Once you decide to design your house, decorate the interior of your home, or even work on a big project, you’re on the lookout for creative ideas. But it’s easier said than done. Getting the creative juices flowing and brainstorming ideas is much more difficult than one thinks. Not only do you have this vision you wish to bring to life, but you also have to achieve that within your budget.
Whether it’s the dining room you wish to redesign or the living room where you and your family connect by streaming blockbusters on Netflix with Windstreaminternet, making the space feel as comfortable and cozy as possible is all that you want.
Sometimes what you’re looking for isn’t possible to achieve within your budget, while the majority of times people just hire an interior designer to do their job for them. An interior designer assists you with renovations at home, helps you design any space, partners with your contractor and architect to turn your dream space into a reality. They offer a wide range of services every step of the way from consultation to implementation.
Are You Hiring An Interior Designer Or An Interior Decorator? – Make Sure!
Many people confuse an interior designer with an interior decorator and the realization of their misconception dawns upon interviewing potential hires. It’s important to understand which areas both of these professions cover. To help you avoid any confusion, let’s talk a bit about the differences between an interior designer and an interior decorator.
Interior Decorators
Interior decorators focus on the ‘aesthetic’ part of the design. The space they’re decorating and providing aesthetic assistance for is completely constructed. So an interior decorator is hired after the construction work is done. They help you in making aesthetic decisions like:
- Choosing the paint color
- Selecting the furnishings and wallpaper
- Choosing lighting fixtures
- Adding accessories or window treatments
Interior Designers
Interior designers on the other hand offer aesthetic assistance as well as construction design expertise. Their scope of work is much wider than that of an interior decorator. They guide you with structure design during your home’s construction phase and they make sure all your wishes are addressed with proper attention and guidance. They also work directly with your architect or contractors to get your desired look to life.
They aim to build a practical yet attractive space solution that reflects your personality and style. Complying with environmental sustainability requirements, they make sure your home or space is designed and constructed as perfect as it can be.
Now that you know the major difference between the two, it’s time to figure out whether you need an interior designer.
Do You Need An Interior Designer? When Should You Hire One?
Designing any space from scratch with a vision in mind involves a hundred decisions to be made. Without the help of an interior designer, someone who clearly understands your vision and can communicate it to the contractor and architect in an organized manner, renovating and designing your space can be super stressful and daunting.
If you’re still in the structural design phase of your project, adding an interior designer to the team at this point is the best decision you’d make. Before you finalize any designs, plans, and specifications, run them through your interior designer and builder. The partnership and communication between your interior designer, builder, and architect must be strong enough to build the best version of your dream house.
Your builder will be responsible for building the budget, functionality, and constructability of the home’s design. The interior designer is responsible for improving the practicality and aesthetic of the space. Hold multiple design meetings when necessary to bring your team together once in a while. This boosts communication and improves the chances of building a better and attractive space.
Once you’ve decided on hiring an interior designer, it’s time to start looking for one.
Choosing an Interior Designer
Before you go on interviewing potential candidates, you should know your personal style and inspiration. If you don’t know what you want, you can’t get what you’re looking for. Identify your style, take out references, and envision it. If you have no idea of the kind of designs you’re into, look for inspiration around you and in magazines.
Head over to Pinterest or skim through online architecture magazines to find designs that speak to you and reflect your style perfectly. Save these references and also go through the work of the interior designer behind those designs. You can also visit model homes in your area and learn the name of the builders, designers, and architect team behind them.
Also ask your family, friends, and professional network for any recommended interior designers in the area they’ve had a personal experience with. The next thing you should decide is your budget; how high you can go and what aesthetics are you willing to compromise on if it comes to that. You will also need to set apart a lot of your time to dedicate to this project.
Personality
Is the designer on the same page as you? Do you both share the same vision? Do our priorities match? Design projects go on for months and years, so if you’re going to partner with an interior designer, you want to make sure you both like each other to make the work more enjoyable and smooth. Keep honesty and respect as a top standard during your search.
Portfolio
Look over their portfolio online to see the work they’ve done for others. This way you’ll be able to make sure whether your aesthetic aligns with any of the work they’ve previously done. Make sure you’re investing your money into the right person by checking their credentials and certifications as well. Their portfolio speaks more about their personality, style, and dedication than they can.
Questions to Ask
- What is your fee structure?
- What services do you offer?
- Who will be assigned to work on my project?
- When will the work start?
- Are there any budget constraints? What are they?
- How much client involvement do you prefer?
- What’s your preferred mode of communication?
- What will our meeting schedule look like?
- How will your present the designs and progress?
These are just the most important basic questions you must ask your finalized candidates to know their work ethic and style better. Learn about their experience and past mistakes and figure out if you’re making the right choice by hiring them.
Choosing the right interior designer is an important decision to make. Once you’ve narrowed down the list to a few designers, interview them one on one and understand their personal style in-depth. You owe it to your future home!
