With so many handy DIY tutorials doing the rounds on TikTok these days, when it comes to decorating your home, we’re the first people to say give it a go yourself! When your home needs more than just a lick of paint though, the benefits of hiring an interior designer come into their own.
After all, there’s a huge difference between ‘interior decorating’ and ‘interior design’…
With that in mind, we thought we’d answer one of the most frequently asked questions in our industry:
‘Are interior designers worth the investment?’
From saving you time and money, not to mention a whole lot of stress (!), here are the five main reasons why our answer is always “yes!”
1. Interior designers save you money
Some interior designers take a flat fee per project. Others, take a percentage of the overall project fee. Either way, experienced interior designers always save you money. This is because we have access to a huge roster of suppliers; benefit from trade discounts, and always negotiate the very best prices on subcontractors and trades used within our scope.
What’s more, interior designers bring a wealth of experience to the project so can predict where costs have the potential to spiral out of control and take the necessary measures to prevent this from happening. Whether that is creating wall finish plans for the decorator so there is a clear vision, or considering the position of the electrics well in advance so that sockets are exactly where you need them to, a good interior designer ensures that the budget is maximised to its full potential.
2. Interior designers save you time
If there’s one thing that every episode of Grand Designs can teach us, it’s that projects are often overrun by months (sometimes years) when they’re not outsourced to professionals! After all, project managing an entire renovation is a full-time job and our clients tend to be busy people with busy lives. More often than not, our clients move out throughout the duration of the project (or at the very least, for a section of the project).
Having worked on multiple projects and renovations, we are used to thinking ahead and we consider all the key decisions that need to be made well ahead of time – from the sign-off of the kitchen design to ensure it fits with the build programme to the colour of tile grout, we will anticipate any key project milestones and work back from these to ensure all design elements are thought through and considered.
3. We absorb the stress so you don’t have to!
Whether it was having to hold our breath as we stopped traffic and craned bespoke furniture into a top-floor London apartment, or chasing down deliveries that had been sent to the incorrect address (!) We are both well-versed in absorbing the many stresses that can come hand-in-hand with interior design projects… while our clients might be panicking we try to remain calm and proactive as it’s likely we have dealt with it before.
Fortunately, because we’ve built up a collection of experienced and trusted suppliers and sub-contractors over the years (that don’t just ensure that the job gets done but gets done to the very highest standards and on time), stress levels are kept to a minimum these days. This ensures that the project runs as smoothly as possible for our clients and that their (optional) site visits throughout the duration of the project are exciting, not stressful!
4. Interior designers maximise your space in every possible way
Whether it’s knowing how to take advantage of and/or increase the amount of light in a space; knowing which original features or walls should be kept, restored or removed; or where to position or build bespoke furniture to ensure that the layout flows; experienced interior designers maximise your space in every way possible and take advantage of each room’s full potential.
At the initial consultation stage, we’re always keen to find out how our clients envisage using the space and what their dream scenario for each room would look like. We then go above and beyond to maximise that vision and bring it to life.
5. We add value to your home
Finally, though a large proportion of our clients come to us when they want to transform their ‘forever’ homes, it can’t hurt that having your home designed professionally adds a huge amount of value to your property. If you’re looking to secure the premium price for your property in a competitive housing market (especially if you’re in a desirable area like London or the Suffolk countryside), hiring an interior designer is a surefire way of doing just that.
So there you have it! Our go-to reasons for why hiring an interior designer is worth the investment.
We’ll be back next month to welcome in the new season with our top tips to style your home for Autumn (side note: where is this year going?!)
Until then, if you’re on the hunt for an interior designer and like the look of our portfolio, we’d love to hear from you. Get In Touch.
Danielle and Emily
