Answering Questions About Interior Designing

When you hire us through our design agreement, we now work for you on your project. Just as architects, attorneys and accountants charge a fee for their time and service, so do professional interior designers. We produce designs based on specialized education and experience and, as such, these designs are considered our intellectual property. The design agreement secures our time on your project and allows us to offer you customized service. This service goes far beyond the complimentary service that might be offered at large home improvement retailers. Even a cabinet shop that doesn’t charge an up-front design fee will charge you something to go beyond concept. Our plans take into account all aspects of the space, including construction, plumbing and electrical issues. Every design plan is a custom plan. In fact, your plan will not be duplicated, insuring that your project is a one-of-a-kind. You won’t see your kitchen or bathroom in the neighbors house.

An interior designer has the breadth of knowledge of materials, styles and space planning to assist with timely and proper development of your project. Although, many television shows showing kitchen and bath projects would have you believe that they are do-it-yourself projects, they are not. An interior designer has an education in the study of space, function and safety of the materials of construction. Similar to the manner that an architects specialize, so do interior designers. Our firm specializes in kitchen, bath and cabinetry projects. Most importantly, we are certified kitchen designers through the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and follow their extensively developed guidelines and good practices for safe kitchen and bath design. We take into consideration the complex ergonomics required for the various activities taking place in the space, and insure efficient use of the environment through functional flow. Specifications related to appliances, lighting levels, material selections and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, where needed, are just a few of all parts of any project we do.

We offer Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry and Rutt Regency. These products cover a complete range of design flexibility in true custom, built-to-design, traditional to contemporary, that allow us to design a high-quality, timeless space for you. Rutt Regency, delivers affordable luxury with the talent and quality of the Rutt craftsmen behind it.

While our specialty is custom-designed kitchens and bathrooms, we offer our design services for any room in your home. We design beautiful custom closets, finished basements, studies, and laundry rooms, to name a few. Whatever space you wish to add or redesign for better function, we can help.

Absolutely! We often collaborate with architects and designers. We know that a collaborative approach with the other professionals involved in your project has your best interests at heart.

The first thing you’ll want to do is determine your “wish list” and your remodeling budget. The investment you are willing to make will determine the products and the level of services. Hopefully, your wish list and investment dollars match. Your investment is what drives the project. Second, start gathering information by looking though kitchen design websites, Houzz.com for example, and build an online file. Magazines and visiting showrooms will also help to determine the look and finishes you like. Visit appliance stores to also see what is new. In other words, start putting together your very own ‘idea book’. Fill the book with magazine clippings, online finds and photos of designs, colors, materials and finishes that you prefer. We also suggest making a list of things you don’t like, so we have a good understanding of your taste and style. All of this information will be invaluable for your meeting with us. We can use this as a road map to design a space that you love and is within your budget. You can start by viewing our galleries of bathroom and kitchen designs. After you have put together your Idea Book, your next step is to request a meeting with us. This will allow us to get to know each other better and see if there is a ‘fit’ for your particular project and what we offer. This first meeting is when we will talk about your investment level for the project; everyone has some idea of what they want to spend. We will be able to tell you then and there if what you want will match with what you want to spend. Your budget will allow us to guide you through the many decisions required of any home improvement project. Our knowledge and expertise can provide you alternatives, where necessary, to help your project remain on target. Ultimately, this will help you determine whether Andrea Langford Designs is a good fit for you and your project.

If you wish to reuse your old cabinetry elsewhere, please let your contractor know. If they are in usable condition you can donate them to a local organization. We recommend Habitat Re-store. Your contractor will properly dispose of any construction material.

You should allow a few months for the design phase. If you are building a new home, it is optimal to bringing us in as the house plans are being developed. We can save you time and money by preventing subsequent changes made to the structure and/or framing. After the design is completed, we will place the order for your cabinetry. Cabinetry generally takes two to three months from order to delivery. In the meantime, we will work with you to finalize other finishes in the space, such as flooring, counter tops, back splashes and the like. The scope of your project will determine the length of time it takes to complete. As with most home improvement projects, you should expect to encounter some challenges. Remodeling projects often reveal other issues that need to be dealt prednisone with before a project can be completed, particularly in older homes. Patience, communication and understanding on all sides will be a tremendous help in reaching successful completion of your project—and insure that the end result is what you truly hoped it would be.