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Abbie Downey

Verified Expert in Interior Design

Abbie is the Owner of Feather&Fossil and specialises in Maximalist Interior Design schemes for residential clients. Abbie has experience and qualifications in Interior Design and Project Management.

Home » Interior Design » Hiring an Interior Designer: A Comprehensive Guide

Hiring an Interior Designer

A house becomes a home when it reflects the homeowner. Designing a new home is not just about picking the right color palette or tiles, furniture or other design elements. It is a lifestyle choice. The interior design of your house expresses your true self. It reflects your penchant for finery or simplicity.

A house is just a real estate property, but when your interior designer puts together the place that reflects your personality and choices, it becomes your home. It makes it yours, and yours alone.

Every house has a different interior design. Even if you live in an apartment or a skyline condo where all the houses and flats are designed the same, the interior design is what sets your space apart from the others.

That is why it is very important to choose the right interior designer for your house, who will understand your preferences and personality. Today, we will help you understand the steps you must take in order to hire a professional Interior Designer.

Read also – 10 Benefits of Hiring an Interior Designer

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

A home design professional evaluates your personality and choices and designs the space that makes you feel comfortable and cozy. They will help you select your wall colors, tiling, furniture, window treatments, and even linens. These are the things that you notice every day when you enter the space that is your home or office or anything else you love. But that is not all. There are also factors that as homeowners you may not have considered things a design pro would.

For instance, your floor plans, your lighting, air vents, electrical sockets, etc. Basically, all those things that may not seem important but if they are not a right fit for the design patterns of your house, they can be quite the eye-sore.

An interior designer plans the details of the space and creates a smooth flow of ambiance. They bring together all the components so they fit in the right places with the right inclinations. They are artists who can help you make the space look aesthetically pleasing.

Additionally, designing a house requires specific components and materials. Interior designers build relations with artisans who have what you need. They can help you get the perfect resources that tie the place together in your budget.

Read also – How Do Interior Designers Become Rich?

When You Should Hire an Interior Designer?

When you are absolutely sure that the upcoming remodel or home renovation job is not a diy project. You should hire an interior designer when you have decided upon the feeling that your space must emanate. You have to think about your budget and the basic ambiance of your property.

Would you like a modern home with cutting-edge technology, or would you like your home to honor the traditions you hold dear? Would you like a theme for your property or just clean-cut functionality?

Once you have decided on the kind of interiors you want, you should call in an expert interior designer who can tie it all together and give you the space that you truly dreamed of having. They will take all your ideas and suggestions and add the oh-so-amazing touches to make everything look elegant and complete.

Read also – How To Start An Interior Design Business: 15 Steps To Launch

Where to Find an Ideal Interior Designer?

In order to hire an interior designer for your dream project, you can refer to the website of Foyr, where you will find designers of exquisite caliber. These designers are well-versed with important aspects of designing both homes as well as offices. They also have a keen eye for design.

Whether you are going for a rustic country design or simple modern patterns, these interior designers have just the design ideas that will suit your personality. The designers on Foyr will help you with floor plans, space planning, building materials, choosing furniture, and the nitty-gritty details that will tie the whole place together in a symphony of elegance.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Interior Designer? How to Save Money?

Over the years we have seen many people who wish to hire an interior designer but are uncertain because of the costs associated with the service.

If you hope to design your home or home-office elegantly and aesthetically, you can choose to hire designers who offer the best services in your budget. Some designers may charge you at an hourly rate, while others may charge you a fixed amount for the entire project. You can choose the designer whose payment plan suits your fancy.

Several interior designers may also charge a retainer before they start the work, but that is a reasonable sum to ensure that their time and your money is not wasted. While hiring an interior designer you may also come across those who charge something called “cost-plus.”

What they do is, they buy the materials and furniture at discounted prices and charge you for the retail price. The difference in the amount is their fee, whatever model it may be based on – flat-fee or any other calculation. This is an effective technique as they are not charging you a surplus.

Read also – 10 Best Investment Tips for Interior Designers

cost to hire an interior designer

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Instead, they are just deriving the payment for their services from the materials and furniture they procure for you, which you would have to pay for anyway. Make sure to discuss the margins and details of this method of payment during the process of hiring an interior designer.

There are also those who like to do the handiwork and do not want to hire an interior designer for a whole project. We want you to know that there are cost-effective techniques to hiring a designer for Do-It-Yourself projects as well.

You can find an expert who will charge only for consultation services, and tell you the ideal way to execute the design of your space. You can then do the handiwork on your own or even build the furniture as you like, and pool it all together to design the property as they suggested.

Now that you know the importance of hiring an Interior Designer, let us take a look at some of the important things you must keep in mind for your dream project.

Read also – How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost?

8 Things to Do before Hiring a Good Interior Designer:

There are certain important factors that you must bear in mind while hiring an Interior designer. These factors largely affect the project so make sure that you communicate these with your designer before the project starts:

1. Determine the timeline of the project

It is crucial to have a fixed timeline, give or take a week or so. The interior designer can plan their workflow accordingly. Determine the time that you can allot for the project and discuss it with your designer. Ensure that the timeline you suggest is adequate.

For instance, if you expect the designer to finish a whole remodel within 2 weeks, then that is just not fair. Similarly, if you only need them to redesign a child’s bedroom, then you certainly do not need to allocate a month.

Communicate your design needs with your interior designer and discuss the appropriate time frame for the entire project. That way, the planning, and execution will go hand in hand. And if you are planning to throw a housewarming party, at least you’ll be prepared to send out the RSVPs.

Read also – Profit Margins for Interior Design Businesses

hiring an interior designer - determine timeline for project

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2. Taking the time to find the right fit

Depending on your personal flair, be sure to hire an interior designer who matches your personal style with ease. You can even share some of your own design ideas that you may have collected and work with them. Make sure that you are on the same page as your interior designer, before you finalize the contract.

It is very important to find the appropriate Interior Designer for your project. You have to look at it and live with it every day.

Read also – 12 Best Time Management Tips for Interior Designers

take time to find right interior designer

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3. Collect examples and references

As we have said before, you can share design ideas that fascinate you. We all have those special design plans that enticed us on social media or when we visit someone’s house. You can take pictures and share them with your designer. You can also use the easy Foyr Neo software to display your design ideas.

Your interior designer will then try to pinpoint the factors that you love most and implement them with their own suggestions. This is a helpful, easy, and quick way of conveying what you truly desire.

hiring an interior designer - collect reference and sample

Image Credit: pinterest.com

4. Checking the designer’s portfolio to find the perfect style

Most interior designers have the utmost finesse when they design any kind of property. They can handle any theme and pattern. However, you must remember, they all have their individual style. Some are really good at playing with abstract color schemes, patterns, while others always maintain simplicity in spite of variations.

Always take a good look at their portfolio to identify their signature design plans. Evaluate if it is anything close to what you have in mind. If there is a rapport, between you and your designer, all the money and effort will be worth it.

Read also – How To Create A Successful Interior Design Portfolio?

Image Credit: creatisimo.net

5. Determine pieces that must be retained

It is possible that you are already in love with some of the pieces of furniture or artwork on your property. Maybe some of them have sentimental value, or maybe you built it yourself. Be sure to convey that to your interior designer so they can implement those pieces in their design ideas and work around them.

6. Clarifying billing and fee structure

As you already know by now, different interior designers have different payment plans. Make sure to always maintain transparency about the aspects that are going to cost you.

They may charge you for a design consultation, acquisitions, site visits, travel, etc. Make sure to clarify these points beforehand to have an estimate of how much the whole project might cost you. You can also discuss any discounted furniture or building materials that they might acquire for your project alone.

Additionally, always determine the time frame for payments. If they need a retainer, advance payment, or payment on completion, ensure an adequately evaluated payment plan. That way you will be prepared to pay, whenever needed.

Read also – 10 Passive Income Ideas for Interior Designers

Image Credit: architecturaldigest.com

7. Finalize your budget

Hiring an interior designer is meant to simplify your workload, not to cause more stress. Always keep your budget in mind. Even if there is a little wiggle room, determine the final amount you are willing to spend. Discuss that clearly with your interior designer. Often you may be enticed by design pieces that do not suit your budget.

Ask your designer to find alternatives that can create a similar ambiance within the limits of your budget. The designers at Foyr are adept at creating innovative design ideas to suit the budget while maintaining the chosen patterns. You don’t need to go over budget in order to design a beautiful space. Ask your designer to choose more cost-effective solutions.

Read more – 27 Interior Design Tips and Secrets From The Pros

hiring an interior designer - finalize budget

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8. Be open to suggestions

All things considered, this is the most important factor to keep in mind. If you have chosen the patterns and style of your home, then you have already simplified the design process. But remember, Interior designers are professionally trained to observe patterns and design what their clients truly desire.

Keep an open mind while listening to their ideas. You may not like everything that they propose, but, there definitely will be those specific aspects that will give the space a special touch.

I guess what we are saying is, just hear them out. You can always discuss your desires and help them give you what you want. However, it is good to try new things too. Maybe their design ideas, combined with yours, will result in the ultimate reflection of your beautiful home.

hiring an interior designer - open to suggestion

Image Credit: vidyard.com

Conclusion

We hope that you find these points helpful to choose the ideal interior designer for your projects. A client and designer must always be on par with each other. You can choose from the top designers from the Foyr website and simplify the process. You can convey your concerns and discuss the appropriate budget and time frame with them.

The Foyr designers have created some astounding floor plans and design plans over time. They can deliver your dream house to relax and bond with your family. They can also design your office to create a smooth and comfortable workflow.

It is your space. Make sure that you love being there. Whether it’s your home or your workplace, if it is not comfortable, then the real-estate property means very little. But hiring an interior designer will turn that empty piece of building into your personal haven. Choose the one who resonates with your panache, and watch them change your space into a reflection of your chosen lifestyle.

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