WHY WORK WITH AN INTERIOR DESIGNER
Image of Founder, Anna
Your home can be THE most important place you ever invest in. It’s your sanctuary, it tells the story of you, and it holds a lifetime of memories. That’s why it is so important to invest in it properly.
Nowadays, with tools like AI and apps like Pinterest, there’s even more inspiration and support out there for people designing a new space.
Pinterest is fabulous by the way and I’m certainly not saying not to use it. It’s a great place to gather inspiration and build a visual mood board. AI is also a clever tool for seeing ideas come to life quickly. However, beautiful images don’t always translate into a space that functions well, feels balanced, or suits your lifestyle. AI doesn’t understand scale, flow, natural light, budgets, or how you actually live in a space. An Interior Designer bridges the gap between inspiration and reality.
There are many benefits for collaborating with an Interior Designer, and I’m going to get into these in more detail below.
Access to specialist expertise & resources
A good Designer does more than “makes things looks good”. They are qualified in the trade and have experience working on real-world projects. They will bring spatial planning skills, colour, material, lighting and architectural knowledge, an understanding of design principles, and a knowledge of design styles.
They are trained to handle the complexities, from sourcing and ordering, to managing timelines and coordinating trades and suppliers. Their creativity enables them to translate your style and needs into a cohesive, unique space that is timeless.
Designers alleviate decision fatigue
There can be so many choices to make when it comes to designing a new space - which colour paint, floor and window treatment, types of fixtures, how do you make sure it all comes together - it can be exhausting and overwhelming, and a lot of people just don’t have the luxury of time. A good Designer does the research, curates the design so it’s cohesive, and filters the immense amount of detail down into something digestible, making decision-making faster and easier. They can also help with sourcing the products and project managing. They can be as involved as you want them to be.
Juggling a career, family etc. means time is precious, so if you’re able to, take on someone to give you a hand.
Better budget control & avoiding expensive mistakes
A good Designer knows where to invest and how to avoid common pitfalls. Thoughtful, accurate space planning, making choices that support longevity and quality, and budget management throughout the process, will have huge long-term value.
Designers may have access to trade discounts. Access to a directory of brands can be especially useful if you have run out of ideas on where to look and can’t find what you want.
They may also have a directory of trusted suppliers, which is particularly beneficial if you have structural changes, lighting upgrades, multi-use rooms involved.
Spending a little more on well-considered planning can avoid spending a lot later with redo’s or on items that don’t work.
Improved home value
If / when it comes to selling your home, a well-designed home can appeal more to future buyers or renters; all things like the layout, finishes and functionality add value to the property and matter to the people looking.
If you’re not moving and you’ve decided to stay put and renovate your house to make it into a long-term investment, a Designer can help make your home work better for your evolving needs.
Personalised design that is timeless
A good Designer will tailor the space to you: they will listen to your needs, wants, style, how you live, how you use the home now and your aspirations for the space in the future. You want to design a space that you love for years and years to come, so that it’s worth the energy and investment.
A Designer sees things you can’t always see
A Designer’s creativity and expertise enables them to often spot what you can’t. For example, a Designer can take an awkward or challenging space and turn it into something efficient and beautiful. They can help optimise the space you have, improve the overall flow, and enable you to see that what you may have thought was impossible, is possible. Equally, Designers can help you to visualise reality and the art of prioritising - for example, you have a small bedroom that fits a king size bed but nothing else, or a double size bed with side tables and pendant sconces - which is more important to you?
Interior Design has the power to elevate your lifestyle
Interior Design is not just about nice furniture and finishes. It’s very important how you feel in the space and that it truly feels like your space. It has the power to elevate how you live, improving comfort, wellbeing, focus, relaxation, acoustics, harmony and overall quality of life. A well-designed space fosters peace, while clutter and poor design can increase stress and overwhelm. Colour psychologists and lighting experts are a great example of how important these considerations are.
See your Designer as a ROI. You’re avoiding loss, not indulging.
Hiring an Interior Designer isn’t about spending more money. It’s about spending it once, properly.
Examples of poor design decisions without professional support, might be:
Buying the wrong sofa
Not going for enough storage
Making layout mistakes
Making decisions too soon and too hastily
Compromising function for aesthetics - ideally, you want both!
Choose a Designer whose style aligns with yours
The beauty of the Internet, is that you can find lots of Designers and browse their websites and social media pages to see what their style and approach is, and imagine yourself working together. For example, I offer a free initial consultation before committing to any projects, to see how we might be the best fit for each other.
Every Designer has their own visual language, preferences, and way of interpreting space. When your styles and tastes align, decisions become easier, communication flows more naturally, and the finished space feels like a true reflection of you. Above all, working with a Designer should feel like a collaborative, enjoyable experience, not about about handing over control - unless that’s what you want. It should give you time, energy and excitement.
The end result should always be a space that you adore and feel proud to call yours, and one that is far better than you imagined.