Many of the best decorating sources have traditionally been available only to professionals. domino shows you three points of entry.
1. Hire a decorator
Depending on how much work you're doing, decorators can actually be cost-efficient. They get better pricing than the average consumer can; bring you samples; make purchases; oversee custom work, shipping and installation; and, most importantly, offer their expert guidance and opinion. Decorators vary widely in how they charge for services: You'll pay anywhere from 30 to 50 percent over their wholesale price for the goods they're purchasing for you, and you may also be charged a project or hourly fee.
Click here for tips on how to hire a decorator.
2. Turn to a middleman
Decorators aren't the only option. Most showrooms are located in large regional design centers, many of which have on-call staff (usually decorators) who can make purchases on your behalf. Think of these staff members as concierges-they can take you around, point you in the right direction and place orders for you. If you have a specific item in mind, or at least a good idea of what you're looking for, this is the way to go. In general, expect to pay around 30 to 50 percent above the wholesale cost for purchases made in this way, though prices and policies vary from center to center. Many offer a free one-hour consultation and charge an hourly rate ($75 to $200) after that.
Click here for a list of regional design centers.
3. Seek out a retailer
For those who know the exact Scalamandre fabric they want and are confident in their choice, a few retail sources, such as Gracious Home and Janovic, sell A-list fabric and wallpaper straight to the public at up to double the wholesale price. And there's always the Web-discount central. But buyer beware: Do some investigating before you order (know the brand, pattern name and number) so you don't end up with an unexpected color or graphic.
Click here for a list of retailers that sell trade-only goods.
