Can I afford to use an interior designer?

There are a variety reasons why people choose to work with an interior designer but the main reason is that they want to get the best from their property. Many people realise that they can’t achieve that themselves and so they ask for expert help. Of course, employing any professional or tradesperson to work on your home comes with a fee but in 2021 there is still a lot of misunderstanding about interior design services and the associated costs, partly due to the legacy of interior design.

Historically employing an interior designer was a privilege only the very wealthy could afford and generally this type of property owner lived in a substantial house or two or three. However, as the design world has opened up and we are bombarded with images of beautiful homes in magazines and on social media many homeowners today now have a strong desire to create a home they can feel proud of regardless of size, location or value.

For some homeowners though creating their ideal home doesn’t come naturally. Some homeowners just don’t have the time or the inclination to research, assess and shop for items. Others struggle with making decisions on which styles they like or what would work well in their home, and some people readily admit to not having enough creativity or the organisational skills to manage a redesign. All good reasons for not being able to achieve the home you desire but due to the misconceptions around interior design services being out of their budget many people don’t ask for the help they need.

If you need convincing that you can indeed afford to use an interior designer then here are 5 common myths we designers often hear. Read on for some myth busting around interior design costs and the work of an interior designer. At the end you may well decide that working with an interior designer is just what you and your home need.

MYTH NO.1 – AN INTERIOR DESIGNER IS TOO EXPENSIVE.

Using an interior designer can actually save you money. Yes you heard that correctly!

Of course an interior designer doesn’t work for peanuts (and neither would you of course 😉) so there is a fee as you would expect from any professional service. These fees vary depending on the scope of the project and can range from hourly rates to day rates to project rates. But what many homeowners don’t realise is that some/part/all of the design fee that they pay to the interior designer can be offset by the purchases they make through the designer.

For example our room redesigns start at £550.00. They take a lot of work as we’ll be consulting with you in your home for a few hours, taking measurements, assessing the space, discussing ideas and providing advice. That’s all before the actual design work starts, and that can include providing detailed 2d and 3d computer generated images to create floor plans, lighting layouts or joinery elevations. An interior designer will also do a lot of research and legwork looking for relevant suppliers, ordering samples, collating information and specifications, assessing the usability of materials, creating digital mood boards and presenting them to you.

That £550+ you’ve spent on your room redesign fee may sound like a lot but where you’ll save money is on your purchases. Say you’re redesigning your living room and it’s out with the old and in with the new. Many of your new furniture, fabric, wallpaper, lighting and accessory items can be bought through your designer at a reduced cost as most interior designers have access to trade discounts which aren’t available to the general public. These discounts vary from 10% to 25% depending on the retailer. So if you’re spending £5,000 in total on a new sofa, 2 armchairs, a coffee table, rug, a chandelier and new accessories then an average trade discount of 15% (accessed via the designer) will save you £750 in total on these purchases. There is often a purchasing fee levied by the designer to order items for you but you will still be saving a significant amount on your purchases. So really when you look at it that way then the money you’ve saved on your purchases covers the design fee. So for that reason alone, if you need help with your interiors why wouldn’t you hire an interior designer.

MYTH NO. 2 – AN INTERIOR DESIGNER WILL WANT TO REDESIGN MY WHOLE HOUSE.

Not true. Most designers are fully flexible with the services they offer and you’ll probably be surprised to know that you can employ a designer for a few hours of their time for smaller projects such as sourcing new artwork or presenting you with new options for a coffee table complete with a clickable shopping list (and available trade discounts). Many designers will also offer an in-home consultation which is a really cost-effective way of accessing a professional second opinion and expert advice on many issues you may have with your home. In just a few hours a designer can suggest ways to make your home lighter or cosier, give options for how to re-model a bathroom or advise on paint, wallpapers and fabrics for a home refresh. A consultation is a great way to tackle several problems at once and may give you the confidence and information to move forward on your own if you prefer.

It’s your decision if you want to redesign your whole house but if it’s only one room that needs a refresh then that’s fine too. Of course there are advantages to having a designer work on your whole property such as creating a more cohesive flow and style throughout and in some instances re-working the floorplan can vastly improve the layout of a property. But don’t think that a designer is going to expect you to do a whole property redesign. Many designers will work with you for just a few hours and within that time you’ll be able to achieve what you set out to.

MYTH NO.3 – THE COSTS OF USING AN INTERIOR DESIGNER WILL SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL.

Prior to you signing a contract with a designer you should receive a detailed quote which fully outlines all the work you will be paying for. This quote will show what kinds of drawings you will receive, whether they’ll purchase items on your behalf, find tradespeople for the job or even project manage it. A designer will be keen to know your total budget so they can suggest items and suppliers which meet your spend level. They won’t suggest a marble sink or a gold plated toilet if it’s not within your budget!

An interior designer may make suggestions which are above your price range but that’s so you are aware of what else is possible but it is your decision on what you choose to spend. An interior designer also has clever ways of designing to make things look more expensive than they actually are.

However there is such a thing as scope creep and that’s when the scope of the agreed project starts to change or get bigger, and in many instances that is down to client changing their mind after the brief has been agreed and the project started. Of course if a project does end up being bigger than agreed your designer will let you know that this is likely to increase their fees (as it will be more work) and the overall spend. That’s why agreeing on a budget and brief (and sticking to it) from the start is so important.

MYTH NO. 4 – AN INTERIOR DESIGNER WILL CHOOSE WHAT THEY LIKE AND I'LL END UP WITH THEIR STYLE.

Many designers do have a signature style and some clients will hire a particular designer to recreate that style for them. Think Kelly Hoppen and the beige phenomenon or Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his bold approach to colour. However there are many designers out there who will take a thorough brief from a client so that the design delivered is for the client and not the designer. After all, you live in your home, not them, and they will want to create what is right for you and your home. Of course, if you’re drawing a creative blank on your style preferences a designer will work with you to identify what you like and dislike. So there shouldn’t be any worries about ending up with a white minimalist interior when you’ve got a busy family of 5 kids and 3 dogs and white is just not an option!

MYTH NO. 5 – DESIGNERS JUST CHOOSE COLOURS & CUSHIONS DON'T THEY?

Another big misconception about interior designers is that we just shuffle paint charts and fluff cushions but the interior design profession is a lot more than that (though who doesn’t love a new cushion!). An interior designer can advise on layouts from where to place your furniture for better flow and sightlines to the best placement for a new window to give you a view to your garden or the countryside. They can design bespoke joinery from wardrobes, to bathroom vanities to storage solutions so you can say goodbye to clutter. They can advise on artwork and framing, design bespoke curtains and blinds to suit a home’s architectural features, deal with suppliers and tradespeople on your behalf, project manage a renovation or design lighting plans. And that’s not the whole list but what it does is demonstrate that an interior designer is able to help you with a variety of issues you may have with your home.

So there you have it. 5 myths busted but I’m sure there are a lot more to bust!

If you do speak to an interior designer about their profession I’m sure they’ll end up telling you how much they love their job and how they get real satisfaction from helping people to create the best version of their home. Our homes are incredibly important to us and your interior designer will want to design a home which works optimally for you and is a place you’re happy to be.

Do get in touch if you’d like a no-obligation chat about how our interior design services can benefit you and your home. Or if you have any questions or myths you need busting we’re here!