Should You Hire an Interior Designer?
July 15, 2020 | by Nick, Digital Specialist
If you’re doing some redecorating in your home, employing the services of an Interior Designer might be a great choice for you. They can be a great resource for new ideas, or someone to check in with about your own ideas. But it doesn’t make sense in every situation. Check out this list of pros and cons to see if hiring an Interior Designer is right for you!
Pros
Professional assistance: Interior Designers are trained to help their clients decorate inside their homes. Their breadth of knowledge and wealth of experience can be an excellent resource for making sure your project goes the way you want it to. They can make expert recommendations and can help you keep your vision at the forefront.
One-stop shopping: Designers are great for helping with a whole project. For example, if you’re working on a living room, they won’t just help you pick a fabric for the sofa- they’ll help you coordinate it with pillows, occasional tables, rugs, lamps, paint, window treatments and more. Generally, you can expect them to present a comprehensive look for a space, as opposed to just a single piece.
Money: Yes, designers usually charge a fee (although many furniture stores offer free consultations), but in the long run, they can help make sure you aren’t wasting money by purchasing items that don’t make sense with your project. In other words, they can help prevent you from making an expensive mistake!
Help getting started: Many people come into our store with an idea of what they want to accomplish in their room, but they aren’t quite sure where to start. An interior design can help get you started in the right direction, by suggesting which pieces to start with, and maybe which pieces can wait for later.
Access to more resources: Many interior designers will have contacts in the industry that can help you get other work done, relevant to your current project. Will your project require a new paint job? Maybe some woodworking? They likely know someone that they can connect you with. In addition, designers may have access to furniture or fabrics that the general public may not be able to get.
With the help of an interior designer, you could achieve this beautiful look. But is hiring a designer the right choice for you?
Cons
Budget: As we mentioned above, designers do generally charge some kind of fee, and that may or may not be in your budget. In addition, if they’re going to put together a whole comprehensive plan for your room, make sure that all of the elements of that plan are within your budget. Is it feasible for you to get new furniture and have the walls painted?
Influence and control: Every designer has their own personal sense of style, so make sure the designer you hire has a style similar to yours. Also, some clients worry about their own individuality getting lost if they work with a designer- don’t forget, the designer works for you!
You’re working piecemeal: If it’s not within your timeline or budget to re-do the entire room at once, hiring a designer might not make the most sense. If you’re going to do the sofa and loveseat now, and an accent chair later on, and the rugs and lamps at another point, hiring a designer might not be the best choice.
Choices: If you’ve ever built a house, you already know: there are a lot of choices you have to make. A designer will be able to help you narrow your choices based on what makes the most sense, but at the end of the day, you’re going to have to make a lot of decisions. Be prepared!
Hiring a designer can be very rewarding, and can make a lot of sense in the right situations. Hopefully, this guide can be a useful tool to see if it’s right for you!