Beverley A. Richards Interior Design Port Moody Beverley A. Richards is an Interior Designer in Port Moody, BC 2013-10-24T19:19:29Z http://www.barinteriordesigns.com/feed/atom/ bar http://www.barinteriordesigns.com <![CDATA[Can using an Interior Designer save You Time and Money?]]> http://www.barinteriordesigns.com/?p=170 2013-09-05T21:31:31Z 2013-09-05T21:30:08Z We can all be seduced by those gorgeous “after” pictures featured in decorating magazines and on TV programs. They are often the work of famous designers working with wealthy clients to produce high end spaces. In reality, many homeowners can be intimidated by the idea of using an interior designer on their renovation or building project. They may have the idea that interior designers are difficult to work with; will impose his or her particular vision on them; or cost them the proverbially arm and leg. I recently spoke with Beverley Richards of Beverley A. Richards Interior Designs, Port Moody about whether these perceptions are true.

Beverley, first of all, how will hiring an interior designer benefit a project?

An interior designer brings a cohesive look to a project whether it is a small renovation or building from scratch. More importantly, they ensure that the space not only looks great but also functions well for the people living or working there. They will deal first hand with all the hundreds or thousands of little details that are entailed in any renovation or building project and make sure that all of those decisions are in alignment with the vision of the homeowner and the constraints of the budget.

Is hiring an interior designer very expensive?

Many people are surprised to learn that an interior designer can actually save them both time and money in the long run! Most designers work on an hourly fee and can be as involved as you want them to be.

Tell me how having an interior designer can save me time and money?

A good designer has already done all of the research you would have to spend months doing. They know where to get the materials that you will need for your project. Because of their purchasing history and relationships with trades and suppliers, the designer often gets better discounts and savings than those available to someone who is shopping for just their own project requirements. They will help you avoid expensive mistakes in buying items that don’t fit or perform well,  don’t meet building code requirements, don’t contribute to the end result you want or are, maybe, just the wrong choice for you. They may have access to items not always available to the general public and, because they understand your needs, can focus only on those requirements without getting distracted by the myriad choices available.  In many cases, they can make you aware of other choices that fulfil your requirements, but at a better price point.

They also understand the lead times required for decisions and can make sure items are on site when required, saving the client money on having to bring trades people back in to fit that late tile or sink, perhaps.

What are some of the other benefits of using an interior designer?

A designer can speak to the trades people and suppliers in their “language” and make sure everyone is on the same page, so to speak.  They will have an extensive network and range of resources that they can tap and will able to provide appropriate solutions when those unforeseen problems do arise, thus greatly reducing your stress level.  They will also have experience working with the trades that they recommend so that you can be confident in the quality of the trade person’s work and will not be wasting your money by  having  to re-do any substandard work.

A well designed space can also look like it cost much more than it actually did.  It will function well for your family and lifestyle. Don’t forget that design, whether good or bad, will be with you and affect the way you live for many years – it is best to make the right decisions from the start.

Does an interior designer work on small projects?

Speaking for myself, I work on projects of any size as long as the timeline and budget is reasonable for the scope of the project. Contrary to what many popular TV shows portray, you just cannot do a full bathroom renovation with a $1,000 budget and get it done in one day. An hour or so of my time at the beginning of any project to determine realistic goals and budgets can save a client a lot of frustration and disappointment along the way.

Even if a project is beyond your budget at the moment, we can jointly determine a long range plan and priorities to increase the functionality, beauty and value in your home.

What are your favourite projects to work on?

A particular passion of mine is boats, although I don’t get to do those often.  I enjoy working on both new construction and renovations but my favourite projects are really those where the clients are open-minded and communicative and we can develop a collaborative relationship.  Then we can work together to enhance their style and provide them with the space of their dreams.

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bar http://www.barinteriordesigns.com <![CDATA[We carry Hunter Douglas products]]> http://www.barinteriordesigns.com/?p=160 2013-09-05T21:32:01Z 2012-07-04T21:52:52Z Beverley Richards Interiors is your next stop to having those perfect designer window shades you’ve always dreamed about. Using our many years of design experience, we will work with you to decide which styles of window fashions are best suited for your home, your lifestyle and your needs. We will also help you select from the thousands of fabric and colour combinations that are possible within the Hunter Douglas lines.

We are a Select Dealer for Hunter Douglas window products, qualified not only to sell Hunter Douglas products, but to carry their entire line of top end products. Hunter Douglas is the industry leader and offers a lifetime guarantee on their products

Designing your home is our passion, so let us help you in the final steps of making your house become your home. Contact us for a complimentary quote or further information regarding Hunter Douglas products for your home.

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mosun <![CDATA[Custom Home Construction Guide]]> http://www.barinteriordesigns.com/?p=76 2012-04-26T00:05:52Z 2012-03-27T00:23:50Z Many of our clients have never before been involved in the custom homebuilding process and they can easily become overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of choices that they are required to make. The following has been prepared as a broad stroke guide for those clients and is to provide some idea of what to expect when it comes to our services. This is, however, a guide.

Based on our experience, we are able to put these approximate time requirements to each stage. We based this on homes that range between 5000 – 7000 square feet. While some homes are smaller and some homes are larger, this should give a general sense where your home will fit in the overall scheme of things. Some clients are able to make decisions easily and quickly and require very few hours consultation, while others need more time to finalise their choices. At the end of the day – it really does depend on you. It is our goal to make sure your finished home really does reflect you, your family and your lifestyle.

 

Stage 1: Initial Client Consultation – (allow ~3-12 hours)
The initial client consultation stage includes an analysis of the client’s lifestyle and family dynamics; site visits to their current home and building location as required; initial and subsequent review(s) of their building plan; and, of course, personalisation of the proposed plan to suit the client’s lifestyle and needs, hopes and dreams. This is a very important time frame because this is where we focus on how you want your home to look and feel when we are done. We take into consideration all the bits you already have selected to make sure the end result is what you want.

Stage 2: Exterior Specifications (allow ~3-10 hours)
Stage two covers the sourcing, selection and colour co-ordination of all exterior materials. This may consist of any or all of the following: roof, gutters, stone or stone veneers, siding, shingles, windows, doors, facia, railings, trims, driveway and pathways, door hardware, exterior lighting, etc. The exterior specification stage will also most likely contain liaison with the general contractor, suppliers and sub trades where ever necessary.

Stage 3: Interior Specifications (allow ~15-40 hours)
The final interior specification stage comprises many and varied comprehensive aspects. Primary amongst these are plumbing fixture selection, lighting layouts, lighting fixture specification, kitchen(s) and bathrooms layouts, fireplace surround and mantle details, ceiling details and interior millwork, tile designs for floors, shower/tub walls and backsplashes, and, may additionally include if desired, final furniture layouts, window covering selection and planning, accessorising and final touches.

Stage three furthermore consists of sourcing, selection, colour co-ordination and detailing of all interior materials including, but not limited to: carpet, floor tile, hardwood, cabinetry, countertops, cabinet hardware, paint colours, wall tile and grout, stairway railings and handrails, shower doors, mirrors, closet organizers, bathroom accessories, etc.

Studio meetings, site visits and liaison with the general contractor, suppliers and installers are incorporated into this phase as needed. Detailed ‘spec’ lists for all involved parties – general contractor, supplier, sub trade and homeowner – are supplied.

Again, this is only a guide line. Your needs may differ from the stages listed above and accommodation to suit is not a problem.

We are here to assist you in achieving a home you can be very proud of. We are part of the team that makes this all happen. Our job is to make sure everything we do takes us to where you want to go. We can only do this if all changes that occur are shared with us so that we can make, if necessary, other changes to keep us on track.

This can be a very exciting time for you, the home owner, and I want to be there to keep it fun and relieve as much of the stress I possibly can

References are available upon request.

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bar http://www.barinteriordesigns.com <![CDATA[“Spirit of 2010″]]> http://www.barinteriordesigns.com/?p=176 2013-09-05T21:28:35Z 2009-02-06T22:18:26Z Follow these links for more information about the luxury yacht “Spirit of 2010″

Dream Vacation: Luxury Yacht

Luxury Yacht “Spirit of 2010″

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