How to Get Started in Designing Your Business Space: Step One – Talk to a Designer

Launching or renovating a business space is an exciting venture—but it comes with major decisions. Before signing a lease, hiring contractors, or shopping for furniture, the smartest first move is speaking with a professional interior designer.

Why Talk to a Designer First?

Designers do much more than make spaces look good. Early in your journey, a qualified designer helps you:

• Identify how much space you really need based on your operations and customer experience.

• Build the right team—from engineers to architects and contractors.

• Define your budget and avoid costly surprises.

• Establish a realistic timeline to align your goals with permitting and construction phases.

At Candace Lynn Design, we offer a Pre-Consult that delivers this essential roadmap. We’ll assess your goals and outline a tailored plan for your space—including estimated scope, timeline, budget, and team members you may need to involve.

Find the Right Designer for Your Location

After your Pre-Consult, we recommend comparing at least three professional designers to find the best fit. Professional organizations in your region are a great place to start. They maintain directories of qualified, vetted, and experienced designers.

🇨🇦 Canadian Interior Design Associations

• Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)

• Ontario Association of Interior Designers (OAID)

• Quebec Order of Interior Designers (QBIC)

• British Columbia Interior Designers (BCID)

• Alberta Interior Designers (AID)

• Manitoba Interior Designers (MID)

• Atlantic Interior Design Association (AIDA)

• ARIDO Directory (Ontario)

🇺🇸 United States Interior Design Associations

• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

• International Interior Design Association (IIDA)

• National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ)

• California Council for the Interior Design Profession (CCIDP)

• New York State Association of Interior Designers (NYSID)

• Texas Chapter of ASID

• Florida Interior Design Society (FIDS)

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

• British Institute of Interior Design (BIID)

• Chartered Society of Designers (CSD)

🇦🇺 Australia

• Design Institute of Australia (DIA)

• Australian Interior Design Association (AIDA)

🇳🇿 New Zealand

• New Zealand Institute of Interior Architects (NZIOA)

• New Zealand Interior Designers Association (NZIDA)

🇪🇺 European & International

• European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA)

• European Confederation of Interior Architects (CIE)

• British Institute of Interior Design (BIID)

• Bundesverband Interior Design (BVDI) – Germany

• German Interior Designers Association (VdID)

• Union Nationale des Décorateurs (UND) – France

• Syndicat Français des Architectes d'Intérieur (SFAI)

• Associazione Italiana Interior Designers (AIID) – Italy

• Colegio Oficial de Diseñadores de Interior de Madrid (CODIM)

• Asociación Española de Diseñadores de Interiores (AEDI)

• Beroepsvereniging van Interieurarchitecten en -ontwerpers (BNO) – Netherlands

• Belgian Interior Designers Association (BID)

• Swedish Association of Interior Architects (Svenska Inredningsarkitekters Förening)

• European Federation of Interior Architects (EFIA)

• International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI)

In Summary:

1. Start by speaking with a professional designer.

2. Book a pre-consultation to plan your space with confidence.

3. Use trusted associations to find and compare qualified designers.

Ready to take the first step? Book a Pre-Consult today, and let’s build the foundation of your future space—together.