5 very good reasons why you need an interior designer - and you never knew!

Unfortunately, many people get confused or intimidated by the idea of hiring a professional interior designer. You (or your client, if you’re a designer reading this) might be concerned about the process of working with a designer as well as the costs.

Today's post will not have a lot of beautiful images and I will keep it short.

1. Expert space planning to make the most out of the space

I started with this one as the interior design process should also start with this. This is one of the most challenging tasks most of the time, as we have very little space in our homes these days. You are extremely lucky if this is not the case, but spacious homes also have their challenges when it comes to layout.

In small homes, the storage and fitting in all actives of our lifestyles are difficult. In spacious homes, we often get the layout wrong as - having enough space - we do not think through the best ways of using our homes. Large spaces can also lack a homely, cosy feel.

An interior designer knows the minimum, the optimum and the ideal dimensions of all activities, function and storage and can plan the layout accordingly. Multiuse spaces in small homes, and the coordination of different areas for different activities in large homes are key.

This is invaluable if you want a comfortable home. And we haven't started to talk about aesthetics here. I often provide expert space planning to my clients on it's own. Sometimes this is the first step in our journey together, sometimes it is the only service I provide and they take if from there on their own.

***Just why I was finishing this blog post I got a new client who hired me because he just got planning permission to go ahead with the extension of his 200m2 house but he didn't like anything what the architect draw for him so now asked for interior designer help.***

2. Saves you time & stress

For many people time is important. When you hire an interior designer you don't only save time that you can spend earning money somewhere else or simply just keep it for yourself to relax, a professional gets everything done quicker. We know what comes after one another and, as we do this every time, planning a programme for us is an everyday task. If you have time to spend on your home build or renovation though, you can still feel under pressure very soon. Choosing all the products for a coherent scheme is difficult. That is why my profession can exist, in fact! :) Dealing with suppliers in an effective way is also not something you do every day so it can cause confusion and stress. And then again, there is the project management. That is certainly not for everyone. I'm sure you have heard how many couples split up while they try to build their dream home.

3. Saves you money in different ways

I actually did a little survey a few month ago with about 100 participants and it was interesting to see that a large proportion of them thought they cannot afford an interior designer. Let me tell you this, interior designers will save you money. Fact.

We know what is worth spending on and what is not priority.

We will stop you buying something that you will regret.

We have access to products that are only available for trades therefore we can offer a wider range.

We have substantial trade discounts to the most well-known and the not well-known (because of being trade only) suppliers that we pass on to our clients for a little administration fee.

***Just a "real-time" example again. I have recently provided room styling services for a lady for a living room. She bought the selected sofa and armchair through me and benefitted from my trade discounts. Only this two pieces of furniture saved her £672. My design fee was £450.***

And one more note: we don't always work with a generous budget. Sometimes the budget is very tight. This is when we get creative and this is when you really need us! :)

4. Your home is a very important place in our lives

The word "home" means a lot for everyone. Many times it roots from our childhood and as we progress through life and start creating homes for ourselves it becomes more personal. To be able to live in a home that reflects your values and personality, brings you comfort and joy, there is a lot to consider. There are many people with a good instinct for creating happy places. Some become interior designer and during our educations we realise just how much is there to know about a space. This is why you can ALWAYS see if a home was created with the help of a professional. Not only will your home look beautiful and cohesive, but it’ll be well thought out and highly functional. This is where we spend most of our times, relax after work, love, laugh, play, bring up our children, make memories, so doesn't it deserve the attention of a professional?

5. Creating a home like going on holiday

Well this may sound a bit nonsense here, but I wasn't sure how to express what I want to say in a bullet point title :D

We pay hundreds of pounds to go for a long weekend in the country to stay in lovely cottages, luxury hotels or a stylish Airbnb. We then pay thousands of pounds to go on holiday abroad to relax, get pampered, and again, stay in lovely spaces, and enjoy ourselves. So here is question? What if ONE YEAR, this year or next maybe, you spend that money on your home. What would you do with it? Would it change your life? Would it change how you feel EVERY DAY when you get home? Holiday is a luxury. Or is it? Well it may or may not be for some. But what I am telling you is this: if you can afford a holiday, you can certainly afford an interior designer and it will be well worth it!

I am soo eager to see your comments, I know this is a topic that many people have a different opinion about. Share yours in the comment section!

Until later! x Agi