Thinking of employing an Interior Designer? read this first........
Interior Designers – What do you do? How do I choose one? How much do you charge? Are you worth the money? Are Interior Designers only for the wealthy?
So many questions…….
There are many Interior Designers out there doing their thing. They will have varying levels of qualifications from an online course such as KLC to other diplomas such as spacial design or Interior design degrees and of course there are some people who have none - That does not mean they are not great at their job, like with a lot of things, working in the industry from bottom level up can be one of the best learning paths around.
There really is an Interior Designer to suit everyone - Some that are classic in their style some that are completely out there and some that are middle of the road. Some that specialise in more of the architectural side of design and some that are more of the decorating and furnishing side. Some that will only work on certain types or size of project, some that will do anything and everything. There really is someone for everyone so do your home work and find the perfect person for you and your project.
It seems daunting but the great thing is that there is so much choice that you will always be able to find someone that will fit your budget and most importantly your style.
The price you pay in fees or rates really should reflect the Designers qualification and experience…….
Don’t dismiss a new designer that’s just starting out as being a no go area….If you like their style and you get on well then take that leap of faith. You’re more often than not get a great deal and new fresh ideas.
What do Interior Designers do?
Well lots of things – speaking personally as I don’t want to speak for others. I offer lots of different packages. The main Interior Design package is for me to help design a room/home and provide room layouts/flooring /lighting/lighting plans/soft furnishings and furniture. This can be done as a whole package where you employ me to design and specify everything and run the whole job through to final install or I can be employed to design only and provide details of everything for you to purchase and install yourself.
I also have ‘room refresh’ packages like this where you can get me to design and refresh your room from start to finish or just design only and give all the details to you to complete the project yourself.
I also charge hourly rates to source furniture etc, for a client
Another part of my job is styling or staging either for interior company’s or for people wanting to sell their home
I’m also a soft furnishing specialist so will help and advice on the best curtain/window treatments for your home. With over 20 years experience in this area I can really help achieve the best for your home.
How do you pick an Interior Designer?
You need to look at what you want to achieve.
Are you doing an extension?
Are you completely renovating your home?
Are you refreshing a room?
What is your budget?
What is your design style?
Answering these questions will narrow down your search and get you more focused. Select a few designers/companies and go through their portfolio and social media accounts – all this info' available to us now is so valuable and time saving. Simply by ‘stalking the social media’ you can find out so much about the style and the brand and also the people behind the brand. All this before you even set up a meeting!
Once narrowed down contact a few and set up meetings to go through your project – A key factor to consider is do you get on? and do they understand your style? It’s a really personal thing so you need to be able to feel confident that that person will give you what you are looking for and make the process a fun one. Its pointless employing a great Interior company that’s round the corner who specialise in minimalist interiors when you are all about the Boho look! And equally the Interior designer that your friend recommends but then meeting them drives you mad –
they are not for you……
How do we charge?
Again everyone is different – there really doesn’t seem to be a fixed way that designers charge. How I charge is by having a fixed Design fee for different packages which is paid upfront and basically covers my time to design. I then quote to supply and install your completed project (based on a budget you set)
Are we worth the money?
Well I’m clearly going to say yes here! But seriously we really are. You employ a designer to help you achieve the home you want and draw on their expertise to give you a home that is well thought out/considered and brought in to you on budget. Having someone to go down that design journey with you to guide you and advise and inspire is money very well spent…. Its very easy to get a little lost or confused or overwhelmed by all the designs and products out there so having someone help you and narrow those decisions (or take some of them away from you ) is again money well spent.
I recently did a job that I was employed to just supply design schemes for each room (wall colour/beds/headboards/curtains/cushions and carpet) nothing more.
On install we went in and noticed that all the plug and tv sockets in the bedrooms were put on the wall half way down the side of the bed so were covered up and not able to be used! This meant that the newly completed room had to have builders back to move all them to a new accessible location. A pain in the neck and a costly one for the client. Had I been employed to do a design service on the job I would have been able to draw up plans for lighting and sockets and made sure they were in the correct place to be used….. this really happens a lot and is completely understandable. On site you are asked a thousand questions a day and need to be right on top of it. This is one area where we can really help.
Are Interior Designers only for the wealthy?
No. but I guess they are for people with some disposable income. I always try and offer tips and advise on my SM pages and ‘Facebook and Instagram lives’ so that I can pass on ideas for people that maybe can’t afford to use me as a designer. However my least expensive package is a Bronze ‘room refresh’ that is done all by email and is £295.
The one thing to really take on board is that we can really can save you money and time and hopefully make the whole process and journey and fun and rewarding one.
I hope that this blog answers a few of your questions - if you have any more or are interested in having a chat then do please get in touch
