It goes without saying that when you hire an interior designer, one of your key goals is to create a beautiful, visually stunning space to enjoy with your family and friends.
But there are many other benefits which may not immediately come to mind. We think of this as the hidden value of hiring an interior designer. Read on to find out more these nine key benefits:
- Giving purpose to poorly used space
- Taking the friction out of everyday living
- Improved sense of wellbeing
- Smoother project
- Knowledge of tradesmen
- Selecting high-quality products and finishes
- Exclusive interior designer trade discounts
- Get it right first time
- Improve the value of your home
Giving purpose to poorly used space
Property in the UK is expensive, and the chances are that you will have invested a significant sum to secure your home. Most homeowners have spaces in their home which they’re not making the most of. This could be because the space:
- is underused (such as a guest room)
- is awkward and difficult (due to an irregular layout, protruding walls, sloping ceilings)
- has become a ‘dump room’
- has no defined purpose or flow
If we consider this space might represent 5 or 10 percent of your home, we’re probably talking about space with a value measured in tens or maybe in hundreds of thousands of pounds which isn’t fulfilling its potential.
When we evaluate your spaces as part of our interior design and interior architecture process, we will reimagine how your spaces can be used and look to create innovative solutions to make use of awkward spaces.
Taking the friction out of everyday living
As well as giving purpose to poorly used spaces, an interior designer can make you spaces work better for you to make your everyday living smoother and easier. This can be achieved in a range of ways depending on which rooms are in question, how the spaces are used, and which tasks or behaviours you commonly engage in. For example, you may want your spaces to make it easier to:
- make coffee in the morning
- transfer clothes to the laundry area
- store and organise clutter
- work flexibly from home
- host family meals or guests
- engage in hobbies
As an interior designer, improving your spaces starts with getting a solid understanding of your family’s needs, preferences and lifestyle. The solutions may involve opening or closing up spaces, improved spatial planning and zoning, storage solutions, and bespoke design features.
Improved sense of wellbeing
Our surroundings have a massive impact on sense of wellbeing. Clean, tidy, well organised spaces give us a sense of peace and make it easier to concentrate without distractions.
Properly thought-out storage solutions go a long way towards enabling an environment conducive to calm. Interior designers are experienced in how much storage is necessary, not just now, but also as your life evolves and as your family grows.
Smoother Project
A renovation involves hundreds of decisions. Being on top of these decisions is critical to ensuring the project runs smoothly, and that tradesmen can carry out their work with clarity and efficiency.
Delays or lack of clarity in spatial planning, positioning of lighting, plumbing and electrical outlets, product choices, joinery and tiling specifications, lead times for deliveries and so much more can hold up your project which could increase costs and delay the completion of the works.
Most people severely underestimate the amount of research and planning which goes into interior renovations, and run into stress and difficulties when taking this on themselves. It can be difficult and stressful to juggle this around your work and family commitments. Let our interior designers take care of it for you.
Knowledge of Tradesmen
A common pain point for homeowners is identifying tradesmen to support the project. This may include general contractors, plasterers, decorators, plumbers, carpenters, or specialist craftsmen who can create unique, high-quality finishes your home deserves.
As well as having a network of contacts and trusted partners, your interior designer will be able to discuss what’s needed from them, brief them and share detailed visuals and specifications so they know exactly what’s required and how their work fits into the overall vision for the project. This helps to ensure that accurate cost estimates can be made (avoiding unwelcome surprises down the line) and to avoid any crossed wires once work begins.
Selecting high-quality products and finishes
Finding the right products for your home is exciting, but can also be a daunting task once you get into the nitty gritty.
There are a number of factors which need to be taken into account; as well as finding visually and aesthetically pleasing items, they must be of the right size for the space, fit the budget, and suit the overall design concept. They should also be high-quality and durable.
Occasionally, compromises need to be made. Thankfully, an interior designer’s knowledge of different suppliers means the right options can invariably be found.
We have extensive knowledge of different suppliers and their products, including trade-only suppliers you may not have access to.
When selecting products, we believe it’s worth investing in long-lasting materials where it matters most in your home. Some products and materials are likely to be lasting fixtures in your home. We take a long term view to make sure the work done lives long into the future. Similarly, our knowledge means that we can also identify opportunities to make savings, without sacrificing quality.
Access to interior designer trade discounts
Some suppliers may offer us discounts on their products, and we are often happy to pass these discounts on to our clients when they engage us for our full-service interior design.
These savings can be significant and may save you thousands. This means your budget can go further, and means you may be able to secure higher quality products without finding additional budget.
Get it right first time
Renovating your home interiors is not a low-cost exercise. Before undertaking the work, it’s likely that you have had to save or borrow in order to fund it. It seems obvious, but it is amazing how often it’s overlooked; it’s best to pay once and get it right first time. Common mistakes include:
- Rushing into the work too quickly (for example, buying a new house and rushing to get the work done as soon as they get the keys), without sufficient planning.
- Doing the ‘wrong work’. This is usually a consequence of inadequate spatial planning and exploration of different options.
- Leaving out key details (for example, not thinking through the position of electrical outlets, meaning that you end up with long extension cables and wires everywhere). This can mean that you end up tearing through your walls again to address the issues, which adds further expense and disruption.
- Trying to do too much at once. It’s tempting to try to renovate as many rooms as you can at once. While this can achieve some efficiency savings, it can also nudge you towards over-stretching and therefore sacrifice the quality of each room.
The best interior designers will guide you to help you avoid these common interior design mistakes. They will take care to get to know your needs, accurately measure all your spaces, explore different spatial planning and layout options, and plan and cost up each detail of the work.
Improve the value of your home
Finally, we should always remember that an interior designer will add value to your home, meaning that you will get more interest when it is time to sell it, which typically translates into selling it quicker and for a higher price.
By using the space effectively, creating a beautiful and tasteful look, and using durable, hard-wearing materials, your home will grow in value and hold that value.
But you’ll have years to enjoy it first!
