Choosing a high-end interior designer is one of the most personal decisions a homeowner can make. You’re inviting someone into the most intimate spaces of your life and trusting them to translate who you are into a physical environment. Getting this choice right matters — and it requires more than just admiring someone’s portfolio.
Start with Portfolio Alignment
Every interior designer has a sensibility, a lens through which they see and organize space. Before you ever schedule a consultation, spend time with a potential designer’s portfolio. Not just a quick scroll — really study the spaces. Do the rooms feel like they could belong to the same family of aesthetic choices you’re drawn to? Does the work feel considered and intentional, or formulaic?
Studios like Marisol Gullo Interiors cultivate a distinctive design point of view that comes through consistently across different projects and scales of work.
Evaluate Communication Style Early
Your relationship with your interior designer will likely last months, sometimes over a year for major projects. Communication compatibility matters enormously. During early conversations, notice how the designer listens. Do they ask thoughtful questions? Do they synthesize what you’ve said and reflect it back in a way that shows they understood?
A designer who talks more than they listen during the initial consultation is showing you something important about how the relationship will unfold.
Understand the Fee Structure
High-end interior designers typically work on one of several fee models: a flat design fee, an hourly rate, a percentage of the project budget, or a markup on furnishings. Understanding how your designer is compensated helps you evaluate alignment of interests.
Always ask about reimbursable expenses, project management fees, and how changes in scope are handled. A reputable luxury interior design firm will be transparent about all of this upfront.
Ask for Client References
A portfolio shows you what a designer produces. References tell you what it’s like to work with them. Ask specifically about how the designer handled budget overruns, delays, and revisions — because all three will happen on any complex project. How a designer responds to the unexpected reveals far more about their professionalism than anything else.
Trust Your Instincts
After you’ve done your research, checked references, and reviewed proposals, pay attention to how you feel in the room with this person. Great design is a collaborative process. The connection has to be there for it to work well.
Vilma Hahn is an Alaskan native who has been blogging about life in the most Northern state for over 10 years. As a freelance writer, Vilma has traveled extensively through Alaska, collecting stories and experiences to share on her blog. She shares stories about hiking and camping, visiting small towns, and outdoor adventures. Vilma loves to share her enthusiasm for life in Alaska and hopes to encourage people from all over the world to visit the 49th state.