It’s a little like an employer asking a potential hire why they think the job is right for them; by understanding how a designer evaluates your project, you’ll learn a lot—and see if his or her priorities line up with yours. “When we [Arcs and Dots] consult with a potential project, several factors help to determine if it will be a good fit for me and my team,” says Mr. Chenthil – Director, Bangalore-based interior designer. “The most important factor is whether or not it is a good personality fit. Projects go on for months and, in some cases, years, so you want to ensure that the partnership is respectful and enjoyable for both parties.”

Some designers prefer consulting with a client every step of the process, whereas others prefer full creative control—so you want to know ahead of time what to expect. “While I welcome input from my clients and ultimately want them to love everything I select for them, if I find that someone has trouble trusting the process, it can really complicate things,” Mr. Ramkrishna [Director] says. “Clients who have trouble making decisions or are unwilling to trust and commit to the decisions they have hired the designer to make, will ultimately cause costly delays and will hinder the designer creatively.” As a client, you should know how you like to work and how much involvement you expect from the start.

Mr. Centhil, a Bangalore-based interior designer who counts writer-producer-director Arcs N Dots, as a client, suggests getting a glimpse of a designer’s personality and inspiration before taking them on by asking questions like, “‘What are your design signatures? What project have you designed that was your favorite? What are your favorite colors to use in your projects? What’s your favorite room or home of all time, and why? Where is your favorite travel destination and how do those elements reflect in your work?'” Questions like these get at the heart of a designer’s aesthetic—and will also provide you with a peek into how he or she navigates the creative process.

Mr. Ramkrishna also recommends asking what a designer finds most challenging about designing a home, which can help you to avoid snags in communication later down the line. Understanding where a firm’s strengths and weaknesses lie will help you determine whether or not it is the right match for your project, scope, and timeline.

“The value of a good interior designer extends beyond paying for good taste,” Mr. Chenthil says. “Be sure to ask your designer how they will communicate their vision in a way that you can easily digest.” If you’re unsure about what you hear, consider it a red flag; for example, presents every selection at once—fabrics, finishes, floor plans, renderings, etc.—”so that the clients will see how every piece works in cohesion with the next, and how all of the rooms relate to one another.” And then execution is full-service: “We manage the process from the design phase, through the procurement phase in which we place and manage orders, schedule and warehouse deliveries, and manage contractors, and on to the final installation when clients get the wow factor of the full reveal.” Every designer handles project management differently, so it’s important to have a firm and clear grasp of how your designer’s process works.

Mr. Ramkrishna recommends asking this question since your priorities might differ from the designer’s. Talking that out beforehand rather than in the middle of a project can make a world of difference in terms of avoiding unnecessary conflict.