Do you want to save money on your renovation? Are you worried about unreliable contractors? Are you stumped on how to make your space not only more beautiful but also more functional?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions it’s time to hire an interior designer.

Design by Bungalow Interior Design, 2020.

S A V E S O M E M O N E Y

Wait, doesn’t hiring an interior designer mean spending more? Sometimes, but not necessarily. How many times have you started a project and gotten to a point where you have to make major changes because certain things weren’t accounted for? Interior designers are educated professionals who have extensively studied materials, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical assemblies, colour, human behaviour, experience and psychology, environmental factors, and much more so as to design and build the best possible spaces. This knowledge allows interior designers to think and plan ahead as well as take many factors, both seen and unseen, into consideration when creating a new space. Additionally, designers will save you from ordering the wrong materials or sizes, having to repurchase everything, or painting the wrong colour. By taking an intensive approach to the planning processes up front, interior designers eliminate many of the problems that you may encounter in a renovation and in turn, saving you money by doing it right the first time.

C O N N E C T W I T H T H E R I G H T C O N T R A C T O R

Many homeowners secure a contractor before looking for an interior designer but a successful project should always start with hiring an interior designer. What is your contractor quoting on if you don’t have a plan in place? Often they are providing a quote based on what they’ve done in other homes and not considering how they can uniquely modify your space to meet your needs. They are also thinking about how fast and inexpensively (inexpensively for them) they can get your project in and out of their work pipeline so that they can make as much money as possible. Unfortunately not all contractors have your best interests in mind.

We all have a friend with a horror story about working with a bad contractor. The benefit of working with an interior designer is that we only work with trades who have a proven commitment to us and our clients’ homes. We work with trades that are educated in their fields, such as journeyman plumbers, electricians, and carpenters, are fully insured, and have a reputation for excellent work and customer service. Trades are motivated to maintain good connections with designers to ensure continued referrals and projects.

Many homeowners go into a renovation with little to no experience which can make the process more difficult than it needs to be. Design professionals will listen to all of your needs and create the best possible design for you and your space. Then, they will hire the best possible construction team for your project, ensuring that your project is built not only exactly how it was designed, but also in such a way that you receive the best quality space as well.

The project management aspects of a renovation can be time consuming and frustrating. Interior designers take on the responsibility of coordinating with vendors, contractors, architects, engineers, trades, and much more, so that you don’t have to. Renovations have many moving parts that homeowners can’t always anticipate; interior designers alleviate the stress by answering questions that may arise, and knowing who and what to ask to make sure your project moves forward in a timely manner. Additionally, interior designers provide contractors with detailed drawings and information to avoid issues that may cause a contractor to have to build something twice. In turn, if you have an interior designer heading up your team you’re more likely to relax and enjoy the process instead of stressing out and resenting your renovation.

Design by Corina Penner for Kitchen Designs.

B E A U T Y A N D F U N C T I O N

While decorators are focused on making things pretty, designers work to achieve a functional space based on their clients’ lifestyle. Interior designers bring fresh eyes and ideas to a project, are able to identify both the potential opportunities as well as the main constraints of a space, and then provide creative solutions. Designers spend a significant amount of time getting to know who you are, what your needs are, and what would add value to your home. We ask pointed questions about your lifestyle, normal routines, and anticipated family changes to name a few, so that we’re designing a space that supports these activities and growth patterns. Whether you’re planning to grow old in your home, raise a family, sell, or increase your property value, interior designers can help you achieve the best home for your needs and maximize your investment.

Hiring an interior designer may be a daunting task, especially if you’ve never worked with one before, but it’s the best thing you can do for your home and renovation. At the end of the day you’ll have someone working on your behalf that will oversee the renovation for you, take care of all of the details, and make sure you’re happy with the finished space. And isn’t less stress and more time worth every penny?