Read This Before Hiring An Interior Designer
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If you’ve been thinking about hiring an interior designer to help you create the room of your dreams, then now is the perfect time to read this article!
While some people love designing their own rooms and deciding about colors, storage, and layouts, many of us would much prefer to get some help making the home of our dreams a reality.
And that’s ok!
Run through this list and see what you can do to make the most out of hiring an interior designer, if that’s the route you intend to take.
Let’s start by getting one thing out of the way, m’kay?
You Don’t Need To Know Exactly What You Want!
It’s okay if you don’t know what your perfect room looks like yet, because that’s what a good interior designer helps you figure out.
So what exactly does an interior designer do for you, and when should you hire one?
Interior designers are usually extremely resourceful. They will be able to understand your vision, your wants, your needs, and the style that actually fits you. They are masters of designing spaces according to how you want or need rather in a way that works with how you live your life. If you don’t want prolonged expenses, endless delays, or poor results, having a competent professional by your side is not a bad idea.
Here are some more reasons why you should consider this and how to actually go about hiring an interior designer.
The number one reason is that you’re going to save money in the long run
An interior designer knows how to get the most out of your budget. This means that no matter what your budget is, you can be sure it will be spent in the best possible way, based on what you want and what your home needs.
You also get to avoid expensive mistakes that typically cost you more money to fix!
Your main goal when choosing a budget should be to determine what you want. It’s usually good to create a list of “must-haves” and “wants.” Your must-have items are non-negotiable… and a good interior designer will make sure you get what you’re looking for. The “wants” are added to the project as the budget allows.
(Grab our Project Panner & Workbook - complete with budget estimates)
You’ll also be saving time
You have personal responsibilities to get to. We all do; fortunately for you, when you hire an interior designer you’ll have the freedom to attend to those responsibilities! A dedicated pro directs all his/her time and energy to get your space done properly.
However, you will need to hire someone who has the same vision, to avoid wasting more time changing things in the future. Which leads us to…
Make sure you find a designer that matches your style
There’s “style” - the aesthetic you are going for - and you want to find someone that vibes with yours. But there’s another type of "style", which is how your interior designer works with you.
Some people want an interior designer to tell them exactly what to do and don’t want to be involved in the process at all. Others like to be involved in all the decisions and provide feedback every step of the way.
There’s no right or wrong here. It’s all about your personal wishes, and what works for you.
Try to find an interior designer who prioritizes what you want and works to help you have a fun, rewarding, and joyful experience as you work on updating your home’s look.
Ask for references
Yes, you NEED to ask for references to prove (if only to yourself) that you are hiring the right person for the job. References create assurance, trust, and confidence that whoever you hire knows what they are doing and that they have your best interests at heart.
References will help you start on the right track to determine whether you’ve found an established, reputable, qualified designer that can actually produce the results you are looking for.
Don’t go for the lowest bid
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why not? A designer who usually charges less than the rest seems like the logical choice, especially if you are on a low budget.
However, it’s important to focus not on price but results. When you choose an interior designer, it’s always nice to have someone who works closely with you and physically visits your space.
Nothing beats being there in the room. Many “e-design” services look through pictures or videos of the room, but it’s hard to understand the depth, dimensions and potential of a room without being there.
While technology is impressive, having someone there to physically see the space is worth paying a slightly higher price.
Be clear about the services you actually NEED
As you already know, interior design is not just about buying some furniture and making the house look pretty.
It’s more than that, as interior designers usually offer extensive services such as space planning, project management, design consultations, and site measurements.
Whatever you do, just consider what the process will be like when hiring an interior designer. Picking the right service(s) at the right time is critical, so you need to make sure you get clear on what you want upfront. You don’t want to have missed a step because the cost of redoing things can get expensive very quickly.
Need more clarity on what you need? Download our Project Planner now. It’s totally free and will make sure you don’t miss any of the important steps as you start your new design project.
Communication
Communication is key to a successful relationship with your interior designer. And this communication goes both ways too! You’ll want to make sure that you and your designer get along well, of course, but there’s more to successful communication than being friends.
Make sure you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts with your interior designer. Feeling ‘safe’ to speak your mind is paramount - it’s your home and your safe spaces you’re talking about after all, so you need to be able to speak your mind and ask questions. You should never feel stress or anxiety, or worry of any sort. A great designer will do everything they can to help you make all the right decisions based on your vision.
Clear communication upfront between you and your designer avoids many issues, so make sure you can maintain an open and healthy dialogue throughout the whole experience.
Photo: Julia Fay Photography
Visual Presentation.
Can the designer show you a visual presentation of the project? This is important since you need to know what the project will look like after it’s done.
It’s also nice to have a blueprint of your project to always have a reference to look back to as the project progresses. Even though this may not be absolutely necessary, it’s still a huge plus if your designer can provide you with this option early on.
Find out the designer’s specialty.
Different designers have different specialties. This is often based on their personal preferences and design choices. For example, some designers prefer working on bedrooms while others focus on living rooms and dens. Some prefer to only create ultra modern styles and some prefer the Grandmillenial style. (hello there!)
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
You just want to make sure that you choose the designer who is best suited for your project. You can (and should) look at examples of their previous work to get a good idea of the kind of aesthetic they will bring to your home.
Don’t miss this important point when choosing your interior designer.
Make Sure You Work With Professionals
Just like any other industry, you want to work with professional companies or people who have a good track record and lots of happy and satisfied customers.
Make sure you do a little Googling and check any review sites to see the kind of experiences others have had with the designer or company you are thinking of using.
But remember, the decision is up to you at the end of the day. Don’t just take an online review as gospel - whether positive or negative. You will know when you meet the right designer because the chemistry will be electric!
Still, a little due diligence is always worthwhile.
It’s one thing when designers tell you that they are going to do something, and it’s a whole different matter when they have no choice but to perform the tasks stated in a properly well-written contract. (so important!)
The contract must be clear on payment structure, install dates, contractor hiring, different options, cancellations, etc. The designer forgetting to show up to your project won’t even be an option if he/she signed a written agreement to get the work done on time.
Find Your Inspiration & Let Your Designer Work Their Magic
The best part about working with a good interior designer is that your main job is to inspire the project. And it’s something only you can do!
You can do this by looking through blogs, articles, social media posts, or magazines. You don’t need to choose exactly what you want. It’s often more exciting to meet with a professional interior designer and share what you want from a high level.
This includes sharing thoughts about how you want a place to make you feel when you walk in. It’s not just colors and patterns; it’s also about energy, flow, and vibes.
A great way to discover what you want is by paying attention to how you feel when you experience other spaces, either in person or through pictures and videos.
Jot down ideas as they come to you - even if it’s only a word or two or a vague idea. A great designer will use all this to create the perfect room for you.
And to reiterate - you don’t have to worry about specifics!
As weird as this may sound… you’re not likely to envision the design you want in your head. You won’t “know it” until you “see it.”
And when you SEE IT you’ll know it!
So the idea here is to get your mind flowing with fresh ideas. The more you expose yourself to, the more ideas you’ll have. These unique ideas will help you better create your unique design custom to you.
These are just a few things you need to know and think about when hiring an interior designer. While you don’t need to become an expert, the more you know about your style and the vibe you’re after, the better off you’ll be in the long run.
Here’s something to help you on your journey.
If you want to start doing some proper planning in preparation for your project, then download our
If you want to start doing some proper planning in preparation for your project, then download our Project Planner now. It’s totally free and will make sure you don’t miss any of the important steps as you embark on your new design!
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