We get it! It's your hard earned cash, handing this over for a service that isn't always immediately tangible, can be hard. But interior design isn't 'just for rich people'!
To start this mini series looking at some of the myths around what interior design is and what an interior designer does, let’s dive straight in with the big one. Can I afford an interior designer? Interior design is just for ‘rich’ people, right?! I have a small budget so I can’t afford to use some of that on an interior designer?
These are questions most interior designers have been asked or heard at some point. We get it! It’s your hard earned cash and it can be hard handing this over for a service that might not be immediately tangible.
To some extent, there is some truth in this myth, interior designers have gained a reputation for being unattainable and not accessible unless a big budget and expensive taste is available. Historically, it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that interior design was opened up beyond the higher classes. As access to resources, more trade from overseas and the lower to middle classes benefited from the economic growth that the industrial revolution allowed. Later on, as countries recovered from war, design was a way of escapism and self expression. Present day, we find ourselves in an era of experimentation and play in the creation of our homes.
The Value We Bring
But just as much as you can shop at Waitrose or M&S for your weekly food shop, you can also shop at Aldi or Tesco. Or as many of us now do, we mix up where we shop according to what we are buying and the occasion. Interior design works in the same way; there are affordable interior design professionals who will be right for your home and budget and there will be others who are right for someone else, wanting a different look on a different budget.
Interior designers could also be called dream interpreters. We have the joy of trying to help you understand those ideas in your mind, those dreams you have for the home, and to bring them to life with the fun challenge of working with your budget and current home. But not only this, there are multiple ways that having an interior designer involved on your project - big or small - can be that thing you didn’t realise you needed until you had it.
It is our responsibility, as interior designers, to understand your lifestyle and how the household uses the spaces available and to be able advise on styles that might suit you best. This selection process can be very insightful, fun and helpful in understanding all the new information that comes with making decisions for the home. We create the storyboard - a cohesive story that works from room to room; giving a clear vision and knowing that, if you are buying piece by piece, you won’t end up with a look that’s disjointed. The closer the interior design matches the needs of the household, the more you can enjoy that space.
Saving You Time, Money and Frustration
We’ve all had the hours of fun, searching to find furniture that fits in the space, that fits in the budget and finally fits with what you like. Then it arrives, it doesn’t work and now you have the joy of figuring out the returns. Time, energy, frustration - all of these are things that can be saved by an interior design who can use their skills and expertise to check sizing, think about how each item works in the room, compare and source.
Add on the ability to suggest different layouts - saving you the time (and your back!) of moving furniture around trying to find the best look.
Many homeware and furniture stores offer trade discounts to interior designers; ranging from 10-50%, these discounts can be passed on to customers which can save a considerable amount on the retail price. Along with the knowledge they’ve built up and relationships developed with craft trades, an interior designer can save you the time of wading through the millions of finish options. We are here to answer any queries about colours, finishes, sizes, space design and more. We do the hard work so you don’t have to.
The scope and offer will vary from designer but many want to make their services accessible. Whether it’s needing that extra eye to help you with a room layout for those unique collected pieces. Or if you know what you like but you don’t have the time to source what you want. Having access to their skills, experience, knowledge and contacts will not just save you money in the long run but plenty of time and frustration.
Interior design doesn’t need to be intimidating; you don’t need to commit to big lengthy expensive relationships with a designer. From one-off consultations that inspire and advise, to online design that keeps you in control of the pace. Interior design is about you, your home and you getting that help to make it the best it can be.
Interested in chatting to someone about your home - a no obligation phone call, email or online chat is always available. Find out my current services and packages, from online options to fuller traditional options