want to sleep at night but we also hope to maintain an honest reputation.

So I plan to use my perspective on the business to give you fresh insights and alternative points of view.

What is your perspective about interior design?