I started on hubpages with the intent of offering my readers design ideas that could be put to use instantly in their own homes, without their having to hire a designer. But for those of you with design dilemmas bigger than what I've covered, hiring a designer could end up saving you thousands of dollars in mistakes. What kinds of mistakes? Ordering furniture that doesn't fit the room....choosing paint colors that look totally different once the painter has put them up...choosing fabrics and carpets that don't wear well...and so on. Just a couple of hours of design help can be enough to devise a plan of action that will enable you to proceed in a way that makes sense and a way that produces a much better final result. In addition to offering design advice, a designer also offers a network of resources for flooring choices, fabrics, paint colors, window treatments, furniture refinishing, and so on, and a network of contractors to do the work. Here are just a few of the things I help my own clients with...

 1. Choosing paint colors. This is one of my favorite areas of design, and one of the things my clients often have the hardest time with. The right paint color can set off your artwork, your furnishings and your woodwork, and can create whatever mood you desire in a room. The wrong paint color can make a room fall flat in an instant. If you are painting the entire interior of your home, a designer is even more important to have on hand because you'll want the colors to flow throughout the home.

2. Arranging furniture. Whether you plan to use what you have or buy all new pieces, it's important to consider the way your room is used when placing furniture and choosing fabrics. I will often pull furnishings from other rooms in the home to use in a way my clients might not have thought of. I also help my clients determine whether an existing piece is worth reupholstering or slipcovering, or whether a new piece would be better. I'm perfectly willing and able to move furniture myself, and have often spent entire days doing so with my clients!

3. Choosing flooring and/or countertop materials. If my clients are in the middle of a remodel or are contemplating one, I can bring them samples of carpets, hardwoods, and manmade or natural stone tiles. I can also line up the contractors required to do the work and order all of the necessary materials. And best of all, if there is a problem or a delay with the service or materials, I do the follow-up rather than them.

4. Choosing fabrics for furnishings, bedding, pillows and window treatments. This is another of my favorite things to do, and I have a variety of fabric resources that offer everything under the sun in the way of fabrics at all price points.

5. Choosing window treatments. Whether my clients opt for drapes, plantation shutters, wood blinds, natural woven blinds or roman shades, I have the resources to provide these and give them advice on what type of window treatments might be best for the room.

6. Choosing and placing accessories, lighting and artwork. This is another area clients often have trouble with, and I am happy to work with the things they already have or help them find and purchase new pieces to add into the plan. Another service I provide is to get things reframed or framed and matted for my clients.

7. Getting a home ready to sell. While I am not an official "stager," (in that I don't have my own props for staging a home) I have often helped my clients "refresh" their home for showing. This may include repainting some rooms, taking out some pieces to give a cleaner look, rearranging furniture, and so on.

8. Offering ideas for making their home work better for them. Often, clients do not require any purchases at all. They simply need help organizing and rearranging their home and furnishings to better accommodate the way they live. By charging a flat hourly rate, I am able to give them as much or as little time as they need.

So in this tight economy, don't assume that design help is beyond your reach. I have done projects as small as purchasing new bedding and ready-made drapes for an elderly client whose husband was terminally ill and bedridden, to doing a full home remodel that included everything from choosing cabinets to moving walls and replacing all of the flooring. Whatever your needs, a designer can help. And if you happen to live in the Seattle area, this particular designer can be reached at (425) 765-2869, or jhdanowski@gmail.com.