Happy New Year to you all! I hope your holidays were restful and relaxing and you had a chance to enjoy visits with family and friends. Now that 2019 has arrived and is gearing up, I know many of you will be thinking about making updates and improvements to your homes.
Perhaps you have considered working with an interior designer to create a design and assist and support you through the updates but are hesitant to engage one. You have no doubt heard some myths about working with an Interior Designer; they are too expensive; they impose their taste and style; they create a design that doesn’t work with your lifestyle or taste; etc.
In this week’s blog post I will share and debunk some of these myths about working with an Interior Designer.
1. Too Expensive!
The reality is Interior Designers will save you money. While this sounds counter intuitive, the advice and input an Interior Designer provides will save you money and help you avoid costly mistakes such as the wrong style and size of furniture, wrong colour of paint, poor layout, cost of re-doing all or parts of an update, not to mention the cost of your dissatisfaction.
2. Designers Impose Their Style
Your updates are about YOU! An Interior Designer will ask questions, lots of questions, about your update goals, who will use the room, how often the room will be used, things you like and don’t like about the space, among many others. This conversation allows the Designer to get a sense of you and your lifestyle, project goals and budget. They want you to be happy and comfortable in your space, not struggling to live with a design that doesn’t reflect you and doesn’t work for your lifestyle.
3. Designers Get Their Inspiration from Magazines
Not! Interior Designers have education, knowledge and experience they bring to each and every project. In addition, the majority of Designers belong to professional associations that require ongoing education to maintain their certification and designations. This keeps them up to date on new materials, finishes and considerations in design as well as what is trending and available. Interior Designers also have access to manufacturers and suppliers who can design and provide the perfect piece for your home.
4. Interior Designers Only Design
This myth is rampant but so untrue! Interior Designers not only design your space but are invaluable during the renovation/construction phase of your project. They are your Project Manager and provide oversight as well as liaise with the contractors and trades to plan and sequence your project, address any unexpected issues, resolve problems all the while communicating with you to keep you updated regarding any issues or concerns and answering your questions. This expertise is critical to your project as they work with the trades to keep the project within budget and minimize disruptions and impacts on your day to day life.
A little known fact about Designers is that they are cheerleaders too. For any of you who have undertaken a reno, you know there can be disruptions to your daily life and too quickly the excitement you experienced at the beginning can give way to frustration and fatigue before the project was completed. Interior Designers are there to support and encourage you throughout the update by taking care of the details and having regular communication regarding the updates.
5. Limited Knowledge of Products and Services Available
Interior Designers are very tapped into the industry and have a very thorough understanding of the pros and cons of various materials and finishes as well as their costs. In fact, Interior Designers are constantly researching and educating themselves with respect to new products available to create comfortable, livable and accessible homes.
Designers have also developed relationships with trusted product and service providers in your area so that you receive quality products and professional service. Remember your Designer wants you to be beyond happy with the end result and she or he has a vested interest in the outcome too!
6. Provide Cookie Cutter Designs
We have all been down the rabbit hole of flipping through design and decor magazines and perusing endless online sites that present overwhelming options in terms of design, style, layout, colour, finish, etc. While magazines and websites present possible ideas, Interior Designers will talk you off the ceiling and work with you to understand your personal style, project goals, timelines, local building regulations and budget and spatial constraints and provide a design that is unique to your style, taste and needs. (See #1)
Regardless of how small or large your next home update project is, consider the reasons above for working with an Interior Designer to develop your vision and achieve it in a cost effective way. The result will not only be beautiful, but comfortable and livable and one you will want to show off to everyone who visits your home.
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