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#Post#: 31571--------------------------------------------------
Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: LurkingGurl
Date: May 21, 2019, 9:11 pm
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B/G
I hired a designer to come up with a plan for my living room to
include fireplace, ceiling fan/light, window treatments, etc.,
also, light fixture for eat in kitchen and window treatments for
another room.
I had already had her do my dining room and was really happy
with her choices. The dining room was already painted color and
she brought me several different swatches for doing curtains.
And she had some creative ideas for other things. It turned out
really nice.
So, I hired her to do my living room and also to offer ideas for
window treatments in another room and a light fixture in the
kitchen. This was to cost double what the dining room cost so I
was excited to see what she would bring. But, what she brought
was very disappointing. It was all white. There were no new
fabric swatches at all. She just recommended one that I had
passed over from before--it's off white with some details of
color here and there but mostly just white. The other swatches
were multi-colored and again, ones that were passed over.
She brought sample boards of Hunter Douglas shades and showed me
3 or 4 white shades. She did offer a viable idea for the
fireplace but her ceiling fan was awful and the light fixture
she recommended for the kitchen did not fit the bill. The
window treatments for the other room--white, off the rack.
It's just all wrong. And there are no options like there were
for the dining room. And I am so disappointed.
Oh, and she was supposed to come up with a floorplan. But, she
came up with a floorplan that would require closing off an
opening between the living room and kitchen--an opening that I
put new granite on just a couple years ago. In fact, I had
asked her about how we could integrate the look of the opening.
Instead, I get, well, this is the only place these things could
go other than where you have them--just close this off.
So, I have tried and tried to think of what to say. This is
what I have come up with but it just seems negative and whiny.
The fee I have paid so far is half the total, and is listed as a
deposit. She would get the other half once she has the window
treatments made, ordered and whatnot and installed. But, I
don't want them. She has contacted me twice to say hey let me
know when you're ready to move ahead with all this.
Part of why I have taken so long is that I have tried to think
of ways to salvage this. But, I get the impression she is just
phoning it in for me and I don't want to proceed.
So, if anyone can help me come up with what to say in such a way
that is polite, gets my dissatisfaction across in a way that is
not so horribly negative or whiny, I would appreciate it.
This is what I have so far and I think it sucks. So, any advice
is welcome.
I’m sorry to take this long to get back to you but I’ve taken a
long time to think.
The design is not something I’m on board with. I’m a little
disappointed because it’s nothing like what I want to do. The
fabric choices were just the leftovers from the dining room
design—there was nothing new; nothing that had some color to it.
Ultimately, it’s just really not a direction that I want to go
in. And I’m not sure what happens next. I don’t really feel
that I got my money’s worth considering that I can walk into any
home improvement store and order white Hunter Douglas shades.
I don’t want that. That’s why I sought a designer. I want
something more creative, more unique, more tailored to my own
personal tastes, and definitely more colorful.
I really liked the vision and ideas in the dining room. But,
this plan for the living room isn’t doing it for me. I also
thought you would come up with a floorplan for me that would
work better. Getting rid of the passthrough was never in the
cards. If anything, I was hoping you might have some ideas for
how to integrate it into the room better—it seems like just a
bit hole in the wall. But given the time I spend cooking, it’s
a very necessary hole in the wall.
I’m just not feeling that this is working out.
Right now I am not moving ahead on anything.
#Post#: 31578--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: silversurfer
Date: May 21, 2019, 11:05 pm
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I'm really sorry that has happened! It sounds very
disappointing.
Can I ask a question?
If the designer was to have another go at the room and at the
design, would you be open to that?
If she has done well for you in the past, there is probably
scope for her to provide another design under the original
contract.
Then your email could say something like
I’m sorry to take this long to get back to you but I’ve taken a
long time to think.
The design is not something I’m on board with. I’m a little
disappointed because it’s nothing like what I want to do. The
fabric choices were just the leftovers from the dining room
design—there was nothing new; nothing that had some color to it.
Ultimately, it’s just really not a direction that I want to go
in. Please provide me with an alternative design that:
- does not include white shades
- Is more creative, more tailored to my personal tastes and more
colourful.
Please update the floor plan in the new design keeping in mind
that getting rid of the pass through is not an option. A floor
plan which integrates it into the room better is ideal.
The above wording is not perfect, but it states what you want.
I guess you need to decide if you want another design or if you
want another designer.
good luck!!
#Post#: 31582--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Hanna
Date: May 22, 2019, 7:08 am
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I think I’d just call her and say “I’m not going to move forward
because I don’t like any of the options presented.” Then let
her ask why, etc and let the conversation happen organically.
Maybe something like “I asked to incorporate the pass through
and you want me to close it off. That’s not going to happen. I’m
also looking for something more than white in this room.
Just be honest and tell her what you think about the design and
why it does not suit you. I believe that’s what m clients do,
and it’s the most respectful way to handle this.
You might decide to just scrap the whole plan, or she may come
up with better options. I’d give her a chance, I’ve never hired
a decorator but it seems like a process that takes time.
#Post#: 31583--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Jem
Date: May 22, 2019, 7:42 am
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It’s not clear to me what direction you gave the designer
initially, but I think it is pretty typical to provide feedback
and ask for a second take. It seems odd that the designer would
have created an all white room if you initially asked for color,
which is why I get the sense you may have assumed she knew what
you wanted when she really didn’t.
Consider whether you are better having “hard conversations”
orally or in writing, but either way, make a list of you
concerns and desires and clearly communicate these to the
designer. I bet she would rather have a happy client than dig in
her heels and flounce.
#Post#: 31586--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Hmmm
Date: May 22, 2019, 8:34 am
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What was your response to her when she presented these plans to
you? I'm assuming this was done face to face? Did you say that
you had already discarded the fabric samples for the dining room
and had no interest in using it in other areas, Did you remind
her that you wanted the new granite included in the design and
not closed off?
How I responded now would be based on my reactions then. It does
sound like you've delayed getting back to her with your honest
opinion of her design proposals. I think you need to do a short
but up front email.
Dear Designer, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We
need to discuss your design proposal because it was very much
off the mark of what was requested. I'm sorry I didn't voice my
concerns at that time, but I was just really surprised by your
presentation. Points we need to discuss is the lack of color
options, the reuse of fabrics that I had already discarded when
we had done the dining room, and the layout that would close off
the kitchen area that I had requested be incorporated in the
design. Let me know when is a good time to discuss.
#Post#: 31597--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Aleko
Date: May 22, 2019, 10:12 am
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As her suggestions for this room are so different from her
design for your dining room that you did like, it does sound as
though this time she somehow got a completely false impression
of what you were asking for. Maybe she misinterpreted some
passing remark of yours to mean that you wanted white in this
room and that you would as soon close off the pass through as
not, and was doing her best to follow that brief? In which case,
you only need to clarify what you do want, and I'm sure she will
be perfectly willing to produce a new design.
#Post#: 31615--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Twik
Date: May 22, 2019, 3:31 pm
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I think you need to treat this as unemotionally as possible.
That should be your best bet to get a professional response
back.
So, here's my idea for editing your suggestion a bit:
I’m sorry to take this long to get back to you. I needed to
spend some time considering your design
The design is not something I’m on board with. It doesn't mesh
with my concept for the room. I'd intended to put some color to
and new fabrics into the room, and this design doesn't do that..
Ultimately, it’s just really not a direction that I want to go
in. Please provide me with an alternative design that:
- does not include white shades
- Is more colourful and reflects more of my initial suggestions
for the room.
Please update the floor plan in the new design keeping in mind
that getting rid of the pass through is not an option. A floor
plan which integrates it into the room better is ideal.
This doesn't say "your work was awful," just "this wasn't what I
was looking for, and I'd like other options if we're to keep
working together."
#Post#: 31616--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: Hanna
Date: May 22, 2019, 3:47 pm
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I like that reply alot, Twik.
:)
#Post#: 31622--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: oogyda
Date: May 22, 2019, 4:24 pm
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Honestly, I think she quoted you a price lower than what she
could expect to deliver a reasonable design and is sticking to
whatever basic products fit into that budget.
#Post#: 31632--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need help writing an email to a designer I hired
DIR By: LadyRexall
Date: May 22, 2019, 6:46 pm
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My husband works with a lot of designers and (at least in his
area) all seem to have about 5 of everything. 5 wall colours, 5
tiles, 5 fabric swatches.
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