Congratulations! You are about to work on the interior of your home and are considering using a professional Interior Designer to assist you. Be sure to check his/her certification as a Board Certified Interior Designer.

This experience should be enjoyable for you as well as the designer. The Interior Designer can be your friend, confidant, guide, devil's advocate, advisor, resource and the extender of your thoughts. Here are six tips that will help to make that relationship mutually rewarding:

• Be honest about the scope of the project and your budget. The designer will then be able to advise you as to the quality level of the merchandise that will meet your scope and budget criteria. Many of us have "champagne taste and a beer pocketbook." Be realistic. It will serve you well to be truthful about the total budget as well as the starting budget, in the event that you cannot afford to do the entire job at one time. When a "significant other" is involved in the budgeting for new furnishings, get his/her input before you give a budget to the designer. Be sure not to have your expectations exceed your budget.

• Be open to the designer and express your deepest wants and desires. Tell the designer about the way you want to use the space, the people you expect to have in the space, and what activities are to take place there. If you have seen rooms that appealed to you, discuss them with your designer. If you have seen pictures in magazines that appeal to you, clip them out and show them to your "team member." Remember, some things that you have seen in another home or in a magazine may not translate well into your own space because of differences in the size of the rooms, location of the openings, lighting conditions, etc. Your design professional will be able to help guide you.
   
• When there is a "significant other," it is often beneficial to have him/her involved and a part of the team. In some cases, the partner may wish only to exert "veto" power. Getting this person involved early on seems to reduce the frustration of having the team effort's vetoed. Frequently, people involved in a design project have different tastes, priorities and even values. Using good communication skills, the designer can usually bridge such differences by prioritizing and by recognizing the needs of each of the clients involved.
   
• You are letting the designer into your physical and psychological space, and while you need to be a gracious host or hostess, the designer must be a considerate guest. We all want to be liked, seen and heard. That holds true for clients as well as designers. It is vital to a good client/designer relationship that the project is regarded as a team effort, that both parties can claim credit, that everyone feels special, and that there is no attempt by either party to exert "control" over the other.
   
• The professional designer is qualified to render opinions and advice based on education and experience, but the final decision is yours. However, do not feel intimidated by the designer; listen to the professional advice and then make your decision. Once you and your designer have found something you like, do not vacillate. Your first selection is often the best one for you. Remember that the professional Interior Designer makes his or her living helping you to come up with creative solutions for your project. The art of design must incorporate all the elements and items within a contiguous area. Avoid the temptation to "brain pick" the designer or ask a professional designer for "minor help." Such a request is much like asking a doctor to treat only part of an illness. It does not work well for either party and compromises a good working relationship.
   
• Above all, the client/designer relationship is an intensely personal one. It is the task of the professional Interior Designer to look at your world through your eyes and come up with ideas and solutions that will affect the way you, your family and your guests use and enjoy your home. Mutual respect is in order, as it is in all good relationships. Remember, the designer needs good clients just as much as you need a good designer.

A special note concerning the selection of accessories:

While you may prefer to select your own accessories, care should be taken so that the items you choose complement the design of each space and not spoil the design concept conceived by you and your designer.