Why do we think it’s a good idea to hire an interior designer? One of our core beliefs at LSIDG is that everyone deserves to live in an incredible space that brings you comfort and joy.
Your space should not only look amazing, but it should be a reflection of your personality and style, and it should function in a way that works with how you live your life. It might sound impossible, and that’s because incredible interior design does not happen by chance. Great spaces are carefully explored, planned, and curated by professionals.
Interior Designers can do so much more than just help with furniture selection and wall colors. The right interior designer can provide a variety of services including:
Floor plan evaluation
Interior & Exterior Selections - from window color to plumbing fixtures, there are many selections to make during the home building process.
Inspiration: not sure what you like? An interior designer can help you find your style.
Spatial planning for each room: it is overwhelming to plan your space! Your architect can also help with this, but a designer who is experienced in every facet of custom home building can help identify all the details.
Color selections for interior and exterior that will flow together.
Lighting designs and lighting fixtures.
Furniture selection, styles and layout.
Flooring design and selection, wood floors, rugs and tile.
Designing for any special needs, from designing a home to grow old in to a home for a person with any type of handicap or special needs.
Cost and quality comparisons.
Presentation Design boards.
This is an exciting time for you and your family and also can be the most overwhelming experience if you don't have the support you need to accomplish all of your goals. An experienced designer can offer valuable insight into the flow and layout of your home - is the space large enough, too large, too small, should you move a window or add one, where should you place floor outlets or pocket doors? These are just a few of the thousands of questions you will be asked during the build - or should be asked if you're building a custom home and if you don't have the answers, this is where an experienced design team comes in handy. Lisa and her team ensures a cohesive build from start to finish.
Need a few more reasons why you should hire an ID?
Reason #1 to Hire an Interior Designer: You’re going to save money.
Ever bought a piece of furniture that looked so good in the store, but was too big once you got it home? Ever painted three or four times trying to find the right color palette? It may seem like like an oxymoron because you’re going to have to pay the additional designer’s fee, but the truth is that hiring a designer can help you avoid costly mistakes and help you make design decisions that will increase the value of your home.
And if you’re on a tight budget, a designer is going to know how to get the best value out of what you can spend. An experienced designer is used to working on a line item budget and will help you understand where every penny is going.
Reason #2 to Hire an Interior Designer: You’re going to save time.
We’d figure to start off with the two things most people wish they could have more of: time and money. Just like hiring a designer will benefit you financially, a designer will also save you on time. A designer already has a trained sense of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done, and they’ll be able to anticipate any obstacles that may come up.
Reason #3 to Hire an Interior Designer: You’re going to get professional assessment.
When you hire a trained designer, you get an immediate plan of action for your space. Professional interior designers went to school and had several apprenticeships to do what they do.
A trained pair of eyes will see things you’re guaranteed to miss. Interior design is a delicate balance of art and science, and good interior designers have studied both, so they know how to put them together.
Ready to move forward? How to choose a designer:
Your custom home builder may have an in-house designer or recommend designers that they have worked with. This is a good place to start. If they do not, narrowing down a list of potential interior designers for your project may be easier than you think.
A wonderful online tool and good source for interior designers is Houzz, which has thousands of Interior Designers and in every category you can imagine. If you already found someone you like, see if they have a Houzz portfolio so that you can browse their past projects and see if their design style complements the ideas you have for your home. You can search Houzz by city, zip code and specific spaces (custom home, kitchen designers, bathroom designers), to get more specific. Other tools; online search, Instagram, ask friends - referrals are always the best outcome.
Hiring the right interior designer for your project is going to take time, and like selecting the architect and custom home builder for your project, you want to be sure they are a good fit and understand your style, budget and ideas. The decisions you make with your designer are aesthetic in nature and will be seen after your home is complete and will create the final look and feel you will be living in. This will have an impact on the final appearance of every room in your home.
What to share with your Interior Designer?
What is your “Wish List” for your custom home? You may not know exactly what you want, but be able to share a vision of how you want your home to look.
A list of websites and products you have been gathering. Create multiple boards on Pinterest, from exterior colors, kitchen, master bathrooms, etc. These will help your designer understand your style.
Be able to share how you and your family live. How do you function in your home and what will help your family to live more efficiently in the space?
What are your long term plans for the home – will this be a forever home, will you be aging in this home, or will it be only a home for the next 5-10 years? Designing a home for a young, new family is very different from one for a family on its way to being empty-nesters.
Other areas you will want to understand and questions to be sure to ask:
How does the interior designer price? Is it a flat fee, an hourly fee, a percentage of the project fee? It is important to understand how you will be charged up front. Many designers can help save you money as they have discounts and relations with companies in the industry. They can also save you time, as they know exactly who and where to go to get the item you are looking for.