Why Hire an Interior Designer: 5 Practical Reasons
Imagine doing your own dental work, diagnosing your own illnesses (thanks, Dr. Google!), or renovating your own home. For some, this is ideal. They are skilled in those professions - or have ample time to learn those skills - and it only makes sense. For the rest of us, DIY'ing our lives doesn't always work out as planned.
I have worked with several clients who found me after traveling the DIY path, spending years on what should have been an 8 week project, and second-guessing every design decision because it no longer felt cohesive as a whole.
There are some obvious reasons why you may want to hire an interior designer; you want a beautiful home with a custom look, you want to be able to relax in your professionally styled space and feel confident when hosting events or entertaining friends and family.
Aside from aesthetics, there are numerous practical reasons why you should hire a designer. If you’re on the fence about hiring a professional or aren’t sure exactly what benefits one would provide, you will want to read this!…
1.You Want to Avoid Costly Mistakes + Time Wasted
For some, the added cost of hiring a designer may seem unnecessary. But in reality, investing in expertise can actually save you money in the long run.
Having a design plan allows you to clearly envision what your space will look like before investing your hard-earned money. A design plan helps the construction process to move along more quickly and smoothly, by not having to stop to make decisions or changes - helping to avoid costly change orders.
Let’s say you selected the perfect tile for your bathroom walls but didn’t consider the tile pattern, or the best place for the tile to start and stop, which color of grout would enhance the look of the tile, or how to best transition the tile to other materials in the space. These are decisions that can hinder the progress of your project (and affect the end result!), so it’s best to have all of these details figured out ahead of time.
Having a floor plan layout, finishes selected, detailed drawings with dimensions, etc. will help to avoid costly mistakes. We often hear of situations where tile or other materials were installed incorrectly because of a miscommunication and a homeowner was forced to live with it. Or pay thousands of dollars to have it replaced. Having a drawing showing the exact layout of all fixtures and finishes with dimensions acts as proof of your approved decisions and will help to ensure that you end up with the outcome of your dreams.
2. You Want Accurate Bids + Investment Amount Up Front
In the early stages of planning, a home improvement may appear to be simple and inexpensive (thanks to home renovation shows!) When in reality, even a small project requires careful thought and planning.
Often costs can quickly add up and you won’t have the luxury of time to make these changes during the course of construction. Little things like the type of tile you choose, and the tile pattern will affect the cost of installation. Knowing the total investment up front will help you to decide if you need to make any adjustments due to budget limitations - before construction begins.
A professional interior designer will provide detailed drawings with specifications and dimensions so your contractor will not only understand your vision, he will be able to price your project more accurately. Having a set of drawings can also ensure that when you compare bids from multiple contractors, you are comparing apples to apples because all potential contractors have the same exact information.
Drawings are a way of documenting and communicating the vision to help ensure that all involved are on the same page during bid and construction phases of your project.
3. You Want a Quality Design That Adds Value to Your Home
At Design to Elevate, we put function and home value at the forefront of our minds when planning for the design of your home. We plan for efficiency, so you can get the most out of your space and utilize every inch of your valuable square footage. We can help you make educated decisions and select quality materials that will stand the test of time and add value to your home.
A designer can advise you on where to spend and where to save, to get the most out of your budget. We provide design solutions based on what will make the biggest impact in your space and give you the best bang for your buck.
A designer will pay close attention to the smallest details of your project. Often, it’s the littlest things that can make the biggest difference.
4. You Need Guidance Making Those Important Decisions
Some might worry they are giving up creative control when hiring a designer. But in fact, a designer is there to listen carefully to your ideas and help you create a design that is a reflection of your unique style. We edit choices based on your style preferences, needs and budget, to narrow down the best possible options for your home. We look at your home as a whole, so each space feels cohesive with other areas of your home. We want you to feel sure about your decisions, so you can sleep better at night.
With so many variables that can occur during a renovation or room makeover…a designer will be able to anticipate the decisions that need to be made beforehand and help you to make the right choices for your home.
At Design to Elevate, we love collaborating with our clients to help bring their vision to life. We are your advocates throughout the entire process!
5. You Want to Save Time + Prevent Stress
At Design to Elevate we begin each renovation, new build, or room makeover with the end goal in mind. This ensures that your project will follow a specific plan, keeping you, me, and the rest of the team on track. Not only does this level of detailed planning reduce stress on all fronts, but it also decreases the amount of time your project requires, results in regret-free design decisions, and happy home dwellers.
As designers, we have great relationships with tradespeople, furniture vendors, flooring and tile showrooms, and more - which means you don't have to hunt down each vendor or research every product before buying. We do the research for you, create a cohesive plan, present it to you for your input, revise, and execute.
If you don't want to second-guess whether the shower tile works with the floor tile of your master bath... or you want to stop worrying about the perfect paint color your home... or you just can't handle staring at any more fabric / flooring samples, you will love the benefits of hiring an interior designer.
From solving problems that arise during your project, to acting as the liaison between you and your contractor, we invest dozens (if not hundreds) of hours into your project so that you can continue living your life.
Still not sure if hiring a designer is right for you? Schedule a discovery call and let’s discuss your project!
To Your Dreams,
Reanna
