Our homes are our safe havens, where we like to relax after a day’s hard work and spent quality time with our loved ones (and our pets!). They are such an important part of our lives, they grow with us, and they are integral to our overall sense of health & wellbeing. So it’s utterly crucial that we get our interior design right - it can really set the mood, reflect who we are, help everyday life to run more smoothly and - perhaps more important than anything - make us truly happy inside, just like a warm, welcoming hug every time we close the door to the world and slip off our shoes.
So why hire an interior designer to help achieve all of this?
Well…
1. GETTING IT RIGHT FIRST TIME
There’s nothing more frustrating than buying homeware goods that turn out to be at odds with the style of a room, the colour scheme, or your practical needs. The end result of such purchases can be a space that feels a bit thrown-together and deflating, because it falls short of your dream look. Calling on an interior designer’s help can actually save you a significant amount of money, in that you avoid making expensive mistakes. You will only invest in an approved scheme where everything will most definitely work together. And it doesn’t even have to cost the earth! It’s all about constructing the bigger picture (or vision) and then working backwards, in order to select the perfect pieces which tie in 100% with what you already have and want to keep. Many interior designers will even create visuals to allow you to vividly ‘see’ the room before making any purchases, so that you can be sure it makes your heart sing.
2. TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
A skilled interior designer will not dictate a scheme to you , ignoring your preferences and needs; rather, they will collaborate with you, attentively listening to what you like, your everyday requirements and your wider aspirations for your home. They will work with you to identify your style, the colours which evoke a desired mood in you and any additions that will make your life easier - all within your budget. And, because interior design is both a complex art and science, they can really elevate the level of design at work in your home (from colour psychology to furniture plans which optimise circulation paths through busy rooms), as well as teaching you very handy tips and tricks along the way. You’ll end up really enjoying the process, learning new things you can apply to future projects and gaining confidence in the process of room design. A good interior designer won’t leave your side until you’re delighted with the room, and there’s something really reassuring about that.
3. CONTACTS!
Interior designers spend a lot of time and effort getting to know the interiors market very well, familiarising themselves with brands who align with their values and establishing positive, professional relationships that can be of significant benefit to their clients. One such benefit is the array of trade discounts often available to interior designers, and many are happy to share these discount with their clients. An interior designer may charge a procurement fee for doing all the ordering on behalf of a client and in turn pass on 100% of their trade discount to their client; or (as is the case with Popfox Interiors) they may not charge any procurement fee at all and, instead, simply cover their ordering / invoicing time through a 50/50 split of any trade discounts that can be of use. Either way, trade discounts can save clients money as well as a great deal of hassle.
If this article has increased your interest in hiring an interior designer, please feel free to call me (Michaella) for a friendly, non-committal chat on 07825284566, or drop me a line here. Interior design is my absolute passion and I would love to hear from you!