“Nope, my remodel’s covered – I hired an architect.”
I’ll just start this one with an on the job experience. The residential firm I worked for in Laguna Beach California (specialized in extremely high end homes to the tune of 5+ million dollar residences) was called in late in the game to pinch hit for the owner who was leaving on a month long African safari. She needed someone to select finishes for her home in her absence. She liked what we did so much that when she got home we signed a furniture / accessories / down to the plates in the cabinets contract. While recommending a queen sized bed for her rather small master bedroom, she told us that the whole reason she did the remodel was so she could get more closet space and a king size bed. 3 million dollars later she got neither.
The architect – not having specialized in interiors did not provide adequate space for a king sized bed and two night stands (another must.) He was more concerned with his “signature” wall base detail than what would occupy the space once he left.
I really have worked some amazing architects, so don't get me wrong - they provide amazing services and design unbelievable structures. The lesson from this is - hire both an interior designer AND an architect to work together. One focuses on the exterior and the structure - and the other focuses on the interior, the usability, and the beauty of the space.
