Do I really need an Interior Designer?

What does an Interior Designer do? And do I really need one? With the popularity of HGTV and sites like Pinterest many people believe they can do it themselves and lets’ face it, sometimes this is true. So when should you consult a professional, and does it really make sense for you?

First lets tackle Interior Designer vs. Interior Decorator

This from SheKnows.com:

“Simply put, an interior designer decorates your home and makes efficient use of the space provided. Interior Decorators, on the other hand, just decorate. They add artwork, furniture and accents to make your home “you,” but they aren’t concerned with the use or function of the space. A designer often decorates, but a decorator never designs.”

Now that you have that info, do you need one or the other?

And again from SheKnows:

“This is a question only you can answer. If living in a well-designed and well-decorated home is a top priority of yours, it may be worth it to hire a professional. We suggest starting with one room and going from there. Another idea is to have the main rooms professionally decorated and then decorate the other rooms yourself, using the professional ones as a guideline. But of course, the main question on whether or not it’s worth it is whether or not you can afford it.”

The cost of hiring an interior designer varies greatly. Most charge per hour, with the current market rate between $50 and $200 per hour. You would pay this in addition to the cost of furniture, accessories, artwork, etc. Some interior designers charge their clients by “marking up” the decor they choose. For example, you may agree to pay a 15 percent markup fee to your interior designer on all goods purchased.

Now that I have scared you off of ever hiring a professional, I’ll add my 2 cents. I believe anyone who wants a well-designed home should be able to achieve a well-designed home. I specialize in budget-friendly design. I do this by sitting down with the client and getting to the elephant in the room immediately. I find out your budget and work from there.

There is an awful lot that can be achieved on a small budget through the use of recycled and repurposed items. As long as you are willing to think outside the box, I can design a room that will give you the desired look. Without getting too preachy, I believe in recycling, I enjoy shopping secondhand stores, and I love the history older items bring to a room. Your room will look like it came together over time and won’t look matchy/matchy.

So, back to the beginning…. what does an Interior Designer do for you? A good Interior Designer will put together a design plan that reflects your vision of how you want your space to look and feel. He or she will focus your ideas into a cohesive plan and give you suggestions to complete the look. They will then execute this plan and voilà, you have a well-designed space.

What can I do for you? I can do this on a budget with no pressure.

Nancy Bradley photo

Nancy bradley

I consult, design, and remodel spaces that reflect the homeowner’s lifestyle and budget by getting the cost question out of the way and really listening to what my client wants and how much they have set aside for their project.