Six Tips for Hiring a Great Interior Designer

Interior Design Photo Courtesy: Empire Communities, Toronto, Canada

On the face of it, interior design appears incredibly simple. Unfortunately, however, it’s actually a lot more complicated than it seems. And though it’s certainly possible to decorate your home yourself, if you want to make the most of what you’ve got, some professional assistance is very much required.

Should you be considering hiring an interior designer for just this reason, here are a few tips for getting the most out of your decision.

Get Some Recommendations

The first step towards finding a great interior designer in your area is to get a few recommendations. It makes sense to ask your friends and family first. Local real estate agents and DIY stores are also great places to make inquiries. Finally, search online for unbiased reviews of designers in your area. Local forums, in particular, are invaluable for this purpose.

Research Your Shortlist

Once you’ve come up with a shortlist of local interior designers, your next step should be to do a little research. It is estimated that approximately seventy five percent of interior designers have their own webpage. Visit each designer’s website and take a look at their past work. A lot of interior design is about personal taste and you should try to find a designer who has similar tastes to your own.

Be Prepared to Pay

There is no set fee for interior design services. Different designers charge different prices and unfortunately, you really do get what you pay for. The more experienced, reputable and talented the designer, the more you can expect him/her to charge.

Unfortunately, if you are going to hire the cheapest interior designer that you can find, you’d be better off doing the job yourself. It is worth shopping around but base your decision on talent, not price.

Be Clear About Your Budget

Once you’ve found an interior designer that you’d like to work with, the first thing that you are going to have to discuss with him/her is your budget. How much you have to spend is going to play a major role in exactly what your interior designer can and cannot recommend. Don’t play guessing games, be clear about exactly how much you have to spend.

Explain What You Want

A kitchen designed by Empire Communities

Regardless of the decorating job that you are tackling, there’s going to be an endless selection of different options. Rather than expecting your designer to read your mind, discuss exactly what is that you are hoping to achieve with the project. At the very minimum, discuss the following details.

• Who will be using the room in question?
• Are there any particular colors that you love/hate?
• Have you found any examples of the look that you are going for?

Take Advantage of Industry Knowledge

Finally, one of the benefits of hiring an interior designer is that he/she is likely to know a lot of people that you don’t. The interior designer that you hire should be able to recommend the best contractors and suppliers in your area. Take full advantage of this.

It’s also well worth inquiring about their ability to get discounts on both materials and services. In some cases, such discounts can make hiring an interior designer surprisingly cheap.

The above guest post is written by home improvement blogger, Sarah Jones. Through her blog she shares some of the most important tips on home improvement and renovation. Follow Empire Communities to get updates on New condo for sale in Toronto.