Choosing your interior designer

Choosing an interior designer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when making changes to your home. The person, their ideology and their style will impact how your home looks. We’ve given you some top tips below for choosing the right interior designer for your project.

The scope of your project will set the benchmark for your hunt for the perfect interior designer, so deciding exactly what you want doing to your home in advance will help you decide exactly which type of designer you need to hire.

Interior designers have personal preferences too! You have to remember this if you decide to give them a free rein, as you may end us with something you didn’t picture at all. It’s important to do your research and find someone who has similar tastes to you – most interior designers, if not all of them, will have online portfolios where you can view their past work (more on that below). However, giving a designer free rein can have its benefits, as they often have more creative and distinctive ideas than you. This could seriously benefit your home, especially if you’re after a unique look. However, if you want a specific look, let them know! They’re not mind-readers, therefore will need some guidance in order to create what you have in mind.

Looking at their most recent projects will be able to give you an insight into their style, see their strengths and weaknesses and see what services they offer. By asking for references from similar previous clients, you can then see what is realistically achievable with your style, budget and room.

Whilst it may not be pleasant to say you don’t particularly like their ideas, they won’t be offended. You’re paying them to create the home of your dreams, therefore they have to deliver. It’s important that you work together with your designer and offer constructive feedback so they know where they’ve gone wrong, and how to fix it.

An interior designer with a wealth of experience will have a long list of connections who may be able to help with getting you some great resources and even better discounts. A less experienced designer may not be able to get you these added perks, however, they come with a cheaper price tag. A higher price doesn’t always mean better ideas either, so portfolio research is again a vital step in this process. An inexpensive option is to perhaps look at University students who are looking to gain experience, as they often will be significantly cheaper than skilled designers.