5 Reasons You May Not Want to Hire an Interior Designer
Too pricey
Interior designers are often looked at as ‘nice to have’ in our DIY culture. Trust me - I did my fair share of DIY and completely remodeled my first home with my dad! I understand budgets are tight so interior designers may not be for everyone - but it is a great investment if you want to be more hands-off, you don’t have the time to make your dream home happen, and/or you want the project done right the first time. It is an investment, but it’s one you won’t regret if you work with the right designer who listens to you and understands your goals for your home.
Consider your situation and budget to see if a designer is a good fit for you. It is an added cost, but the benefits of having an expert designer on your side should quickly show the ROI.
2. Fear of your ideas being squashed
Typically if you want a home update you have some ideas of what you want it to look or even just feel like. Letting someone into your home and telling them your homes and dreams about the space can be SO scary. You’re letting a stranger come into your home and you probably have some fears that they will just tell you your ideas are stupid.
This is a bad way to approach any working relationship. Any good designer will first start with understanding YOU. Hopefully, they are not just asking questions about the space you hope to redo, but they are looking to understand you as an individual (or even your entire family if you all use the space). This is key to making the collaborative design process possible!
All of your ideas may not work - but they should be incorporated and you should feel heard throughout the design process!
3. They are too opinionated
Recently, I came across a show on Netflix that showed interior designers in LA in a way that made me cringe. While the show offered interesting design ideas, some interactions with homeowners seemed overly critical and dismissive of their preferences.
It's important to remember that a home is a deeply personal space. Homeowners should ultimately have the final say in its design to ensure it reflects their unique style and needs. The goal is to achieve a space that the client loves and feels comfortable in. This can only be achieved through respectful communication and collaborative effort.
4. Designers will just blow your budget
Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE to shop for interior furnishings, tile, textiles, you name it - it’s in my cart. When it comes to the client’s budget sticking to it is always the first priority. Your ideal designer should be very transparent from day one on what should be expected for your project. Often you see an estimate of your project which should include design fees, furnishings, freight, etc. that will used for the design, but this estimate should be the guide to ensure we all agree on the project spend. If there are deviations the designer should first consult with you to ensure everyone is aligned.
If this isn’t happening - find the right partner in your interior projects (aka ME).
5. Unresponsive/unprofessional
I’ve worked with a few designers in my time that just never responded or they would take weeks to get back to me. What a nightmare! I’ve learned during my time that if they are bad at communication from day 1 and do not demonstrate professionalism, then it will only go downhill from there. I don’t know about you but I think good communication and transparency are key to any relationship - and there is no exception for a designer/client relationship.
It is also important to understand that design does not happen overnight - this process takes time from design to procurement to installation. Patience is important here - which is why communication is KEY!
