Interior Designers

While thousands of renovations occur every year across the country without the help of an interior designer, hiring a professional greatly reduces the possibility of a design mistake. In addition, interior designers are well experienced in creating magazine-perfect environments that have a made-for-you feel that most homeowners cannot achieve alone. Creative thinking and an honest assessment of the scope of your project are often facilitated by a design professional. In addition, an interior designer will be much more knowledgeable about local retail stores and be able to pass discounts along to you.

Why should I hire an Interior Designer?

Here are some common mistakes that an interior designer can help you avoid. Be sure to read our in-depth articles on interior design costs and how to hire an interior designer to learn more about their professional services.

Over-diversified Rooms

A single room is configured to do so many tasks that it becomes awkward to do just one. This is especially common in bedrooms, offices, and rec-rooms.

Poor Walkways

The flow of your home is interrupted or unusual due to some layout element. One instance can make your entire house seem smaller. This is generally chalked up to poor island placement in a kitchen, over-sized sofas, and the inclusion of left-over furniture that is inappropriate for the new space.

Inadequate Space Dedication

One of the most disastrous mistakes, this includes layouts that incorporate furniture that is too large to use, doors that do not have clearance to swing open, and kitchens that "bustle" with even the smallest level of activity.

Cluttered Theme

This mistake commonly occurs when the home has a different theme for various areas. The end result is a home with no clear impressionable theme and often contains furniture that is glaringly out of place. This usually is a very common mistake.

What does an Interior Designer do?

An interior designer performs a myriad of duties. Here is a loose outline of the things you should expect when hiring an interior designer.

An interior designer will meet with you for an initial consultation. This is one of the more important meetings, as you will begin to establish the tone of your working relationship with the interior designer. Don't be afraid to tell the interior designer if you feel they are taking over your project too much or steering it a direction you do not want to go. This is usually a brainstorming meeting, so be sure that you are open to new ideas; you're paying for them.

An interior designer will then begin to create sketches or renderings of your space to illustrate how they believe some ideas in your mind can be translated into a working space. This suggestion-phase is important, and often lines up the remainder of the work.

By the end of the initial consultation, you should have a positive feeling about your interior designer and a sense of excitement for the impending project. If you have any reservations about your interior designer's qualifications, any confusion about the project, or any fears about the final outcome of your remodel, you should probably shake hands and part ways.

Once you find an interior designer that meets your qualifications, they will then execute the plan laid out in the sketches. This includes shopping trips, custom fabrication and finishing, and possibly some level of subcontracting depending on the scope of the project. A good interior designer will know every aspect of the entire project at any given point in time. Like a general contractor, you will be able to speak directly with them if you have any questions or concerns about any part of the project.

What an Interior Designer will not do for you:

An interior designer is involved in nearly every aspect of the remodeling project. There are a few areas of responsibility that an interior designer does not typically fill.

Code-enforcement

Interior designers will assume a sphere of control and responsibility in the project, but this does not typically extend over administrative duties. It is your responsibility as a homeowner to ensure that your remodel complies with all applicable building codes, and that all professionals on the premises are licenced and insured.

Warranty Issues

Issues of workmanship in furniture pieces, decor, or any work not performed directly by the designer should be addressed with the manufacturer or service provider directly. The designer will be unable to assist you.

Demolition

While some interior designers arrange for and help with general demolition, this task is usually left to the homeowner for cost reasons.