Why Hire an Interior Designer (What your neighbor won't tell you!)

1. An interior designer is trained to enhance your quality of life, wherever you live, work, play or heal. (American Society of Interior Designers)

Interior designers can take away the stress of trying to make it all coordinate. So often I am invited into my clients homes and they say, " Wow that was easy! I should have called you months ago!" We know how to finish the project so it is cohesive and well planned. We are problem solvers. Not saying you can't do it. However, we have been through extensive training. Most interior designers have at least a 3 year program with a Bachelor degree, and some even more. Masters or degrees in architecture are not uncommon. We take classes like building systems, space planning, codes, lighting, design process, furniture design and much more. We do not take classes on how to pick the best pillows or accessories to fill your shelves. We learn how to design your kitchen and bath so it works for you, what ever your personal needs may be. Every human is different and shouldn't have to fit into the same kitchen as their neighbor, just because it was built that way.

2. Interior Designers are always continuing their education and learning about new products.

We have vendors sending us new and fun things all the time. We are just waiting to show these fun new things to the "right" client. Why have the same stuff as your neighbor bought at local strip mall or box store? We find unique and customizable items to fill your home with. We want your home to be a reflection of you. We also work with wholesalers and get great discounts on these furnishings so we can share those with you. Yes we mark up our discount, we have to feed our family too. You still usually get 15-25% off with our mark up, and remember you won't have the same thing as everyone else in your neighborhood or city for that matter.

3. Interior Designer Pay

Occasionally I get the, "Wow I had no idea interior designers are paid so handsomely." I don't think people understand how expensive Interior Design school can be. For example, my education for a four year Bachelor degree cost me just under 100K. Most people don't know this, Interior designers only charge for "billable hours". What this means is, the actual hours they are physically working on your project. Because of our knowledge base we may only take 15 minutes to do something that would take you a few days or weeks. Through our design process we have an organized a way to plan and budget your project in a cost effective way. We do so many projects that it is second nature to us and it doesn't take us a lot of time to do it. This doesn't mean we should get paid less because we can do our profession faster than someone who is not trained. We are efficient and time /cost minimizers.

4. The Savings

When you hire a designer, you don't have to waste gas, resources, time and energy on fretting over which tile, wallpaper, appliance, light fixture, etc., would be best. I know it can be scary, but most of my clients are at their wits end when they finally call. It is easy to waste money on things that aren't working. A designer can help you get the project done and solved. You know you need help and we want to help you complete your project so you don't have to keep living your life this way. "We simply bring a few options we think would best suit your desired look, style and demands to your home for you to see in your space. This like so many other things allows you to relax in the choosing process and not feel overwhelmed. It isn't like we are sitting at our computer for 40 hours a week and billing one single client. You can always ask your designer how many hours the project will take, if you feel uncomfortable. You can also ask for an overall budget for the entire project and this is based on what the designer thinks they will need for your project.

I hope this helps some of you in deciding if using an interior designer is for you...please post any questions you may have or other topics you would like to hear about. Ciao!