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I’ve always been told that I have a keen eye for design, and with my background in business, I’m eager to start my own interior design firm. However, one thing I’m still unclear about is how the financial aspect works once I secure a client. Specifically, how do I cover the cost of furniture?

I can only imagine the significant expenses involved in furnishing a space, especially during a complete renovation. While I know what furniture would be best for the client, I’m unsure how to finance it upfront. And once the pieces are selected, how do I get paid for my services?

For example, if the total cost of furniture is $10,000, how should I pay for the furniture, and how should I determine my design fee on top of that?

I am looking for help! I have been through multiple dining tables/arrangements for my space and can't find an ideal solution.

I recently replaced my oval (double pedestal) table with a rectangular (four-leg) table, and I think it was a bad decision! I didn't factor in that having 4 legs on the corners would make the long sides a tighter fit for 3 chairs.

What table shape would fit best, and allow for 6-8 chairs?

A friend suggested a round table for 6-8 people, I'm not sure if that is the solution, or if I should look into replacing my table with a pedestal/trestle style one.

Current layout

Current table

https://preview.redd.it/eflezpueic3e1.jpg?width=1055&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f05336f0917182977649c88029213b2093a5d2c

old table

I'm not a fan of having chairs at the short ends for daily use, since it takes up too much space in the walkway near the stairs.

I’m purchasing my first home, and want to redesign it. I’m a visual person, so looking for recommendations on tools/software to

A- upload photos of my main floor which has a 24 ft wall so I can envision different paint colors and floor colors before I hire someone to refinish floors & repaint

B- upload photos of different rooms to envision the redesign (paint, furniture, etc)

C- potential help in B above, guidance on paint colors, furniture, aesthetics etc. Havely is the only option I know of, but heard mixed reviews. My style is modern/contemporary, if that helps.

TIA!

Struggling to come up with cost effective ways to update this fireplace area. What would you do? Budget $1,000

Last year we hosted for the holidays for the first time. It worked fairly well, but it was definitely a tight squeeze when we wanted to get 10 people around a table more suited for 8, in a room not really big enough for that. As we approach the holidays once again, we're looking to see what we can do to improve things!

We see three+ possible options:

1. Leave things as-is. The table set (from craigslist back in 2016) extends out into a square when we occasionally need to seat more than four people. Most of the year it's what we like and need, and we made it work last year even if the flow wasn't ideal.
2. Replace the table set with another shape. Perhaps a circular table that expands into an oval, to allow better movement around the table when extended?
3. Move the low cabinet to the 9.5' poster wall. Move the liquor cabinet to the other side of the window on the 12.5' wall, so that it can tuck in 3" (that side doesn't have radiator baseboards). Get a rectangular table that extends into a longer rectangle, rather than a square, in the now-open window-to-8'-wall space.
4. Something else???

Appreciate any thoughts!! I've attached images of the room, of our holiday setup last year, and a not-to-scale drawing of the room with dimensions. The dotted line is where the hot water baseboards are, so the secondary dimensions are those taking the baseboards into account. The computers/boxes in the corner are temporary and don't need to be accounted for. Don't be fooled by the wide-angle lens shot, I was just trying to get the whole room in one image but the open walkway is not that spacious.

Imgur photo album: https://imgur.com/a/9XmwOKu

I’m currently a student at SCAD studying interior design. I’m curious if there are any interior designers here that went to scad. Curious what you’re up to. Did SCAD set you up for success? Any advice for a student entering her junior year?

I live in a very small apartment. Pictured is my living room and the entry to my place. I like the blinds on the right and I want to get rid of the blinds on the left. I want to have privacy and adjustable room-darkening on the door, but I want a softer look. Also, it’s a door so it needs to be secure. I’m also not sure how to incorporate curtains on the wall because of the tight space.

My thoughts: I know they make some kind of curtain rod brackets that screw into the window frame, as far as that window on the wall goes. Would that look ok to have curtains touching the other wall? Are there other options to hang curtains there? Is that a good idea at all? For the window on the door, I was thinking either blinds with some kind of attachment at the bottom so the blinds aren’t flopping around or a privacy film, both with curtains. But the privacy film only works so well and then I would still need light filtration. I also want curtains for some insulation.

Pardon the messy chair, I’m still trying to figure out what kind of cabinet to put in this area/what shape/where… i also need storage for blankets somewhere in this room… also need to move those wall hooks (on the left) somewhere… and I’m planning to move that TV further into the room to open up the area. UGH what a mess!!!

This is a yearlong work in progress in this apartment but it’s kind of a fun challenge. Happy to upload more pics. I also included a sketch of the layout of my apartment for size/space reference.

Going for witchy/earthy vibes TLDR; how would you hang curtains and blinds in this entryway/living room?

THANK YOU!

Removed a large electric fireplace and mantle from small condo living room. Thinking of installing a thin modern electric fireplace to cover up the wall danage. I will be moving overseas so is that a selling bonus or should I just get a modern storage cabinet or skinny built in shelving with led lights?

https://preview.redd.it/m7fbqoenxo2e1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc1fd2e993a473c6d997c955b51262cc3da6079c

https://preview.redd.it/zrrviafnxo2e1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=66f3b0b5bf24c8e19a3fa1dc80ed3fdfe1d28761

Thanks

Have a lot of wall above these windows in master. Ceiling slants upwards towards windows. Don’t really want to do the fake Roman shades idea, where works best for just curtains?

Hi, looking at commissioning a painting from a local artist.

Dimensions: Wall height floor to ceiling 108” Wall height floor to bottom of vent 87” Couch floor to top of arm rest 26” Couch floor to top of back cushion 37” Couch width 87” Wall width from corner to molding 151”

The couch is not centered with the wall.

Can the painting be wider than the couch?

Does the painting have to be centered with the couch?

Any advice or guidance on painting size would be appreciated.

For context the painting style will be abstract.

Thanks!!

I all, I'm moving for the first time in a big room, and I have no idea how to handle such a task.

Constrain:
- The room will contain both my sleeping area, my home office, and the space for relaxing/hanging out with friends.
- I already have the bed 2x1.4m
- I already have a good standing desk 0.8x1.6m
-The room is 6m x 4.5m, has 2 tall windows facing west and the entry door is on the opposite side of the windows, but sadly kinda in the middle of the wall

Attached the project, in case my drawing is not clear (my room is the orange one)

I attached also my first draft of how to organize it. I have a big chunk of space that is free, and I am afraid that I'm approaching this too "rationally" and that this will became extremely dry and not "homey".
Do you have any ideas on how to prevent that?
Do you have better ideas on how to handle this big room?

Thanks!! <3

Picture of the room from the main door.

Rough idea of what I could do with it

better drawing of the floor. My room is the orange.

Hi, All. I just bought a new home and want to consult with someone on how best to furnish it. I've never owned a nice home so I don't want to make a mistake and I'm terrible with color schemes, etc. The house took up a chunk of our budget and my husband isn't a fan of interior designers because he thinks they cost too much. I was going to go with Havenly but the reviews aren't great from what I'm reading. Does anyone have suggestions on how I might be able to get the help I need? I really need someone with a good eye to advise me on how to decorate the place without spending a crazy amount of money. Thank you!

I moved to Ottawa last year and I’ve been trying to get in the job market but with no luck. I have a bachelors in interior design (from abroad) and I have ~7 years of work experience (also abroad). So my question is:

Whats your best advice for me to get my first design related job in Canada? What should my first steps be in order to get recognized by recruiters? Should I start with the ARIDO membership? or sit for the NCIDQ exam? Although both of these are a long process and I can’t afford to wait that long without a job.. How can I distinguish myself since all my background is from abroad? Any other certifications that I can do to help me get my first job in Canada?

Any advice is greatly appreciated Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m having a tough time figuring out the layout for our family room in our 1823 farmhouse. As you can imagine, rooms from that era weren’t exactly designed with TVs in mind, so I’m trying to make the space work with our existing furniture (new pieces aren’t in the budget right now).

Here are the room details:

• Size: Approximately 15'x16

• Features: Two doorways, two windows, an inoperable fireplace/hearth (~65" wide), and a small closet

• Furniture: IKEA Kivik sofa, loveseat, and ottoman, an additional armchair, and a 65" TV

The TV is currently wall-mounted, and we have the loveseat in front of the fireplace. While the fireplace isn’t functional, I’m debating whether the TV should go above it (it would fit with about 4" of clearance on either side) to visually open up the hearth. However, this creates another issue: the Kivik loveseat would only fit angled in a corner, which feels like wasted space.

I’ve attached a map of the room, our current layout, and an alternative layout I’m considering. I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions on maximizing seating, maintaining good walking paths, and creating a functional, family-friendly space!

Thanks in advance for your help!

https://preview.redd.it/kbdq8akkpk2e1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=29b3a0177cbdd8bb7b2def2ca98bef679da6a21a

https://preview.redd.it/rssgpkxlpk2e1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=bf4172158ed48d4679467ff5a2e6f8432e8ee211

https://preview.redd.it/m3y4alxlpk2e1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=d61381b7c75c3066a42213c922b7f40065ccca9f

Hi everyone,

This is our first home and our first remodel, and it’s been such a learning experience! We’ve already received so much helpful advice from this community, and we’re beyond grateful for all the guidance. We’ve tried to follow the “do what feels right to you” philosophy, but the truth is, neither of us feels confident when it comes to design choices. That’s why we’re turning to you again for some input on our biggest sticking point right now: the backsplash.

Our kitchen remodel has been a labor of love, and we’re so happy with the progress so far. We used IKEA's SINARP dark brown wood veneer cabinets, gray SHAW Pearl LVP floors, white quartz with pearl white veins from Reliance, stainless steel appliances and fixtures, and slim black finger pulls. We love how everything is coming together—except for one detail: we just cannot settle on a backsplash.

We’ve spent the last two weeks exploring marble, ceramic, and porcelain tiles in subway, honeycomb, large format, brick, and mosaic patterns, but nothing has clicked. Some options feel too plain, while others seem a little too bold for us. Initially, we thought we were going for a modern style, but we’ve realized we’re actually looking for something minimalist and harmonious—a backsplash that feels cohesive with the rest of the kitchen while being understated and timeless.

Here’s where we’re at:

1. We came across the Porcelanosa Japan Blanco (13x39 or 13x23) and really liked it. It has hints of all the colors in our kitchen—white, light and dark grays, browns, and taupe—plus a subtle texture that adds interest. We also love the large format because it would create a seamless look with minimal grout lines.
2. For a more minimal option, we’re considering Daltile LuxeCraft 2x8 or 3x12 tiles in subway or herringbone format. This feels like a safe choice, but we’re not in love with it—it lacks the character we’re hoping for.

Questions:

• Would the Porcelanosa Japan Blanco work for a harmonious, minimalist style in this space?
• Is there a better option than the Daltile LuxeCraft for a plain, minimalist backsplash?
• Do you have recommendations for other tiles that are “safe,” minimalist, and harmonious with our color palette?

We’re really hoping to get advice specifically about the backsplash, so please feel free to share any ideas, suggestions, or even just opinions on what you think might work. Your input means so much to us, and we’d love to hear what you think! Thank you in advance for your time and for helping us with this exciting (but tricky) decision!

Thank you in advance!

https://preview.redd.it/sygjettvlo2e1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=38de688dd15000131a954e9b7694c5d82b53d664

https://preview.redd.it/4vdeo8uvlo2e1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=e896c431054bc18ef172f70b03a0ba5fbbfe0961

https://preview.redd.it/qymu09uvlo2e1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=539d376d6748584e0eb237430e64a37b594c1513

https://preview.redd.it/px2wittvlo2e1.png?width=4032&format=png&auto=webp&s=abfaa4a976949a309e056527bd28a31427aba584

https://preview.redd.it/6fq1o9uvlo2e1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=55d74864a72da5ef35ab9bdb4d6924688114e237