Decorator Kelly Murphy Shares Her Process

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work with an interior decorator? We have, so we found one to talk to about the process. New Hampshire interior decorator Kelly Murphy of Décor&You has been practicing interior decorating in the Granite State for over a decade. She gave us the scoop her turnkey process to making over a room.

But first, what’s the difference between a designer & a decorator?

It’s important to know the two designations are not interchangeable. An interior designer designs interior spaces of a building, including construction and structural changes. They often work closely with architects, and their work extends to all the final touches of materials, finishes, furnishings, and equipment. Interior decorators, on the other hand, do not make any structural changes. Instead, they specialize in the decoration of a space. They beautify it with coordinated furnishings, wall décor, accessories, lighting, rugs, and window treatments.

People hire interior decorators to make a room into a special, personalized space when they know they can’t pull it off themselves. Maybe a young couple upsizes to a new home and has rooms they need to fill or repurpose but doesn’t have the time to shop around, or a retired couple wants to update a tired and outdated room but doesn’t have the confidence to coordinate style and color themselves. A decorator can do that for you, saving you a lot of time and aggravation, and preventing you from making costly mistakes in the process.

Here’s how New Hampshire interior decorator Kelly Murphy does all the work to make it happen in just a few month’s time.

Step 1: Getting acquainted.

Kelly begins every project by meeting with the new client for an initial free consultation, allowing her to see the space in person, gain a better understanding of their needs and provide the homeowner a chance to ask questions. In turn, she asks a lot of questions about their goals, design challenges, functional requirements, and practical considerations. Just as importantly, she gets to know the clients themselves. What is their lifestyle? What are their needs, priorities and aspirations? She wants to get a feel for their personalities and hear about their style preferences. The better she knows the client, the better she can fulfill their vision.

Step 2: Collect the details.

Once they’ve agreed to work together, Kelly pulls together all the details she needs to get to work. She takes notes on the answers to her questions and any particulars they have expressed. Next, she takes a ton of photographs of the rooms she’ll be working on to influence her work and selections during her design process. She also takes precise measurements of the entire space to ensure everything fits the room properly.  Finally, they agree on a budget for the project.

Step 3: Prepare design options.

Kelly then goes back to her studio to create concepts based on the information she has extracted from her clients. She looks for furnishings and accessories from vendors she trusts who only work with the trade. From all this work, she develops three different designs to present to her clients. She puts a presentation together displaying a floorplan for each design option, coupled with images of the actual product selections. She also pulls fabric samples and paint color recommendations. Finally, she tallies the comprehensive cost of each option aligned with the budget.

Step 4: Presentation time.

Kelly meets again with her clients to present her three design options in a way that homeowners are able to visualize their room more fully. They collaboratively review each one, and her clients have the opportunity to make choices, request tweaks or mix and match items to end up with their favorite look and feel. Kelly finalizes the design they love right on the spot so they feel connected to the process.

Step 5: Handling logistics.

With decisions made, Kelly purchases all the items chosen and coordinates all the shipping. She unpacks each box and inspects each item to make sure it is in perfect condition. She arranges for furniture pieces to be shipped to a storage facility. During this period the homeowners have time to rid the rooms of items they no longer want and do any needed repairs or painting.

Step 6: The big reveal!

When all the items have been received, Kelly coordinates with a moving company and window treatment installer to join her in putting everything in place in the client’s home. When her clients come home, they’re greeted with the unveiling of their new, beautiful room!

There are so many tools out there for people to get started decorating themselves. Yet, it is challenging to create a cohesive room when doing it piecemeal. Working with an interior decorator like Kelly makes the process of making over a room fun and stress-free. Have you worked with an interior decorator before? What was the process like for you?

Thanks so much to New Hampshire interior decorator Kelly Murphy for taking the time to talk with us about her business. You can check out Kelly’s website to see more examples of her work.