How We Work
YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS — WE'VE GOT ANSWERS
How do we get started?
A face to face meeting is the best way for us to get to know each other, and in our first meeting, we’ll want to listen to your ideas, and look at any architectural drawings, blueprints, or photos you may have. We really want to know your hopes and dreams for this design project.
What will your services cost?
Our design fee is based on the square foot of your project, the scope of work involved, and the location of your project. This fee represents a reasonable assessment of the time, materials, and resources it will take to professionally complete your job, and it assures you that Beaman Interiors will complete your project – on time and on budget.
The scope of work and our design fee is defined and detailed in a document called a Letter of Agreement, which spells out the agreement between you, the client, and Beaman Interiors.
Who is my designer?
Beaman Interiors is a full service interior design firm. Rest assured that a qualified and experienced interior designer, as well as one to two design assistants, will be working closely with you on your project from beginning to end.
Deborah is an Allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Alliance of Interiors Designers (AID). She is owner and president of Beaman Interiors, and has successfully practiced residential interior design for over 25 years.
She is also passionate about protecting the environment, and providing products and services to her clients in a way that reduces the use of non-renewable resources, minimizes environmental impact, and relates people with the natural environment.
Deborah wants to make sure that you are working with a designer whom you trust and feel comfortable with, and most importantly, that you are completely satisfied with the end result of your project.
Do you work with other trade professionals?
We work in harmony with architects, and general contractors, among others. This collaboration, which is called the “design/build process”, is a very cost effective way to create your “dream project”, and we encourage you to meet with us and consider this process before committing designs and ideas to paper.
Do you do remodeling?
We utilize our long term relationships with the best contractors, craftsmen, and artisans in central Virginia. Projects can range from a bathroom remodel, update or totally rebuild a kitchen, add a fireplace, or add an entire room. Projects can be as simple as replacing flooring; it’s all up to you.
How long does the design process take?
The initial research and development phase varies according to the complexity of the job; however, in most cases we will present a preliminary presentation in about three weeks. A preliminary presentation is a meeting where we present our design concept, basic drawings, color scheme, key fabrics and furnishings, and initial budget to make sure we are all on the same page.
The final design phase is presented as soon as you have made your decision. This will include all the working drawings, tear sheets of all the furnishings, memos of all the fabrics, and the final budget which will have all the costs, item by item, on everything you need to complete your dream project.
How involved in the process do I need to be?
You may be involved as little or as much as you’d like. We enjoy and encourage your participation.
How does purchasing work?
Your completed design project includes a detailed budget. You choose what pieces you want to order, and then we create a proposal that details those items and prices.
After you approve and sign the proposal, and return it with your deposit check, we will order your selections and provide you with delivery timelines. Purchasing contracting services (installation of tile, cabinets, lighting, etc.) works the same way.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERIOR
DESIGNING AND INTERIOR DECORATING?
Many people use the terms “interior design” and “interior decorating” interchangeably, but these professions differ in critical ways.
Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.
Interior designers apply creative and technical solutions within a structure that are functional, attractive and beneficial to the occupants’ quality of life and culture. Designs respond to and coordinate with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.
The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology — including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process — to satisfy the client’s needs and resources.
WHY HIRE A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL?
Deborah's team has the knowledge and experience to guide you through the processes involved in designing, remodeling, staging, or color selection.
When we design a space, we take into consideration the principles of design: scale and proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis, and harmony, in order to achieve a balance of function and aesthetics that specifically suits your requirements and preferences. We also pay attention to the elements of design: space, line, shape and mass, texture, light, color, and pattern.
Doing a construction project without an architect, designer or design-build pro can be a missed opportunity.
Here's why:
Who hasn’t heard that regular trips to the dentist can prevent the spread of tooth decay? Even though sitting in that chair isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend time, most of us know that a dentist has the knowledge and expertise to check all aspects of our oral health. Similarly, residential designers (architects, interior designers and others) bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to make sure all aspects of remodeling and custom home projects go as smoothly as possible.
Talk with almost anyone who’s ever tried to do a construction project without pro help, and you’ll likely hear one statement over and over again: “I wished I had hired a designer.” Even in smaller projects, like a one-room remodel, once you open up those walls, situations arise for which only an experienced professional can apply his or her creative problem solving to save time and money.
Here’s why it’s worth it to hire a designer:
1. We'll save time. You may not know how structural choices can impact the installation of the mechanical system. Or about options for new materials or technologies that might be cheaper, better or more appropriate than what you are familiar with. Figuring those things out takes time, and lots of it. A skilled professional will have this information at the ready for you.
2. You’ll get our expertise and understanding of the overall construction process. The basic function of a designer is interpreting your needs and coming up with a professional plan for any building project. Although you may hire him or her only for this task, the designer will also provide a wide variety of other resources to make sure the whole building process goes off without a hitch.
Depending on your needs and budget, a designer can guide you through the relevant building application process, research planning legislation, assist in the hiring of surveyors and general contractors, recommend subcontractors and manage the construction phase of a project on your behalf to ensure that building plans are accurately followed.
Trying to do this yourself would mean hours and hours of research and potential delays.
3. We speak the language. Because so much information on your project is communicated using two-dimensional drawings, there are many conventions on how plans, sections and elevations are interpreted. Your project revolves around translating the 2-D drawing to 3-D construction using wood studs, insulation and other materials.
There can be misinterpretations of these drawings, which gives rise to confusion about how building elements go together. Especially if the drawings show something that the contractor might not be familiar with. Or if the contractor is busy and hasn’t had the time to really look at certain parts of the drawings, critical elements of the details can be overlooked. A designer knows how to stay on top of this.
4. We'll be your advocate. If you’re having problems with contractors on your project, it might be tough for you to verify that they are properly carrying out the intent of the drawings, or even which contractor is actually responsible for the issue.
It can be hard to know where the responsibility for one contractor ends and the other begins. Time and again we’ve seen things get overlooked or improperly constructed early in the process, which affects contractors later in the job. And if that earlier contractor has left to another job, it’s oftentimes difficult to get the person back onsite to fix those mistakes. Plus, it’s costly for new contractors to fix another’s mistakes.
5. You’ll get our design sense and attention to detail. A designer translates your needs to functional spaces but also makes them beautiful. Good designers are consummate three-dimensional thinkers and can use their abilities to find special opportunities in a design that might not easily be understood in two-dimensional drawings. Additionally, they are always keeping up-to-date on trends in local and international design.
If you want a space that has lasting appeal and adds to the value of your investment, you need to hire a designer. Designers have the skills to include the features that will maximize your house, while making sure your project runs smoothly.
6. You’ll get access to other skilled pros. Being in the design business means meeting lots of other pros who also work on residential projects. From structural engineers to painters, your designer probably has quite the network of skilled contractors who can get the job done within the given budget.
And, again, the point here is that the additional cost for a quality design team can mean savings in the long run. I think one of the contractors we are working with said it best with a quote at the bottom of the company letterhead, which reads, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
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WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
“Sustainability” means the use of resources in such a way that they are not depleted; a method of practice or use of materials that is capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment.