So You’re Thinking of Hiring an Interior Designer
No matter who you are, we all have a desire for home to feel like, well, home. To an extent, we all want others to feel comfortable and welcome in our homes - even if it’s simply our own family. More than ever before, there’s a pull towards a place that is uniquely ours and purposefully reflects our own style. Be it things we love, treasures from adventures we’ve taken, or the life that’s been lived inside, our homes tell their own story to every person who walks through the door.
Here at KDD, we often receive a lot of the same questions. Hiring a designer can feel overwhelming, and so we wanted to take a minute and bring a little bit more clarity to questions that many of you are asking. No matter what story your home tells, there’s always a little bit of room to freshen things up. But, at what point should you hire a designer to give it a little bit more love?
We thought it might be helpful to give you a few questions to ask yourself when considering hiring a designer:
Do I want to make minor updates here and there, or am I ready to create a blank slate for something new and exciting?
There are designers at every price point and every style, and it’s really important to know what level of involvement that you are after. Some offer as little as consultations for finishing touches on projects where you have completed most of the work, while several others offer full scale design services from top to bottom. At Katie Davis Design, we offer construction and furnishing services; we take a comprehensive approach to design, ensuring every detail is thought through, from top to bottom, resulting in a cohesive and beautiful home. We strive to be intentionally involved, working with clients on the highs and lows of every aspect of designing a home they love coming home to.
What aesthetic am I drawn to?
Give thought to the finished look that you’re after, the budget that you are working with, and the type of personality that you work best with. In choosing to hire a designer, you’re choosing someone to work alongside you to craft comfortable, beautiful environments that reflect the sensibilities of your family. When thinking about aesthetic look through portfolios, social media platforms, and don’t be afraid to reach out to designers and ask questions about their process. At the end of the day, it’s your home, and a good designer will strive to create a home that tells your story. At Katie Davis Design, our aesthetic is neo-traditional with an eye for current trends. Agreeing on overall style and level of design goes both ways - we cannot make you love what we love and the same goes the other way around. While we might push you to think about your space differently, we want you to truly love your finished spaces.
Am I taking on a construction project?
In this case, we always find it best to always hire a designer. By nature of the job, a designer is more familiar with the product available, type of finishes that fall within your price point and at the end of the day, it helps to have an outside eye paying keen attention to detail and managing each aspect of the project.
What is my budget?
Platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram have made it easy to seek after things that fall outside of your budget. It’s a matter of priorities. As a designer, I can take your family’s wants and needs and help to prioritizing pieces to build a design solution within a certain budget. We’ve designed living rooms for $30,000 and ones for $60,000—knowing your budget and communicating that with your designer is super important as we begin planning and prioritizing your dream home.
At the end of the day, there is a lot to consider before hiring the right designer for you. Our biggest advice? Trust your gut. If you think you are interested in working with us, let’s chat.
