This month, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Stacy Becker — Owner and Principal Designer at White Label Interiors. At the age of 5, Stacy was sketching floor plans in her grade school notebook — a hobby that would eventually turn her passion into a career.
And while Stacy is the only Interior Designer in the Seattle area with a Classical Architecture and Art background, Stacy and her team don’t just do the pretty parts.
“We love construction and collaboration and aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty…but we also love to design a silk velvet reading chair, too, which is a unique perspective.”
Stacy comes from a building background which is incredibly rare and gives White Label Interiors a unique perspective. They are a full-scope, full-service interior design firm that works closely with homeowners, architects, builders, and craftspeople.
Stacy has shared information at what point you should engage with an interior designer for your home project.
When to Include an Interior Designer
If you’re considering giving that tiled counter in your Master Bathroom a face lift, starting a design project, or furnishing a home – there’s no wrong time to talk with an Interior Designer.
Here’s why it’s never too early:
- You can gain a better understanding of the project from a new perspective
- You can learn more about the budget of the project
- You will experience a level of insight that you alone can’t bring to the table
Let’s break down a few scenarios of when you should bring an Interior Designer in to your project – based on the type of project:
New Construction: As soon as you start meeting Architects you should start meeting Designers. It’s going to be a long project – months of architectural design, months of pricing, months of permitting, months of interior design, months of building…get a Designer on the team soon. You won’t pay them much in the beginning but you’ll feel like a million bucks knowing that you have an interior specialist there at the team meetings to share an opinion. During this time, you’ll find out if:
A. You even like their opinion.
B. If you like how they communicate that opinion or ideas. If you don’t think you’ll get along – move along. That goes for anyone on the team: Architects, Builders, Landscapers, Designers, etc. Most Architects and Designers love collaboration – and that’s a good thing. Team dynamics can get off on the right foot the sooner it’s made an opportunity. This also allows the architect and designer to determine who is responsible for what type of documentation.
For instance: you’ll almost always find a discrepancy regarding who on the team is providing the electrical plan for a home! Seriously – every time. That’s because each party thinks that it’s the other parties responsibility. A large part of getting the team together ASAP is to avoid double billing of tasks like drawings or details of a kitchen. Maybe the Builder has a method of documentation that we need to follow – but if we don’t know that, maybe we’ve already committed to a different method – and if that’s the case then who stays their course, who compromises, who double-enters info?
- Remodeling a Home: When you start to daydream about it…get someone in to brainstorm with! Maybe you hadn’t considered an element of your project or maybe you need to take a pulse on the countertop or cabinet options. A Designer can help refine that Scope of Work we’ve mentioned in previous posts. Remodeling, of all the kinds of work to do within your home, can be the most daunting and possess the most grey area! Who knows what you’ll find behind those walls, but a Designer can be the best way to kick off a project within your existing home. Get a grip on Scope and lay the groundwork for the project at hand. Still to this day, we at White Label Interiors, simply cannot understand how a builder gives you, the Homeowner, a ‘ballpark’ budget without knowing the materials and finishes – it’s crazy talk! The Designer is your link to reality, Scope, materials, initial budget, and even helping select a Builder. Trust us on this one – try it.
- Furnishing a Room: This part can be the most fun to share with a Designer! Just think, it’s the finishing touches to the home you love. Or, it’s the elements within your home that pull everything together! A Furnishings Meeting will lead to a Design Presentation that takes into consideration your needs and wants within the space. Once you’ve approved the pieces to purchase, your Designer will create a Proposal or Estimate for budgeting and purchasing; after that we leave about 12 weeks to process, create, and ship custom furniture pieces. Retail purchasing is a different story since many items are readily available but either way – a plan is still needed.
- Getting ready for the Holidays: Depending on the time of the year – ASAP. Ideally start planning your new kitchen a year before you need to use that kitchen for the big Thanksgiving dinner you’ll be hosting. It shouldn’t take 12 months, but you don’t want to leave it till summer before you start – that’s just disappointment waiting to happen. Be proactive, regardless of your project size!
For more insights to their projects head over to Instagram or check out their Facebook to catch a live video.
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