How to Choose the Right Interior Designer

What’s Your Style?

The first thing to do is determine what you like when it comes to interior design. Are you a rustic farmhouse kind of person or do you prefer more modern interiors? Looking through interior design magazines, websites and social media can be a great source of inspiration and give you a better idea of what you like and want to achieve. While a good designer can help you develop the perfect space and translate your vision into a design scheme, it’s easier to begin with a clear idea of what you prefer so they can better understand and align with your personal taste.

Decide on Your Budget

How much budget you have for the interior design works of your project or renovation will likely have an impact on who you hire for the job. You’ll need to determine how much you are willing to spend on your design, including costs for decoration, furnishings and construction. You must also determine the scope and think about the services you might require. Will you need them to design or remodel the entire house, or just the specific areas/rooms? How many rooms it will include will naturally impact on your budget so it’s important to consider your project requirements carefully and figure out how much you want to spend to achieve your desired vision.

Hiring an interior designer will usually include a design fee, and may include other fees for procurement and project management. You can read more about the services of an interior designer here.

Make a List of Designers

The next step is to start sourcing interior designers and narrowing down the practices that you like. We recommend you look for someone who is accredited with the SBID, so you know they’re trustworthy, professional, and very good at what they do. We have a Designer Directory to help you browse our network of interior designers and find design studios near you.

Make sure you explore their website, social media and portfolios to get a feel for their previous projects and the type of work they produce. You should look our for referrals, online reviews, accreditations, awards or other recognitions that help to verify their credibility. Choose three or four designers that you love. This will be the shortlist for your decision.

Interview Interior Designers

Now that you have a list of who you’re interested in, it’s time to meet them. You can approach and interview multiple designers to get a better feel for each one. You’ll be in close contact with your interior designer throughout the project, so it’s important to select someone you mesh with – you could be working with them over some time depending on the size of your project!

You can ask them about their services, what to expect from the design process, and their previous experience. You can then explain your project requirements so the interior designer can provide an initial quote and estimated timeline for the project.

Choose a Designer

Once you’ve received all the information you need, it’s time to make a decision. This may be on you alone, or you may have a partner who will also have to decide with you. Either way, take your time making the decision that’s right for you (and your budget), and then inform the designer you’ve selected.

It’s now time to start working on your house. If you’ve been diligent and chosen someone just right for your needs, you will have a beautifully crafted interior soon enough. You will be thrilled to see how well an interior designer can work with the space you have to design your dream home.