The Importance of Ordering Samples
February was a full month for me, firstly it was half term which although for me makes the week busy as I have the children at home, for them it was an unusually quiet one. We had playdates but I really wanted to give the children time to relax, rest and reset. We’re often very much on the go and as much as I’m glad we keep the kids busy, sometimes they really do need some downtime.
At the beginning of the month I launched my digital guide for Home Design for ADHD which has garnered a lot of interest and become a real talking point for me. So many people didn’t realise that there are certain things in the home that can overstimulate the ADHD brain. Coincidently I completed a project for a family who have children with ADHD. They opted for my Design Inspiration package which usually doesn’t include samples but on this occasion I did provide them. It’s really important for anyone taking on a design scheme to order samples of products where possible but especially if you or someone you live with is Neurodivergent as some materials can bring comfort but others can trigger symptoms. Without feeling them, how would you know?
Whether it’s tiles, fabrics, wood finishes, or paint colours, there are many reasons why you should order samples. Not only do you need to see how the material feels but you also want to see the colour in real life rather than on a screen which can show colours differently. Samples bridge the gap between the digital, conceptual vision and the final physical product. By ordering samples of the numerous products you are hoping to purchase and putting them all together you can see how the different textures work together and if the colours coordinate with each other and whether the patterns clash or complement each other. It ensures that the quality, colour and material meet expectations prior to making the commitment of ordering the product.
Samples for a living room in Cliffe, Kent
Being able to touch and inspect the sample means you can test for wear and tear, the washability and overall durability of the material. You can find out if the material performance is what you require for example, if a fabric is truly blackout or if flooring is too slippery.
On more than one occasion I have selected a blind or a sofa material online only to receive the sample and been surprised by the colour and the texture in real life. By not ordering samples you could make the very expensive mistake of purchasing a sofa and a rug that don’t work together, perhaps clash rather than offer that cohesive look and then you have to choose which expensive product to not use and go to waste. I order a blanket that was the perfect colour but when it arrived it didn’t offer that soft to the touch feeling and instead has become a blanket that is on show but not used because it doesn’t offer me comfort.
The lighting in your home can hugely impact how something works in real life than on screen. A paint colour in a South facing room with lots of natural light will look completely different in a North facing room with artificial warm yellow lights. Coat Paints, one of my favourite paint brands offer sample cards in A5 size which really allow you to vision how the colour looks. You can try it out on all the walls in the room and at different times of day to really get a feel of the hue you are choosing. I also have an amazing temperature light which can show how a colour will look depending on the light temperature (the colour of your light; warm yellow or cool white).
Samples aren’t always available; some companies don’t offer them and some only offer them to designers who hold a trade discount (another benefit of hiring an Interior Designer!). Where possible I do collate them for my clients who opt for my 3rd package, Design in Detail, which I pop in the post to them. As you can see, I also add a little treat, a tea bag and biscuits so that my clients can relax with a hot drink and a little sugar fix while going through my design plan and looking at the samples. It should be an enjoyable experience, after all, making changes to your home is exciting!
A sample box I posted to a client
At this point, I must give a big shout out to Sam and his team at Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions who printed my postage labels for me. The quality of their work is perfect and their service is amazing I wouldn’t go anywhere else to have my printing done!
What is the next project in your home? Do you need help or guidance on the design? Perhaps you need help knowing where to look when shopping for furniture? Or direction on where to even start to look for bathroom tiles or bedroom flooring? Or do you need assistance in knowing how to request samples? Please get in contact and see if I can help. You can follow my social media pages or visit my website www.sophielawsinteriors.co.uk and I will be so excited to help you make your space a happy place!