Working with Interior Designers

Working with an interior designer can be a great experience. Designers are trained professionals with expertise in color, lighting, furniture placement, floor plans and so much more. They know what works, what doesn't, and they can help you create your dream interior. The question is, should you work with one?

Designers and decorators have different credentials and can serve different purposes. If you're not sure of the difference between designers and decorators have a look at this article. For the sake of simplicity this article will use the word designer to reflect both professions.

When You Should Work with a Designer

If you have issues with some of the following things you might want to consider working with an interior designer.

Style – Defining one's style can be a difficult thing. Few of us can really pin the looks we love into a single style. An interior designer or decorator can take all of the things you love and put them together in a way that works. If you're having trouble figuring out what you like and what works with what, a designer can help.

Layouts – Furniture arranging can be surprisingly tough. Oddly shaped rooms, small spaces, doors or architectural elements, they can all complicate furniture arrangements. Designers have a knack for knowing how to place furniture for maximum efficiency. They know how to deal with difficult areas and can make it all work. To an even greater extent, designers can tell you when you need to knock out a wall or move your plumbing to create a better use of space.

Color - The number one thing people have trouble with when decorating is color. Designers have extensive training in color and their help and advice can be almost priceless to those who really struggle with it.

Quality – The home décor industry is huge and there are products of varying quality all over the place. Sometimes it can be hard to know where you should spend your money and where you should save. Designers can help you figure out where to get the most ,bang for your buck – when you can skimp on quality and when you should buy top-of-the-line.

When You Shouldn't Work with a Designer

If you're working with a designer and you have some of the following issues you might want to rethink things.

They try to get you to buy things you can't afford – Decorating a home is never cheap. There are a lot of costs associated with it and you need to budget accordingly. But don't ever let yourself get talked into spending more than you can afford. It's important to buy quality items and a designer will help make sure that you do, but if they try to convince you to spend money you don't have, they're not someone you want to work with. Be sure to talk extensively about the budget ahead of time so you don't run in to this problem.

They try to talk you out of something you really love - We all have our quirks and sometimes we like things other people just don't understand. They might seem a little funny or out-of-place, but we love them. If you are working with a designer who refuses to work with your funny quirks, don't work with that designer. Always remember that the designer is there to help you execute your vision. It's those funny little things that make your home personal.

They try to force pieces on you that you don't like – There are designers out there who will try to get you to purchase things you don't like because they look great in the space they're designing. But if you don't like something, don't put it in your home, no matter how much they try to talk you into it. That's not to say you shouldn't consider their suggestions and experiment with new things, but if you don't like it don't buy it. A good designer will keep looking until they find the right things for you.

Things to Keep in Mind

Always be open to suggestion. Remember that designers are experts in their field and they can introduce you to styles and concepts you never would have thought of. Listen to their suggestions and really take them into consideration before making decisions.

Learn to let go of the things you don't use. One of the most important things in decorating is editing. We all tend to hold on to things because we develop attachments to them but more often than not they end up wasting space. That's not to say you should throw out special mementos, but learn to get rid of the things that no longer make sense for your home. Remember, there might be someone else out there who can use them.

Be clear about your budget and your needs before getting started. Your designer needs to know what you want and how much you can afford before starting your project. You don't want them to be wasting their time. Not only is it unfair to them, but you'll be charged for their time.