Both new and seasoned homeowners debate whether to hire an interior designer or go the decor/renovation journey alone. As an interior design professional for residential, commercial and my own personal home, I see the value of both options. However, working with a professional designer may provide some little-known perks for your home planning. Here are just a few of those benefits.
Interior Decor Exclusives
One of the great things about my job is getting early access to see up-and-coming items from decor leaders in this industry. While clients eventually get to see available lines of furniture and accessories, they may not have access to some exclusives we designers get. To gain access to them, you may want to hire an interior designer.
Many decor and furniture manufacturers make the decision not to sell directly to consumers (DTC) for several reasons. They might not want to jeopardize relationships they’ve built with distributors, retailers and industry influencers. Doing so could negatively impact the manufacturer’s revenue. There is a rapport that manufacturers build with industry professionals over time. That trust rests in us knowing our clientele and being more secure in purchases than many individual consumers. The good thing is that we can work as liaisons for both the manufacturer and clients! Manufacturers get a more secure transaction, and clients get revered and exclusive decor not available to the public. Everyone wins!
It’s a similar situation with industry Market events. At Market, manufacturers introduce the latest home furnishings styles, trends, and products to industry professionals and influencers. They all converge to make connections, discuss consumer trends, and experience the newest styles and offerings before they’re made public. However, these events are only open to design industry professionals. We get a chance to discover interior items before everybody else. And, as a client of an interior designer, YOU get an edge over other consumers and insight into decor products that haven’t yet hit store showrooms. If having exclusive furniture and decor excites you as a homeowner, you may want to hire an interior designer.
Access to Trusted Relationships
One of the most frustrating experiences one can have when designing a home is hiring a contractor who does shoddy work. Not only can it be frustrating, but it can also be costly and time-consuming. Working with an interior designer may alleviate much of that frustration. We’ve spent years building long-standing relationships with vendors, and we know who will do the best job on your home project.
Interior designers work with contractors from all walks of home design. That includes architects and home builders, painters, electricians and plumbers. We also work with various installation vendors, such as lighting, fabric, carpet, wallpaper, tile, and fixtures, to name just a few. While it would be great to think that all of them are reliable and provide the highest caliber of work, that simply isn’t the case. The great thing about hiring an interior designer is that we’ve already sifted through the good ones and bad ones. And, it is to our benefit as well as yours to get the best vendors for your project. Time is money for us all, and we want to maximize work and efforts for the money spent.
There are alternatives to working with an interior designer, but they’re definitely hit-or-miss options. If you decide to do your home project alone, you’ll always have online reviews and ratings to help guide you. However, you’re at the mercy of ratings given by strangers that may not even be real. If you’re lucky, a family member or friend may have had similar work done that you’re looking to do. They can give suggestions for someone who does decent work. But without any professional accountability, reliability can still be iffy. To get the best overall team of experts, I will always suggest you hire an interior designer.
Enjoyment of a Sustainable Home
I saved for last the most important reason why I think you should think about getting an interior designer. While every designer may not be able to help you in this regard, I’ve made this a priority for all Breegan Jane clients.
As an SFC Ambassador, I want to help homeowners find healthier products and design services, and reduce their environmental footprint. Our natural resources such as wood are not in limitless supply. I want to do my part as a member of the home design industry to preserve these resources for future generations. If homeowners don’t understand the importance of that, I feel it is my job to educate them. We cannot maintain our quality of life or our planet’s ecosystems unless we recognize and reduce the damage we do to the planet each day. If we don’t learn to live sustainably, we will destroy life as we know it, as well as what life could be for those coming after us.
What does that really look like from an interior design perspective? If you consider me when you hire an interior designer, I’ll look to offer decor products that have a low environmental impact. That includes furniture made from sustainable materials such as legally harvested forest products, responsibly produced plantation products, and recycled content. Also, I will guarantee the use of manufacturers that do not use toxic chemicals for treatments, binders and finishes. I can also help you choose furniture pieces that use eco-friendly textiles like organic cotton and vegan leather, as well as naturally sustainable fabrics such as sheep wool, cashmere, down and silk. Of course, you can always research this information on your own. However, I have worked with sustainable products for years, and I can make the process of creating an eco-friendly home much easier.
Will You Hire an Interior Designer?
Anyone can buy furniture and incorporate decor into their home projects. But the professional eye and creative skill of an interior designer can make the effort much more cohesive and fruitful. If you’ve decided you want to work with an interior designer for your next home project, contact me! I’m happy and ready to help bring your interior dreams to fruition.
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