大C姐

我個心舒服啲啦依家，連interior designer都唔係好知點賣家俬最化算，都係靠運氣我覺得冇咁蠢同蝕抵。

講到未，都係要自己去行家俬舗，真係搵唔到啱嘅（又或者你間屋真係三尖八角）先去搵designer。

好似zuesel識啲product knowledge嘅人唔多。一般里民連咩木打咩木都分唔清，問佢想要咩檯，好多人其實唔係好識形容，淨係見到一張檯覺得靚先講得出點解會鍾意。所以你搵designer之前都係要自己搵到啲鍾意嘅design再問designer造唔造到。

淨係用口講，諗住designer會幫到你，係唔會有人做到你心意。我實在試過太多＂有性格＂嘅師父，叫佢哋造傢俬佢哋第一句會係，＂冇人咁做㗎喎，小姐，我就做唔到，你教我吖。＂

BiscottiGelato

zussel: 2 things
1. I agree with 大C姐 on resale value. Furniture have next to none given it's new. Your sofa for a regular Joe bought new off retail would've costed them $6k. You bought for $1.3k. That means unless you buy 2nd hand, furnitures' resale value is almost useless for considerations.
2. How much do a typical interior designer (you) charge for service? Does that include furniture shopping on behalf of the customer? I know some tells you what to do but you have to buy your own furniture according to their recommendation.... which IMO is completely useless.....

大C姐: Did you use the term 'designer' meaning 'furniture designer', vs 'interior designer'? Last post was quite confusing.

What I think is. Ideally an interior designer can put a few designs on paper and let the customer choose. Might require some help with maybe 3D interior design program to help show the customer what the designs look like? If that's possible and the interior designer will then proceed to hunt and buy all the furnitures there after, given it's a place I'll live there for more than 5 years, I don't mind to pay ~ $1/$2 per sq.ft or maybe $50 per piece of furniture to such a designer for his/her service.

Personally, I think shopping for furniture is time consuming and a PITA. I have similar stance on shopping for clothes. Give me a few good selections and I'll just choose between the few selections. Having to go out and choose among the thousands of items and hundreds of stores drives me crazy.

大C姐

zussel: 2 things
1. I agree with 大C姐 on resale value. Furniture have next to none given it's new.  ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2013-2-22 11:22

    兩種designer都係。

我覺得咁嘅，如果你係對interior design冇咩特別要求，只係想方便／得體又唔想徙時間自己shopping的話，去搵interior decorator係無可厚非。

但係一般人，老實講你只係買一兩件家俬唔係成個屋企大裝，用不著搵interior designer/ decorator。不過，之前都俾我搵到個業餘嘅furniture maker/ designer，佢整嘅檯全部都係用reclaimed wood，好靚好unique好有texture，而且俾咗個好優惠價我，佢當興趣做所以唔會造好多賣好多錢。

我對interior design有多少眼光，自己都會做少少裝修，當然做唔到會搵人嚟做，但係decorating就信自己，因爲解釋到俾人哋聽，人哋都未必搵到你想要嘅嘢。不如自己慢慢睇慢慢揀。

BiscottiGelato

Oh and zussel,

Does this mean I should not bother with going to Stylus Sofa since they don't sell directly to retail customers? I was thinking of visiting them tomorrow. They are a little out of the way compared to all the other furniture shops mentioned... If it's going to be useless for me then I can save myself some time. Thanks!

zuesel

我個心舒服啲啦依家，連interior designer都唔係好知點賣家俬最化算，都係靠運氣我覺得冇咁蠢同蝕抵。

    I think you misunderstand an interior decorator/designer's 工作職責。 我們並不是專業二手賣家。我從來沒有任何client要求 and I won't do it. So when you said 請教， I said I'm only sharing. The experience and points I stated about selling 2nd hand furniture were purely personal. If you want to feel better, you should compare yourself to someone who specialize in selling used furniture. Why should an interior designer/decorator know how to sell 2nd hand furniture? 雖然同樣是水果，但是賣橙不一定需要識怎樣挑選蘋果。

    一般里民連咩木打咩木都分唔清，問佢想要咩檯，好多人其實唔係好識形容，淨係見到一張檯覺得靚先講得出點解會鍾意。所以你搵designer之前都係要自己搵到啲鍾意嘅design再問designer造唔造到。

   In the eyes of an interior decorator/designer, the general public are not expected to have knowledge about wood or anything relative in the field of design. That's one of the reasons they are being hired. 如果你自己乜都識便不需要雇用 interior decorator/designer/furniture maker.

There's a huge difference between interior decorator, interior designer, furniture designer, furniture maker.
If you have to find your own design, know about what type of wood, etc, you would seek a furniture maker. He/She doesn't need to know or care if it matches your home decor, how heavily it gets used and for what. He only cares if it's do-able.

There are people who might take on more than one rule. Eg: Interior designer doubles as a furniture maker. In that case, you can expect this individual to be knowledgeable in both aspects.

zuesel

zussel: 2 things
1. I agree with 大C姐 on resale value. Furniture have next to none given it's new.  ...
BiscottiGelato 發表於 2013-2-22 11:22

Sorry for the confusion Biscotti. Lots of people 一知半解 then pass on a judgement. It's a good thing to ask questions. I try to as much as I could based on my knowledge and experience. Hope will clear up some misconceptions for people.

Resell value:
DO NOT buy furniture based on its resell value. It's merely a very minor factor, like I mentioned, it should be just a way to 說服 or 安慰 yourself if you are having a hard time deciding. eg: 我好想買但係又唔捨得，我老公會說：買啦！或者第時賣反出去囉。質量唔錯，應該賣到嘅。. Personally, if I really like someone bad enough and have the funds I won't consider its resell value or try to predict if I'll have the need to sell it later.

Stylus:
http://www.stylussofas.com/faq.php
I just called them and yes! They are allowing customers to go in now. The above link gives you answers to other questions you may have. Although they can''t give you pricing but it's good to go check their fabric selection, quality, etc. If you find something you like, take note of the model and the fabric number. You can then search for a dealer/designer to order it. Please check around for prices. The mark up is different everywhere!

Another good place to look is Vangogh:
http://www.vangoghdesigns.com/
They also have a showroom available to public
I find their style and fabric choice a bit more modern or "younger" if you will.

Custom or Ready made?
I don't condone either/or. There's no right or wrong. It's just what Suits you! If you found something perfect (price, color, size, material...) all the better! Get it!!!!! However, if you can't find something suitable or eg: love the style but don't like the material, then consider custom-made (if you can wait). Other reasons for custom made could be the cost (could be the same as ready-made), uniqueness, to match/enhance what you already have at home, don't trust the quality of imported furniture, or simple feel the word "custom-made" 夠好聽，型！

大C姐

我個心舒服啲啦依家，連interior designer都唔係好知點賣家俬最化算，都係靠運氣我覺得冇咁蠢同蝕抵。

    ...
zuesel 發表於 2013-2-22 12:43

    我諗我好清楚你嘅工作職責唔包賣家俬，不過我覺得你有啲過份謙虛（其實有點虛偽）。首先，re-sale value係你提出，我只係順便請教意見（其實我當然心裡有數）。我亦唔祈望你會幫到我賣家俬，但如果你係專業interior decorator/ designer (你講到兩樣嘢好唔同，好似律師同醫生分得咁專業，我唔知你prefer邊個title），你一年見咁多個client，大部份都係因爲搬屋或者裝修先搵你，咁我覺得你知道點樣賣舊家俬都唔出奇。即係我諗一個專業嘅interior designer，都可以suggest一兩間搬屋公司啩？Eventhough我知你唔會落手落腳去搬。我諗我嘅assumption唔係太過份。

老實講，如果你唔係分享你寶貴意見，講開靚家俬有二手市場，我根本唔會請教你。

zuesel

回復 42# BiscottiGelato


So-far-so-good does their own custom-made as well as retail, you might want to check them out.
You can find other stores (including some usa) sell furniture from Stylus and Vanghoh. They have very small selection of fabric choices though but will at least give you the retail prices.

I'm not ignoring you, I'll try to give regards to your other questions later when I'm done work at hand.

布小熊

但如果你係專業interior decorator/ designer (你講到兩樣嘢好唔同，好似律師同醫生分得咁專業，我唔知你prefer邊個title）
大C姐 發表於 2013-2-22 03:33 PM

I hope I am not off topic.
BUT interior decorator and interior designer is very different.
I don't think their titles are interchangeable.
If you want to know the detail, search online. It's very common topic/question.

zuesel

回復 49# 布小熊

Thanks Bear!

I'll make a quick reply here:

I am a decorator. Sometimes ppl call me designer b/c to them, they are the same. Rather than giving a lecture about the diff, I just let it pass like most of us do. There's no by-law about it. Like a hairdresser vs hair designer. To a customer, they don't really care to know the details. They just want pricing and what to expect as end result.I think the confusion comes from some designers doubles as decorator. Technically, decorators focus on working with an already built premise. I prefer to be called a decorator or interior specialist coz I choose to work with colors, furniture, paints, etc. but don't love the technical stuff. Designer have to work on architectural, fire codes, but they don't receive training on colors, staging, re-design. Some designers are actually decorators but they too, don't bother to explain the differences since most people don't know the difference anyway.