Is it worth having an interior designer design my first boutique or should i do it myself -we are on a budget?

Question

We are opening our first small childrens boutique and I am wondering if it is worth the money to hire someone to help layout the space and do the interior decorating. This will be about a $2000 cost probably and that is money I can put towards other things. We are on a budget and I want to do things myself if I can. But I am wondering if it is worth having a professional come in and do the design. Do they really do that much?

Answer 1

show off your abilities and do it yourself, DO IT GIRL you can DO IT save that mula for something you really need !!!!!!

Answer 2

Unless you have some skill & background yourself,
it's well worth a second & third opinion.
If you're really that tight for money, get some students.
Go to the nearest college which has design courses.
Talk to the faculty person for interior design.
Make an offer to pay 2 or 3 students of interior design.
They can use it as a class project.
There are a lot of tricks to making a store attractive.
A place that is dingy or cluttered is a real turn-off.

Answer 3

My wife had a children's boutique.

My opinion is that interior design is a MAJOR factor. It could easily be the difference between success and failure.

But you steal a competitor's design. Get a digital camera. Take a tour of shops in nearby cities.

What color schemes, floor coverings, window displays, etc. ?

Ask them how they advertise. Mailers? Newspaper ads?

One of the best examples is visit a Catherine's Plus Size store. They do an amazing job of sending postcard promotions to keep the customers coming back.

Good luck,
- CarlD

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Catherines-plus-size-coupons-10-25-off-exp-12-31-07_W0QQitemZ200150291740QQihZ010QQcategoryZ31411QQcmdZViewItem

Answer 4

I don't have any info on your design skills, but I would prefer a professional to design the store. They will know how things should be and make the store look it's best...