Where do I start?

Redesigning a space can be an overwhelming project. There are so many choices out there from fabrics, to furniture, to carpeting, to paint colors and more. You may be interested in hiring an interior designer, but you may not know the process or where to start.
It all begins with the floor plan. A floor plan is a scaled-down drawing of the room. By having a floor plan you will have a clear idea of where everything will be placed and exactly what sizes will fit. Usually there are a few different ways to layout furniture in a room. You should discuss all of the options with the designer and come up with a plan that works for both of you.
You will know what size area rug and how many fabrics you will need based on the floor plan. Are there two sofas and one chair? If so, will you need a square or rectangular rug? Will the sofas be the same fabric and a different fabric on the chairs? What about leather?
Are there 4 or 5 chairs arranged in a circular way around a large ottoman? If that is the case you could use a round area rug which limits your choices. All of the chairs could be a different fabric for a contemporary look. If it's a bedroom, what size bed will you need? Can you fit a dresser? Will you use an area rug or wall to wall carpeting? So you can see, the floor plan is crucial and will help you make these important decisions.
So let's forget furniture for a moment. The next step is to think about the overall look/ feel you want in the space. Is it formal, casual, contemporary, traditional? A light look or a dramatic feel? What colors do you envision for the space? Usually a good place to start to get your color scheme going is by selecting the area rug or the main fabric being used. The reason behind this is because fabrics and ready made area rugs have predetermined patterns and colors in them. (If you are having a custom area rug made, that's another story.. we'll get into that in a minute).
Let's say you find a great fabric you love and want to use it somewhere in the space- whether it's for a sofa, window treatment, or just pillows. The main color for the walls and also the colors of the other fabrics in the room can all be taken from that fabric. The same idea works if you start with the area rug.
If you are having trouble matching your fabric to a patterned rug, you still have options. You can do a more solid or tone-on-tone pattern for the main part of the rug (the field) and use one or two of the colors in the fabric as a border around it.
The other option is to have a custom rug made. Some companies offer standard designs and your designer can specify the colors. Sort of like those old paint by numbers puzzles.. The beauty of this is you can have the exact blue, green or yellow that is in your fabric, in the rug so you are sure to have a coordinated look.
Of course you can always have a totally custom rug specifically designed just for you- not using a standard design. This can be especially nice if you have wall to wall carpeting. You can have a border around the whole room following every angle and add some decorative elements within the field. Custom carpeting almost always has to be done on curved staircases and angled hallways.
If you are having a house built it's important to get the interior designer on board as soon as possible. It can be as early as the preliminary floor plans. A designer can make suggestions on where walls can be placed or taken out, and where wall and floor outlets and lighting can be placed. These issues are important to discuss before the house gets built because they can be costly mistakes to fix if done incorrectly.
Interior designers have a different eye than architects. Sometimes a designer will notice things that an architect might not necessarily see. Such as, where windows are placed in relation to the interior space. It can look great from the outside, but you may not be able to fit a bed in the room because there are windows and doors breaking up every wall. Also maybe the designer will have different suggestions on the configuration of closets and bathrooms based on how you use the spaces. Maybe you don't need that extra powder room on the first floor- let's make it a pantry for the kitchen, or a closet, or take it out completely and add some square footage to the room.
Once the plans are approved and building starts, you can be working with your designer in the meantime on floor plans and ordering furniture. This way, by the time it takes for the house to be done, most of the furniture can be ready to be delivered.
Another situation that people get into when they are having a house built without consulting a designer is picking paint colors. Sometimes you get so caught up in the process of building the home and all the issues that come up, that you get stuck at the end when the builder is ready to paint and they are asking you for the colors.
Most people think paint is the first step to decorating when actually it is one of the last things selected! But if your contractor is really after you for those colors and you have not started working with a designer, you can't go wrong if you stick to neutrals like light taupes, beiges, whites and camels. This way you will have an easier time matching them when you are ready to decorate later on. These neutrals can also make nice base colors to faux paint on top of later on.
If you are planning on taking some of your previous furniture to the new home, you can bring a pillow or arm sleeve from a sofa (any fabrics from the room) to your designer to help you select a color for that room.
So let's say you don't have a blank slate to work with. You have a few pieces already and just need some "finishing touches"- a few end tables, some artwork, a mirror, window treatments, lamps, etc.. The best place to start is with the floor plan and color scheme as mentioned before and everything else will follow that. If a sofa and chair are mismatched you can think about reupholstering either one or both of them instead of buying new.
The important thing to remember is that your designer is there to guide you. They will weed out the wrong choices for the room and only show you what works. If you follow these tips you'll be well on your way to making a beautiful and functional space!