Why hire an Interior Designer?

Imagine that you decide to take the plunge to renovate your kitchen. Congratulations on taking the leap! It is a huge financial undertaking, but one that will increase the value of your home. Not to mention the happiness you will have when you are enjoying your new space. But now the daunting task of where do you begin?

What millwork company should I use? Do I need a contractor? What cabinet materials should I use? What style kitchen and layout do I want? What material for the floor is best? What counter and backsplash should I go with? Faucet fixtures? Wait I need a plumber? Hardware style and finish? Paint? Lighting placement and type? I need an electrician too?! How much should this all cost? What is a realistic budget?

By now you are researching vendors, looking for stores to visit, asking friends and family, and taking to social media to figure out all these questions. When will you be scheduling vendor meetings? When will you be running to the stores to pick everything? When will you be returning the samples you borrowed? When will you be making

all the necessary phone calls? And in the end are you

feeling confident with all your choices?

Hiring an interior designer can be seen as a luxury service, (which it is), but do the benefits of this service outweigh the costs?

An Interior Designer has:

Expertise and Experience: They do this day in and day out! They are up-to-date on the latest trends, materials and products and know the best way to balance aesthetics and functionality. Designers know who in the city are reputable and do good quality work.

Personalized Design Solutions and Attention to Detail: Design is not a one-stop shop. Designers work closely to understand a clients preferences, lifestyle and needs in order to create customized solutions to solve problems. Designers will communicate and ask for feedback throughout the design process. Every inch of space is considered to make sure it all works collectively.

Save Time and Reduce Stress: A designer does the planning, sourcing of materials, coordinating suppliers and other professionals for you. They may even manage the construction and installations. Freeing up your days, evenings and weekends and reducing your decision fatigue is the ultimate goal.

Budget Management: There is a huge range in costs for materials and trades. But you do not want to sacrifice on quality! Designers can help you navigate as you build a realistic budget, and stick to it. Designers also have trade discounts to pass along and connections to sources only available to the trades. Why have what everyone else has?

All designers have a different way in which they structure their packages and fees. Maybe you need someone just for guidance or you are in need of full service. It all depends on how hands on you want to be in your project. If it's guidance you want, hiring a designer hourly would be the way to go. And if your project requires a full design package with final styling, then the time a designer estimates the project will take them to complete will then dictate how much they will charge. But above all, find a designer whose style you like and someone who will be flexible to meet your design needs.

So....going back to the question....Do the benefits of hiring a designer outweigh their cost? Weigh in!