Designer-Speak to English Translation Guide
Have you ever spoken to an interior designer only to be baffled by industry jargon you couldn’t understand? Here are a few definitions to help you communicate like a pro.
DesignerDictionary
COM- this stands for Customers Own Material. Some upholstery lines require that you use fabrics from their collection. Truly custom lines don’t. This is when your designer will choose a fabric from an independent fabric house, and it’s referred to as the COM.
Lead Time- the time it will take between placing an order and when the order ships out.
Strike Off- when your designer wants to use a fabric, trim, carpet, etc that is custom made, the manufacturer will create a strike off for approval. It’s a small sample to show color, pattern or texture.
Punch List- when a project is complete, this is the final “walk through” with you, your designer and your contractor. It’s your last opportunity to point out any mistakes or quality issues in a construction project. Typically, the contractor must resolve each issue on the punch list before getting a final payment.
Dye Lot- textiles such as fabrics, carpet and rugs, are made up of fibers which get dyed in a color. Dying is done in different lots over time. Colors will vary slightly from lot to lot. Therefore when matching an exact color, designers will check the dye lot before ordering to ensure continuity.
CFA- this stands for Cutting for Approval. Your designer should require fabric manufacturers send a swatch of the exact dye lot of a fabric before placing an order. Sometimes, the CFA will be too different from the original sample so she will then see if they have the fabric in another dye lot.
Custom- sometimes called “bespoke”, these are elements such as cabinets, furniture, window treatments, which are made to order. They can be original creations and one-of-a-kind. Or this can mean something in a manufactured line which your designer modifies so that it’s a perfect fit with the overall design scheme. The finest quality lines are almost all custom made and therefore the most expensive. It’s a term that’s thrown around too loosely these days. But “bespoke” isn’t used often, so some people won’t understand it’s meaning.
Inspo- an abbreviation of the word “inspiration”. My designer has asked me to provide three inspo pics at our consultation. Sharing your inspo at the onset of the project will help your designer understand visually what you like.
Colorway- this is just a fancy way of saying “color” used primarily by textile companies.
Lesson Learned
We hope you learned something new from this guide. Don’t worry…you will not be tested on these terms. But you will be prepared the next time you encounter “designer speak”.
What are some words or phrases you’ve heard but not fully understood? Comment below and we’ll try our best to translate!
Until next time,
Signature of Adrienne