Why hire an Interior Designer?

Are you ready to hire an Interior Designer?

Once upon a time, Interior Design was seen as a luxury service. It was for the rich and fabulous, an idea the working class could only dream of. But today, more and more of you are seeing it for what it really is – necessary. Since the pandemic forced us to stay home, there was a boom in the home furnishing industry. We had time to really think about the importance of a thoughtfully designed habitat. Having a home that inspires you, makes you happy, fills you with pride is absolutely crucial for our mental wellbeing.

Today, Interior Design is for everyone as there are so many ways of working with a designer. The way you chose to work with your designer, can be depending on your budget. You can choose a full Interior Design service (hands-on), E-Styling service (virtual/online), decorating service (no fixtures and fittings), phone consultations (design advice), package offers and the list go on. Interior Designers are becoming more and more adaptable to help clients, more cost-effectively. This blog will outline 9 reasons why hiring an Interior Designer is worth it.

 

1. Hire an Interior Designer to save you time.

Quite often, I find people don’t really understand the amount of time that goes into the project management side of a design job. Your designer will not only come up with great ideas for you, but they will also manage the trades and stakeholders too. You don’t have time to be taking calls from tradies during your working hours. Your designer becomes the middle(wo)man who only comes to you when a discussion is needed. They will take care of the installation at your home and ensure the whole job gets completed perfectly, as per plan.

I am sure you have had to deal with at least one delayed delivery in your lifetime? Well, designers have to juggle multiple of these per job (especially since covid hit). There is a lot of research involved with every project which takes hours on end. Chances are, you work full time, possibly have children and zero spare time for yourself. How are you going to throw another full-time job into the mix?

 

2. Hire an Interior Designer to save you money.

It might sound crazy, but they can actually save you money in the end. How?

• Making design mistakes will cost you double the amount to fix it.
• Designers have access to trade discounts which can be as much as 20-50% off RRP if purchased via a wholesaler. Some designers keep this as their payment, others might keep a portion. I prefer to split that discount 30/70 (you keep 70%). I have actually had clients save more money than they spent hiring me, with the return in trade discounts!
• Designers will spatially plan your home using CAD software before you buy a single bit of furniture. This is to ensure everything will actually fit in your home to prevent any mistakes. If I had a gin for every time I heard a story about furniture arriving and not fitting in their front door (or lift) and they had to hire a crane or even take the windows off to get the item in….. well, let’s just say I’d be fairly merry!
• Lastly, designers will ensure you chose long-lasting materials and furniture. They understand good quality and where to invest your money wisely.

 

3. Designers bring fresh eyes and ideas to your project.

You may have lived in your home for several years before you decide to do anything about it. The longer you live with a problem, the less you see it. Your designer will point out issues that you never even knew you had. A writer might get someone to proofread their work, a business owner might get a mentor to verify their ideas, a sick person might get a second opinion from a different doctor just like a homeowner should get a designer to help them perfect their home.

Designers will have experienced ideas and visions that you might not have considered yourself. They could suggest you paint your ceiling black to make your space feel cosier. Or they might suggest you consider wider floorboards to make your hallway feel wider. Or they could tell you to add glossy paint to walls to help reflect light. Designers live and breathe design, it comes naturally to them but they have also spent many years studying and practising what they do.

 

4. Interior Designers stick to a budget.

I will always ask you straight up, how much do you want to spend on your project? This question is so important as it will quickly let me know how much you are willing to spend but it also sets the bar for the quality of items we can purchase. A budget, helps designers get it right the first time and helps them figure out where to spend the big bucks. It is very easy to go over budget if you are not trained in working in this way and if you don’t know where to go for the best deals. A designer will have their own database of suppliers and experience purchasing from them in the past.

 

5. They have great contacts.

How many times have you heard the expression “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? Designers spend a lot of their spare time networking and speaking to new professionals in the industry. They often know the right person for every job. When you take on an Interior Designer, you take on their phonebook too. Finding a reliable contractor can be time-consuming and confusing. All service-based businesses require a certain amount of research before you are confident to hire them. Your designer will either have worked with them before, know someone who used them or liaised with them in the past. All of this again is saving you time.

Designers also have access to furniture, rugs, decor and fabrics that are not available to the general public. With these resources, an Interior Designer will create a space for you that looks exclusive and unique!

 

6. Create a home worth talking about.

People with an untrained eye (maybe you reading) don’t think about spaces like designers do. A professional will assess the sunlight, atmosphere/mood within the room, physical shape and size of the space, acoustics, access points, focal points and much more. They know exactly what to look for if a room is feeling unbalanced. Once they find the weak spots, they implement the right changes to enhance the space and give it the wow factor it deserves. A designer can visualise a completed room and see how everything will harmonise together which is a skill untrained eyes lack.

 

7. Hire an Interior designer to increase the value of your home.

If you are planning to sell your property, chances are you have been living there for a couple of years or more. It is hard for you to analyse what other people might like or dislike about your home. A professional designer will essentially come in with fresh eyes and strip YOU out of your home. Potential buyers don’t want to feel like a guest when they view your property. They want to envision themselves living in your home soon. Property styling significantly increases your chances to sell your property for your asking price or more. People buy with their eyes. A stylist will ensure the property suits most people’s taste, to increase its chances of selling. They will study your target buyer and dress your home to suit them.

You can hire a stylist to work around what you already have (this is what I do). They will declutter, put things away that don’t suit and bring in complementary pieces to enhance the space. Or you can hire a specific property styling company (such as Melbourne Style Merchant) that rent out furniture if your furniture doesn’t look the part or if your home is empty. Most companies generally charge you for 6+ weeks (depending on how long it takes you to sell). Below, I went shopping for my client on a budget of $2k for her 2 bedroom apartment and worked around what she already had. This small investment helped her sell the property for an extra $47k!

 

8. Create balance and harmony

I tell my clients; “Your home is your biography, each room is a chapter“. But it’s hard to know how to pull your ideas together, right? Your designer will help you design a home that is a reflection of you and your family. Your home should function in a way that works with how you like to live your life. Professional designers know how to mix styles together, colours, patterns, shapes and textures to create a perfectly balanced and harmonious space. Great design is carefully planned, studied and created by professional interior designers who spend between 4-5 years studying the art.

 

9. Retain your sanity.

Renovating or decorating your home is stressful, there is no denying that! Where do you start? What colours should you choose? What furniture suits your room best? Do you know what style do you like? It is overwhelming not knowing where to start. Let me save you from a meltdown or even a divorce! In hiring an Interior Designer you can shift that weight off your shoulders and into their capable hands to retain your sanity. This is a full-time job, so leave it to the professionals.

In summary

You should absolutely hire an Interior Designer to save you time, money, stress and provide expert advice to enhance your home. They will help you sell your property for more, give you the wow factor and provide you with great contacts to work with. At the end of the day, everybody wants a house that they are proud to call home.

Feeling inspired yet? Let me know if you are ready to chat. We can jump on a call to discuss how we can work together. I want to give you the dream home you have always wished for.

Get in touch for a complimentary chat!

Otherwise, check out my other blogs for more inspo, tips and tricks!