April 5th, 2018

You are losing money if you don’t hire an Interior Designer

Everyone loves binge-watching HGTV in their free time and get inspired to take on a big renovation project. The designers on these shows make it look so easy! Just demolish a wall here, add a light fixture there and maybe even a window. Then pick a few finishes, paint colors and some new furniture, art, and décor. Voila! Is it really that easy? Unfortunately, they don’t call it “movie magic” for nothing. Before you get too excited about ripping out portions of your home, please consider hiring a professional interior designer. No, our services are not free, but we will help you in areas you didn’t even think about. Trust us, you will lose a lot less money and sleep with our help!

What a lot of people don’t know about the role of an interior designer is that we do a lot of project management. Depending on the size of a project there are a lot of people that will need to come on board such as a contractor, plumber, electrician, and millworker. It takes a lot of work to make sure everything is coordinated properly, and the result of the design is exactly as planned. Want to demolish a few walls? You are going to need a building permit and someone to put together that permit set – which is usually done by the interior designer. These things take time and it can take weeks before approval. If these things aren’t done right, you will need them redone, which will end up costing you quite a bit of money. It’s always better to have things done right the first time around! We work with the client’s team and trades. We can save you countless hours of running around from showroom to showroom, only to end up more overwhelmed than when you started. We can determine what products and materials best fit your aesthetic, budget and timeline.

Budgeting is always a factor in a design – time and money. If you are tight on time, then your budget will need to grow. However, even if you have money to spend, there is still a certain amount of time needed for certain things to get done. As we were saying earlier, some things such as building permits can take weeks and if one part of the process falls behind schedule, a few other things will subsequently follow. Time needs to be allotted for custom millwork pieces, tiles from Italy and a table from Finland – a term we call ‘lead time’ in our lingo. These items don’t just show up in a few days! Time needs to be given to the substrates to get certain things done and in the right order. Interior designers will put together a project timeline that is realistic and keeps the project team in the loop to make sure the project is done in a timely fashion. Who doesn’t like things that come in on time and on a budget? We will make sure your project is done right with great design, thoughtful choices in materials, and attention to detail. We take the time to understand each client and their specific needs. Below you will find a few photos of a past private residential project. This client had a young family and wanted to live here indefinitely. This was a home her children would grow up in. The open kitchen, dining and family room design encouraged more family time. The mudroom allowed for the kids to throw their backpack down and find a space for their shoes. The den was part mom’s space to manage the household bills, watch over the children doing their homework and showcase the family vintage encyclopedia collection. These are just a few ways an Interior Designer can help you with your dream project.

 

Have you hired an Interior Designer? We would love to hear about your experience #area3designhireadesigner