22nd February 2022 | IN DESIGN ADVICE | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedIn Interior designers use their expertise and design skills to holistically bring together different components of your home and create aesthetic, functional spaces that work for you and your lifestyle. With the creative prowess to evoke a specific style or ambience, they can curate impactful environments and provide design solutions tailored to your needs and preferences. Of course you can decorate a home yourself, but bringing in a professional to assist can add enormous value to your project as they bring their own unique vision, design knowledge, understanding of materials and space planning, as well as a network of trusted suppliers. But what do need to bear in mind when finding and commissioning a designer? Read on to find out what to look out for! Design Style If you’re designing a space, you need to find someone who has a similar style to you. If you’re looking for a rustic or industrial style, but hire an interior designer who is known for a minimal or modern flair, you might not be a good match. A great interior designer should be able to deliver all types of design no matter their speciality, but you probably want to work with someone who is known for working in your preferred style. Knowledge & Connections You should be looking for an interior designer who has a lot of industry knowledge and connections. Expert knowledge of the design world is essential, as you want to work with someone that you know can design a room to be aesthetically pleasing and practical. They should also have good industry connections that give them access to the best products for your home. It’s often through connections that the best pieces can be sourced, especially pieces not available on the high street but through private collectors and trade-only accounts. References & Budget Make sure you check any interior designers references, including any reviews on google or testimonials on their website. You can also reach out and ask previous customers what they thought of their service. Most professional quality designers will have a portfolio of work, and a social media presence to help you get a feel of their previous designs. If not, you can request pictures of previous projects they have completed, to ensure the quality of their work is what you need. Your interior designer should also be able to work within the budget you set them. In most cases, the budget required to create the perfect space is not always attainable, so a great interior designer will be able to work within your budget (no matter how big or small) to create a space that not only ticks your boxes, but is financially achievable. Accreditation You should be looking for an interior designer that is Accredited. This prevents you from working with an amateur who has no real qualifications and might deliver a substandard service – and even end up costing you more money down the line! If you’re looking for a professional interior designer, the Society of British & International Interior Design is here to help. Every single one of our Accredited members has proven they have the relevant experience, flair and competency to uphold the national standards of the interior design sector. You can use our Designer Directory to find pre-qualified design professionals who will work with you to achieve whatever your vision may be. Call SBID today on 0207 738 9383 to find out more about our organisation and our network of professionals all around the world. Or visit our website now to learn about our Accreditation process.