Why should you hire an Interior Designer?
So, you are ready to update your current home, build a new home, or open a restaurant. You have some ideas about how you want it to look, and maybe even a Pinterest board or collection of images from design publications. You know you need a contractor, but who else do you need to hire to make your project a success? Having an Interior Designer on your team is absolutely key to making your dream become a reality. Here’s why:
1. We help determine and refine your vision and goals
We are really good at asking strategic questions to determine what needs to happen with your design to make you a happy client. And then asking more questions, and then a few more. It all boils down to communication! As we get to know you and how you live, we create lists of priorities and design ideas, refine the list, and use it to inform the concept, which drives the design. We revisit those goals throughout the design process to make sure they don’t get lost along the way.
2. We know the sources!
Did you know Colorado has hundreds of tile showrooms? Some of them carry lines that no one else has. Some of them are only open to trade professionals. And when we travel to trade shows and other cities, we tap into a whole other world of options. And tile is just one example. The point is, our heads and browser favorites are filled with showrooms, contacts, manufacturers, and artisans. As soon as your design direction is established, our brains go to work distilling thousands of options to pinpoint the best places to search.
3. We can strategize your budget
If you’ve already set a budget, your Interior Designer can help break it down, so you know how much you can spend in each area, and where you can get the most bang for your buck. A semi-precious stone backsplash is sure to be gorgeous, but perhaps we can find a more affordable finish for that area, so you can get a head-turning light fixture over the island. If you don’t yet have a budget, your designer can assist you in putting together a program so you can get a realistic idea of cost.
4. They’ve got the timing down pat
Have you ever tried to prepare a special meal and ended up miscalculating the timing? It could be as simple as forgetting to preheat the oven, but it’s often the little things that need to go right for a project to run smoothly. Interior Designers know what steps in the process need to happen at what time. For instance, by what date do all finishes need to be selected? Are there certain items that have an especially long lead time? Will your custom sofa take 8 weeks or 24 to complete? And where will that sofa be stored until the space is ready for move-in? We help keep the whole team on task to minimize delays.
5. Big picture + details = design
If you know exactly what you want your project to look like, you are ahead of the game. But do you know how to get there? One thing that sets Interior Designers apart is we are trained to keep the overarching concept in mind at all times, while determining each and every detail that makes up the whole. Similar to baking a cake, the ingredients matter, and we know when substituting granulated sugar for powdered just won’t do. (And we love culinary analogies).
6. We think about things you might not
Have you ever noticed how loud it is when dining in certain restaurants? Or that the lighting makes it feel like a storage room? But chances are high that when the acoustics are lighting are right, you don’t notice a thing. These often-overlooked elements can really change the atmosphere not just in a restaurant, but in your home. Interiors designers keep tabs on everything that affects the way you feel in a space, such as balance, proportion, scale, texture, acoustics, lighting, and even scent. When they are done well, your sense of wellbeing increases exponentially, and you may not even realize exactly why.
7. Observing the implementation
Once your project is under construction, we frequently visit the job site and coordinate with the contractor and architect to ensure the design is being built as intended. We make ourselves available for questions and provide additional information as needed. Especially in historic remodels, it is common to uncover unknown elements during renovation. The last thing you want is for your designer to disappear. We are there through the entire process to help ensure the vision is realized.