IS HIRING AN INTERIOR DESIGNER EXPENSIVE?

Is hiring an interior designer expensive?  Let me get this out of the way and say that interior design is a luxury service. It is not essential for survival.  Demand for luxury increases as people's bank account increases much like a spa treatment or a Cartier watch.

Though good design and the want for beautifully designed homes has spread with wider accessibility, I am not going to tell you that interior design is cheap.

But, a good designer can save you money. How? 

Designers can avoid costly mistakes, saving you money.  Let's say you were having a custom dining table made.  The designer would know that it had to be made in two pieces to fit through the door.  Or that the antique french chandelier you wanted for the entry would need to be on a chain for the pitched ceiling.

Designers can distill your  taste into a cohesive design plan, saving you money.  Imagine at the end of your kitchen remodel if the tile and countertops didn't look like you thought and you hated it and had to replace the backsplash with something more tolerable.  Or maybe you chose to live with it and were reminded of your mistake every time you entered the kitchen.

Designers can provide advice on resale value of your home and items you buy, saving you money.  I ask clients how long they want to stay in their home.  Those that would like to upgrade in 5-10 years we talk about not only what they like, but how future buyers may look at their home.  Maybe that super deluxe fancy showering system with the disco ball and strobe lights will look a little dated in 5 years and not be a bonus to buyers.

Designers can purchase some items cheaper than you can.  Many to-the-trade and even retail outlets provide a designer discount.  You see a chair in a magazine that you must have.  You find it online advertised for 15% off your price is $6800   Your designer gets 40% off retail ($4800) but maybe your designer charges a markup of 35%.  Your price is still $6480 and you don't have to bother with the specifications, the decisions, the logistics, saving you $320.

Designers know what your home needs and where to find it, saving you money.  Designers can quickly evaluate what your home needs from years of experience.  I just specified a shower walls in jumbo quartz slabs for a client that wanted minimal cleaning (no grout), something he didn't even know existed.  Very quickly he had a specification for the contractor and a vendor to buy from.

You can get a lot of value from hiring a designer, the right designer will save you expensive mistakes, create a tailored design plan, provide resale advice, purchase furniture for less, and know where to shop.

Tell me in the comments below, have you saved money hiring a professional?