Is Hiring an Interior Designer Really Worth It?
Let’s face it, remodelling, furnishing, and/or decorating is expensive. So why add the cost of an interior designer? Well, I will tell you why. And yes, I guess this post is going to be really biased as a designer myself…but, hear me out.
5 reasons why you need to hire an interior designer
1. Ensures your money is well spent
When you’re spending thousands and thousands of dollars, maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars…I’m sure you want to make sure that your money is well spent. And that the end result is AMAZING and not just mediocre. You can spend a bunch of money, but if the money isn’t spent on the right elements of the space…well, the space will feel lacklustre.
Decorating and furnishing a space is a balancing act to some degree. When spending your budget, you need to determine where to splurge to really make some impact and where you can afford to go cheap.
The worst thing in the world is when I walk into someone’s home, and I’ve seen them make horrible, expensive design choices. It just makes me so upset! Like c’mon Collen, you really should have called me BEFORE you installed these tiles…huff.
2. Saves you money
Now, I’m sure you’re pretty doubtful of the statement that hiring an interior designer can actually save you money. But, it can. When working with an interior designer, you will have access to shop wholesale. This means you will pay less of a premium markup on your goods. Us designers have spent years building relationships with wholesalers and creating connections within the industry to ensure our clients get the best price possible. So, in the end, the cost of hiring an interior designer should pay itself back with savings on home goods. Read here how I saved my client $13,000.00 on their dining table purchase.
3. Ensures the end result surpasses your expectations
If you’re not an interior designer or a super artistic or creative person…I would bet furnishing and decorating is not your forte. And that’s okay. When you hire a professional, you can expect results that you could have never achieved on your own.
I used to be someone who tried to do it all myself. Can you believe I was even doing my own bookkeeping for years?! I was filing my own taxes up until a few years ago. The CRA kept ringing my line. I mean, what the hell did I know about taxes and filing them? Not much. I was an amateur. Luckily, the CRA let me off pretty easily, but I sure did sh*t my pants. Once I hired my bookkeeper, I never looked back. My point is, to get things done right, you need to hire a professional. The right professional, that is.
Once time I even dyed my own hair, it turned out orange. I had to learn the same lesson a few times. Don’t cheap out, the right professional is soooooo worth it.
Us designers have spent plenty of time in school and the outside world, perfecting our craft and building upon our God-given talent. There is a lot that goes into being an interior designer, it’s not just picking pretty things or knowing what the latest trends are. It’s really an art, and not everyone is an artist. And hey, that’s okay, I’m no accountant.
4. Ensures functionality and durability is taken into consideration
There is a technical side to interior design, of course. The worst thing ever is when someone decided to go out and buy furniture without even measuring the room!!! Ahhhh!!! Most people end up with furniture too big and now the room feels crowded.
Another terrible thing I see happen all the time is when people start a renovation without a plan. Now they’ve wasted all this money and energy only to realize the space could have been planned out with a better result.
Home projects need to be carefully planned to ensure that the end result is actually functional and not just pretty. This is the reason why designers create to-scale floor plans, planning is the key to success. There are no guessing games, we plan everything to the very last detail to ensure proper functionality in the space. Us designers keep up with the latest advancements in home design. Meaning, we are knowledgeable about a wide variety of products and are the first to know about new products to hit the market. So when it comes to picking the most durable products and planning every inch of the space meticulously, we are experts.
Functionality comes down to being able to be organized in a space and function without frustration. That’s why there are codes we follow and go through the intensive process of learning our clients. Once I learn my client, and get to know their needs, wants, lifestyle and favourite ice cream flavour, I am able to design around them.
5. A more enjoyable and successful process
Embarking on a huge home project can be confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes even miserable. Anyone who has lived through a renovation can testify to this. Trust me, I know how bad it can get. I lived through a never-ending renovation. Read more about me.
But anyway, one of my main goals when working with my client is to ensure we are having a good time.
Any home project no matter how big or small can be super overwhelming, especially if you have a job, and kids and want to maintain some sort of balance in your life. The last thing you want to do is spent your free time trying to figure out which drapes go with your sofa. It’s an interior designer’s job to take away all the aches and pains. Designers should make things easy and breezy. Our job is to filter through all the options and present you with the top options that suit your needs, style, and budget. We are the ones who will handle all the mishaps, procurement, and trades. All you need to do is pay us! Sounds great, right!?
My main takeaway from this point is that you really need to click with your designer in order for the experience to be really enjoyable. Your designer and you will get really personal over the months working together, so if you don’t feel that spark, it’s probably best if you move to the next candidate. It’s kind of like dating.
I’m sure these 5 points are very persuasive. You might be asking yourself…
How much does hiring an interior designer cost?
Well, let me tell you. It’s very difficult to give a firm answer on how much an interior designer charges. Because it really does depend on the designer and scope of work. Some designers charge hourly, and these rates may vary and be anywhere up to $400/hr. Some designers charge by the square footage and some designers charge a percentage-based fee depending on the total amount of the project, this typically ranges from 10-20%. So, if you are planning a $100,000.00 renovation, you should expect the designer’s fee to be somewhere between $10,000.00-$20,000.00.
Affordable interior design services
If you’re not planning a big fancy renovation or project, you can still hire a designer to service you on a smaller scale. A great option for you would be eDesign (virtual interior design). Services are easily accessible through the internet and designers typically have more affordable rates through eDesign.
Types of services you can receive through eDesign
- Kitchen layouts
- Full room design
- Room mood boards
- Online furniture sourcing
- Virtual interior design consultation
- Furniture layouts
- Paint colour selections
- Interior design coaching
Another great way to get a lot of bang for your buck is to hire an interior designer for a design consultation. Design consultations are on-site or virtual meetings that are typically up to 2 hours long. In this time you can gain a lot of value.
What you can gain from a Design consultation
- Input on your ideas; get a professional’s opinion on your out there design ideas, don’t take the plunge and regret your choices
- New and innovative ideas for your project; get a professional’s most creative and solution-based ideas and advice to really make the most of your space(s)
- Confirmation of materials; determine which materials, colours and finishes work best to implement your desired style into the space(s)
- Peace of mind; ensure your home project has been properly evaluated by a professional to ensure the best results
- Consultation notes; receive your designer’s consultation notes so you can implement the proposal for your space DIY-style or take the next step in working further with your designer
So, all in all, when you hire the right professional, it makes your life a heck of a lot easier and better. You might even make a designer friend for life and never make a bad design choice again!
Let’s design your space together, virtually.
