Interior Decorating Gallery Advice

Access to interior decorating galleries is often restricted to professional interior designers and decorators. Usually, the only time the general public visits an interior decorating gallery is when accompanied by a design professional that the decorating civilian has hired. The designer and the customer visit the interior decorating gallery together for the purpose of selecting items for an interior decorating project.

Occasionally, a decorating amateur can visit an interior decorating gallery without being accompanied by a designer. If you are fortunate enough to have this opportunity, you will want to make the most of it.

Visiting an Interior Decorating Gallery

Prepare for your visit beforehand, to maximize your time at the gallery. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that you can walk around in easily. Most gallery showrooms are enormous; they set up vignettes that simulate real rooms that people live in. A lot of space is required to simulate hundreds of rooms full of furniture, artwork, and accessories.

Find out in advance if you are allowed to take photographs of the interior decorating gallery. Some showrooms don't mind at all if visitors take photographs, but others consider their decorating arrangements to be proprietary trade secrets and do not allow interior photography by visitors.

The Visit

On the day of your interior decorating gallery visit, dress appropriately in clothes that are comfortable but not too casual. You don't want to look like you've been working in the yard and you took a break to go interior design shopping.

Make a shopping list of the items you are looking for. Which room are you decorating? What is your decorating style? What is your inspiration piece? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you concentrate and will make your shopping trip more effective.

Pack a tote bag with the essentials: a bottle of water, a notebook and pen, a measuring tape, and, if the gallery allows interior photography, a digital camera or Polaroid camera.

On the Inside

Prepare yourself to be overwhelmed as soon as you enter the interior decorating gallery. You will be stepping into a cavernous showroom, multiple stories high, completely filled with simulated home or office interiors. Take a deep breath and focus. If you are redecorating a bedroom, walk past the kitchen, living room, great room, and bathroom displays. By doing so, you will eliminate 80% of the vignettes inside the interior decorating gallery, making your visit efficient and effective.