How hiring an Interior Designer can add value to your renovation

In this blog post I am going to be talking about the merits of hiring an Interior Designer. It may seem really obvious that I would say that but I truly believe - and it has been proven on many occasions - that hiring a professional Interior Designer can help you save time and money. It may also help you end up with a much better room or home which has a designer edge and feel to it whilst relieving lots of the stress associated with renovation works. 

When you start thinking about your renovations or home improvements it is worth contacting a professional Interior Designer early on so you can talk through your ideas, they can see your home before work has started and you can come up with a great layout together. I've written a blog post on the merits of getting an Interior Designer involved in the project early here. Often if you hire an architect first or a builder first then they will look at different aspects of the build - perhaps what’s the easiest or simplest design, or maybe what’s the most interesting for them rather than thinking about what it is you want to get from the renovations.

An interior designer will look at how you live, ask you lots of questions about what you want from the build and create a design around you rather than the house. This can sometimes mean that the design is more complicated or in-depth than you would have got without an interior designer but it will ultimately translate into a better design and better house to live in. 

There are obviously considerations you need to take into account when hiring an interior designer. Such as are they properly trained if this is important to you. I feel it is important to be trained in your profession and have the relevant qualifications. Interior Design is much more in depth than interior decoration and takes into account building structure, electrical layouts etc so I think you should have had some formal training. For some people this is not so important but if it is to you then it's worth checking out who you are employing. Having said this there are limits to an interior designers scope and they will also suggest you employ a structural engineer / architect etc if they are required. 

Another consideration is can you afford it? As I mentioned an interior designer will in effect save you time and money on your renovation however you might end up with a more expensive (but very good value) build total. Employing an interior designer is not for everyone and some people might be happier researching the components of the room themselves however this can be the aspect that some people want to avoid. For some clients they want someone else to create the design and do the work and save them time which is where interior designers come into their own and can really save you lots of stress and energy. 

Depending on how your designer works you might end up saving your design fee with the discount they might pass on from their accounts when you purchase items through them. Each designer charges differently so this is something you will need to check with yours. 

The biggest reason for employing an interior designer above all of the others is the fact that they will design you a completely bespoke and unique home which will suit you and your family for years to come whilst giving you a designer look home. Creating for you a home which is easy to live in, and eases your stress, is worth its weight in gold. Plus the experience of working with designers can be a really enjoyable one and one where you get to know each other well and have a good working relationship. 

I hope this has been useful, get in touch if you would like any further information, take a look at my design services here