Welcome to the FIRST in my series of articles offering unique hints, simple tips, secret tricks and helpful interior design advice for the homeowner, renter, apartment dweller and anyone else looking to improve their living space or get more out of their living environment.
The #1 Thing
So… let’s get started by jumping right into the thick of it and addressing the elephant in the room that nobody likes to talk about… MONEY. The #1 question I’m most often asked is, “How much is it going to cost me to work with an interior designer or hire a decorator“?
The simple answer is, “either a lot less or a lot more than you think”. Didn’t expect such brutal honesty, did you? But the truth is that, everyone has a different idea about what things cost and what they’re willing to spend on those things. So, in addition to absolute dollars and cents (which I will get to in just a moment), what we really need to first talk about is VALUE! And the good news is that value can come at ANY price point. Whether you get $1 off at the supermarket or $10,000 off at the car dealer, either way, you’re happy because, regardless of the absolute amount you spent, you got increased value.
Likewise, the cheapest solution isn’t always the best value either. Take a look at this deck that we had built for a client when I was first starting out as a designer. Before hiring me, the client got several bids for the project ranging from $3,000 to $21,000. I informed them that, based on what they wanted, the materials alone were going to cost at least $6,000! By going with our vetted contractor, not only was I able to secure higher quality materials at a lower price (only $5,400), but the homeowner saved over $10,000 by not hiring the guy who thought he was “Michelangelo” and years of legal heartache fighting with the con-artist who probably would have started but never finished the project, running off with their deposit.
That’s what I mean by VALUE… a BETTER job, completed ON schedule, at a REASONABLE cost, and with the LEAST frustration! Thankfully, Interior Design works EXACTLY the same way.
First Things First
But, in order to get the BEST value, there are two, that’s right, just “two” things you must first ask yourself:
- What’s my personality? Am I more of a “hands-on” kind of “do-it-yourself” person, someone who wants to be more involved but not do it completely on their own, or someone who is happy leaving it to the experts?
- What “can” I spend? (Oops! There it is again… the elephant in the room) But let’s be careful here and take things slow. First of all, I did NOT say, “what’s your budget”… that’s a whole different thing. You may or may not know what things cost or how much you actually “want” to spend. NO, I said to ask yourself what “can” you spend. Right now, you know your income, your expenses and your lifestyle and whether you can spend $100, $1,000 or $100,000. So, get that number in your head, and, for now, hold it there.
Dollars and Cents Transparency
As promised, the specifics…
Option 1: Do It Your Way with Guidance.
So you pinned all the things you like on Pinterest, but now what?
Get a plan! You can either find someone locally or, thanks to the internet and Virtual Design (aka eDesign or Remote Design), work with anyone, anywhere in the world. Get a concept board and/or 2D floor plan with a detailed shopping list for the items featured.
Additional options may include a 3D “real-life” rendering of EXACTLY how the items will look in YOUR living space and/or direct online shopping links to the items as well. All that’s left to do now, is purchase the items you want and, voila… you’re done!
COST: $300 – $1,000* per room (depending on the options chosen; discounts often for multiple rooms)
Call me at (631) 499-4688 for a FREE Consultation to see if this is the right option for you.
Option 2: Do It Your Way with a Little More Hand-Holding.
Have an idea of what you like and like doing most of it on your own, but don’t know where to find the stuff or how to put it all together? Hire a personal shopper for your home! Although it goes by many different names, “Designer-for-the-Day”, “Designer-by-the-Hour” or “Designer-On-Call”, the idea is the same; you hire a local Interior Designer / Decorator for a specific amount of time to either accompany you on shopping trips or come to your home to give you new ideas or arrange the items you already have. YOU control EXACTLY how much you spend.
COST: $100 – 300* per hour (depending upon your area of the country; discounts often for half or full days).
Call me at (631) 499-4688 for a FREE Consultation to see if this option is right for you.
Option 3: I Need ALL the Help I Can GET!
Whether totally bewildered by the whole idea of how to get the look you want for your home or maybe you know your style but desire the really “finished” look that only a professional can provide, then this option is for you! Full service interior design… from start to finish! This is what most people think of when they think of “Interior Design”.
Your decorator will begin by asking questions about your style, the scope of your project (exactly “what” you want to do, the number of rooms involved, etc.) and of course, yes, the budget. But have no fear; this is NOT a trick question. It’s merely a reference point from which your designer will get an idea about where to start to best meet your needs. So how should you answer this question? Go back to what I said above… start by thinking about that number in your head; you know, the one about what you “can” spend and, based on that number, give your designer some place to begin, say $1,000, $5,000, or maybe even $50,000, whatever it may be. And, if you truly absolutely don’t know, or haven’t a clue… that’s OK too. Why? Because a good interior design professional will be able to offer you options for furniture and accessories at several different price points from which you may choose and further adjust what YOU want to spend… either more or less.
Getting the Decorating Help You Need… Affordably!
So how is VALUE achievable with this option? To begin with, a responsible designer will be sensitive to your needs and will work with you in whatever way is most beneficial to helping you achieve your desired outcome. And… here’s an insider tip… Depending on the scope of the project, though your designer will charge a “design fee**” (typically 7-15%* of furnishings), they will procure those furnishings at a percent DISCOUNT off retail (typically 10-30%*), which is passed onto you. Ultimately, you save time and energy while getting the advice and expert help of an interior design professional, most often for the SAME or LESS than if you went it on your own!… regardless of your budget! Trust me, I speak from experience.
The Final Word
So… now that you know the truth and have ALL the cost transparency information straight from an industry insider, YOU can confidently decide on the most effective way to go that’s specifically RIGHT FOR YOU!
Glad you asked?
Now go ahead… Get started on that home re-decorating project you’ve been thinking about! But still not sure which option’s exactly right for you? No worries. Contact me at (631) 499-4688 or click HERE for a FREE Consultation. I’ll tell you how to get started and help you decide which is the best way to go… for YOU!… for the greatest VALUE!
And… if you have a question or something you’d like to know more about, please leave it in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to address it in future installments of this series. So stay-tuned!
* National Averages. Actual costs and savings may vary by location, designer and specific services selected.
** Design Fee: Typically includes, but is not necessary limited to, the following: consultations, spatial design (floor plan, concept board, 2D and/or 3D rendering), selection of products (furnishings, fixtures, accessories and finishes), procurement, project management, installation and/or final reveal.
I agree with this post! Hiring an interior designer or even decorating your home can help you increase the value of your property. If you have the budget to do it just leave it to the experts. I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Couldn’t have said it better. Anything one can do to increase the value of their home while simultaneously extracting greater pleasure and enjoyment is certainly a win-win. And yes, decorators and interior designers are the experts in this area.
Dorren, this is probably the best article I have read that shows the three main ways that a designer works. Love the deck example. Proves that designers aren’t “just out to spend all my money”.
Thank you for the kind words. That was the primary inspiration for my writing of the blog… to explain how we “interior designers” and “decorators” are experts at what we do and can actually ADD both aesthetic and monetary value to a client’s home as compared with them going it on their own without guidance. Keep up the good work! Sounds like you do things the same way we do.
Talking about money and budget is always a tricky subject with clients. It’s important to for clients to understand that they are not just paying for your time but your expertise and experience that add to that value. Thanks for broaching this tricky topic.
You’re right… it can be tricky. That is why I find confidence and transparency can go a long way to making it less tricky. I confidently explain exactly what I’m bringing to their project and am completely clear about the costs for such. A great deal can be achieved at many different price points and demonstrate how working with me can actually provide them greater value within the budget with which they are most comfortable.
Doreen, I love how you’re really helping clients understand the various values Interior Designers and Decorators ‘bring to the table’. Hopefully, this helps future readers with ‘vetting’ their own expectations!
It’s true. Many misunderstand the value our profession and industry can add to their homes & lives. Thank you for the kind words.
So many times people consider the monetary cost and forget about the cost of their time. The value is not always obvious until the end of a project when a client realizes how much time was saved by not trying to do it all themselves.
Well put! It’s the same reason why I prefer going to my local small lumber yard instead of one of those big-box home improvement stores… The professionals at my local lumber yard quickly provide me with the best solution for my project and save me loads of time wandering the endless aisles of the big box places, only to find what I need is either out of stock or I ended up buying the wrong thing. YES!… saving time saves money, reduces frustration and increases VALUE!
VALUE is the key – great explanation of what the value is in working with you! The cost of a good design professional always pays for itself in the value received.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Thank you.
Great information and the key thing is the value….not the price. And it is so important for the client to really know what they can spend and let the designer know so they have a framework to work within to meet the their needs.
Thank you for the feedback! YES!… With VALUE being the goal, comfortable, beautiful and highly functional homes can certainly be had by all! And with the “elephant” out of the room, VALUE can be gotten at nearly any price point. Glad you share the vision.
You are so right when you talk about the word value. I’m sure your potential clients will like to see that there are multiple options and ways to work with you.
Thank you for your kind and practical comments. We certainly do try our best to accommodate our customers in whatever ways and means possible so as to make it work best for them. We want them to be satisfied with both the process and the final outcome with no hidden surprises!
I like your emphasis here on value and finding the right fit for you!
Thank you for “getting it”. That was EXACTLY the point of my writing this… to show people that it is really VALUE that matters and that VALUE and happiness with your choices can be gotten at most ANY price point and NOT always a matter of how much one can, or cannot, spend. Again, thank you for seeing the point!
So much to consider- these are all great things to highlight!
Yes, there certainly is a lot to consider and so many variables for which one simple blog post cannot all account. But hopefully it will add to the dialogue of openness and transparency.
This is a terrific post – thanks for laying out so many different options.
Thank you for the positive feedback. I believe increased transparency and open information about our industry can only help everyone, designers and customers alike.