An interior designer is involved in the original design or renovation of internal spaces, including structural alterations and the eventual colour scheme and furnishings. Designs and feasibility studies are produced and the designer oversees the project from beginning to end.
For advice on becoming an interior designer click here
Many homeowners are somewhat intimidated by the thought of employing an interior designer. They worry they'll lose control of the design or the budget, and that the finished room may not be to their liking. Using a design professional can, and should, be a good experience. It can give your home continuity, function, and beauty. It doesn't have to go over your budget and you don't have to lose control.
Typical activities of an Interior Designer:
understanding individual client's needs,
generating aesthetic ideas and establishing final briefs
considering materials and costs according to set budgets
preparing detailed drawings of designs, often using computer-aided design (CAD) software
providing samples for clients
placing contracts
supervising work throughout the design process, including on-site visits
How to find an Interior Designer
One of the best ways of hiring an interior designer can be to find a room that you really like, then find out who designed it. Alternatively, you could search on JuggleFrogs, ask for recommendations from friends or inquire in retail decorating outlets.
Do your homework
An interior designer won't be able to create the perfect room for you unless you're able to communicate what you like. The more information you can give to your designer the better. Your needs, your preferences and your hopes can be conveyed in both words and pictures. Collect pictures of rooms, furniture, and colour schemes you like (and dislike), and use these to illustrate your ideas. This will give your designer a place to start in creating a design you love, specifically for you.
What can you expect from an Interior Designer?
Interior designers are there to offer you a service. Many offer first consultations free of charge so you can see what's involved without making any commitment.
Your designer should diagnose your taste and determine your style by talking to you and looking at your existing environment. Show them the room or rooms you want decorated, and if you have any photos of styles you like or dislike, show them to the designer. They should ask you about your hobbies, your family, your colour preferences, your pets, whether you entertain at home, whether you frequently have overnight guests and so on. By learning about you and analysing your requirements, the designer is putting together the first building blocks of the eventual design.
At your next meeting, often charged at an hourly rate, the designer should have a package of ideas to show you. This may be presented in any number of ways; a sample board of fabrics and pictures of furniture is one option, sketches and swatches of fabric to discuss is another. Whichever style of presentation the designer chooses, find out in advance what you will be paying and what will happen if you don't like their ideas. Many designers will "go back to the drawing board" until you're happy, free of charge or at a nominal fee.
Interior designers have the training and resources to explore design options. They can often help you see a room in a whole new light, just by the addition of some built-in furniture, a new colour scheme, a different curtain design, or by re-arranging the furniture. A designer is adept at combining elements in total harmony with each other while staying within the guidelines of your initial brief (no matter how simple or how bizarre that brief may be).
Interior Design costs
Each designer has a different way of working and various fee structures, whether a flat fee, hourly fee or percentage of purchases. Even if you don't want to spend a fortune, there are many ways to use a designer on a very tight budget. Start small if you wish, using a designer for a short time on an hourly basis. You can always re-assess your needs as you go on.
Get inspiration and advice in our guides:
designing your kitchen and designing your bathroom!