7 REASONS YOU SHOULD HIRE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER — NOW
Updated: May 9
…the importance of hiring a designer pre-construction.
1. FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
Save Money, Financially Plan
Just like one hires a Financial Planner to aide in managing one’s money for retirement, education, play, and/or other life goals, an Interior Designer is one’s financial steward before, during, and after your design project. Having a solid Interior Designer on board means s/he will take note of the budget and work with the numbers [square footage, quantities, sourcing/shipping factors, etc.] to keep your finances on target. Around every nook & cranny there are areas for hidden costs and costly mistakes. Designers know what to look for & how to manage the system to keep the money in their client’s pocket.
It may seem counterintuitive; however, the expense of paying for an Interior Designer outweighs the costs of DIY and rookie mistakes, which means that your design will bring in the dollars when it comes time to refinance, rent it out, or sell. To maximize the financial investment of designing with an Interior Designer, bring the Designer in the moment you’ve decided you want to remodel to keep even more of your Benjamin’s in your pocket throughout the process.
2. KEEPING IT REALISTIC
Save Time, Plan Appropriately
Reality TV & IRL [In Real Life] are two completely different things when it comes to actual design and construction expectations, budgets, timelines, & processes. As much as we love HGTV and the DIY movement, it just doesn’t paint a real picture of the plausible possibilities [or restrictions] of redesign.
Given the misguided information out there, hiring an Interior Designer [*before* you start construction] will keep your project focused on the attainable. Working with a Designer means you’ll have insider information on the current, realistic timelines for construction, tradesmen availability, & procurement [order lead times, backorder statuses, & shipping].
All of this is to say, that your Interior Designer will sculpt as accurate as possible timeline & manage the feasibility of your project desires, so that your expectations are set & met. Big projects don’t happen in 60 minutes, 60 days, or 6 months anymore — let your Interior Designer save you time, [money, & headache]. Bringing your Designer in *prior* to hiring, scheduling, and starting demolition is critical to keeping the entire process streamlined and in the zone of reality.
3. KNOWS THE ROPES
Education, Experience, Training
Another perk of having an Interior Designer on board prior to construction, is that s/he knows the ropes & intimately understands the proper processes of both design and construction. By having an education in interior design, one’s remodel, renovation, and/or redesign will run more smoothly [this goes back to saving you time & money, wink wink].
Design and construction are intricately detailed professions that require intense education, experience, and training to truly master. As such, sure one can jump into the process and “figure it out;” however, the margin of error is drastically increased and proportionally related to the costs, timelines/delays, communication errors, headaches, and stress levels increasing as well. Having an Interior Designer on board from the very beginning means schedules can be projected and pieces can fall into place appropriately for the process to be as smooth as possible, instead of filled with potholes.
4. SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE
Technical Liaison
Piggy backing on the educational factor of interior design, understanding the unique language of “designer,” “contractor,” “architect,” &/or “building department” is paramount. A.F.F., FF&E, and GFIC are just three of the many acronyms used in construction conversation and documentation. For example, knowing the difference between the term “box” when talking to your carpenter, millworker, or electrician can mean completely different things. To ensure minimal hiccups and speed bumps occur, one needs to be fluent in the industry dialects.
Not only is speaking the language important, but the ability to read & write the language is just as valuable a skill. Being able to properly create complete Construction Sets/Docs will reduce time delays, frustration, mistakes, and questions from all the trades involved in the construction process. These documents have to be produced prior to demolition of a job site, so that the contractors know what they are supposed to do. Bringing your Interior Designer into the process before it’s game time ensures that the contractor knows how to do the job correctly, as you've designed it.
5. HAS THE TOOLS
Process & Detail Oriented
A qualified Interior Designer will bring multiple tools of the trade to your project, starting with your very first meeting. Be it using InDesign to create professional client facing documents; mastering Houzz Pro and/or ClickUp to keep up with your CRM details and Project Flow; to having mastered Photoshop for nearly 3D 2D Renderings that communicate the design; to creating a 3D Rendered Walk-Thru of your project in SketchUp for full understanding & visualization of the end product; and, to building project floor plans, elevations, and in general a “to scale” complete Construction Set in AutoCAD and/or Revit to articulate to the Trades what & how everything is supposed to be built…you need a designer that has the process & the details dialed.
There are too many instances for little [or big] things to fall through the cracks while planning and executing a design project. A tech savvy, analytical creative is your best friend when it comes to choosing a designer with the tools to get your project ready for the first sledgehammer to swing & keep it moving forward thereafter.
6. UNIQUENESS
Contacts & Resources, To-the-Trade Only
Shipping delays, product production constraints, overseas pricing increases — these are just a few of the challenges to successfully choosing finishes for a project. One of the many bonuses of hiring a seasoned Interior Designer pre-construction is that s/he will have established relationships with vendors. These relationships will aide in your goods arriving on time [and in one piece] for their installation.
Additionally, the relationships your Designer has are often with vendors that are available “To-the-Trades” only, which means you’ll have access to styles, finishes, fabrics, colors, etc. that aren’t available to the masses. So, if you want your project’s design to be as individualized as you are [& deliverable within the desired timeline], then it’s time to hire your Interior Designer as you begin fantasizing about your dream design.
7. HAS THE "EYE"
Creative Factor, Outside the Box, Wow!
Being able to see “space” and how one moves and behaves within its confines is an art unto itself, which is a skill talented Interior Designers possess. Sometimes all a space needs to feel revitalized and efficient is a different perspective on its shape, possibilities, and layout — that’s where Interior Designers begin to shine on the simplest level. If the time, trust, and financial investment are available, then your Interior Designer can bring massive changes to a space that feels stuck.
Designers possess the creativity to bring all new possibilities into your space and turn it into your dream environment that pops with your type of joy & energy. Having someone to take the reins and reimagine your space is an exercise in trust & communication and an adventure that will bring new energy and light to your life. Start on the right foot by bringing your Designer into the fold from the moment you’ve decided your space needs a facelift.
Hiring a professional Interior Designer will enhance & streamline your life for years to come and will add money to the bank when it comes time to access the equity in your property. A Designer will help tell your visual story & truly make your “House a Home or Business Space a Brand Environment.”
Now that you know why it’s important to have an Interior Designer on your project, are you ready to Request your Design Discovery Call? A/Revelation designs is ready when you are.