March 2023 - Anderson Studio

When it’s time to turn your dream home into reality, an interior designer can help bring your vision to life. With the guidance of a professional, you can create a home that reflects your personality and showcases your unique style, all while keeping your home’s layout as functional as possible. But remember, finding the right professional to take on your project can make all the difference in the quality of the results. That’s why it is so important to vet candidates properly before hiring.

So, how can you tell if an interior designer is a right fit for your project needs? Some key things to look for when hiring a designer include experience, personal style, access to quality materials, and previous client reviews. Let’s dive into more detail below!

#1 Experience and Knowledge

While some states require interior designers to obtain certification or licensing, most states allow designers to practice unregulated; this means that almost anyone can call themselves an interior designer whether or not they have formal training or schooling. For this reason, it can be challenging to determine whether or not an interior designer possesses adequate knowledge and experience in their field before sitting down for a consultation.

During an initial consultation, you have the opportunity to share details of your project and ask questions. For example, asking your interior designer if they have ever attended a formal design school or worked as part of a more prominent design firm may be worthwhile. Additionally, it’s wise to ask for details or portfolios on projects they have completed similar to yours.

If your interior design project requires any special considerations–such as a preference for sustainable materials or the need for wheelchair accessibility–the initial consultation with a designer is the perfect chance to find out whether or not they have experience in these specialized practices. Speaking with an interior designer also lets you get more familiar with their design aesthetic and how it compares to your style.

#2 Design Style

Over years of practice, most interior designers develop a unique, signature aesthetic. Understanding how interior designers naturally express themselves can ensure you hire someone capable of recreating the look and feel you want for your home.

In addition to having a signature look, some interior designers are more comfortable working with some aesthetics more so than others. For example, someone who can create elegant modern, and contemporary interior designs may not feel confident putting together a neo-Gothic or traditional style home. Therefore, expressing what you want concerning style is essential during your initial consultation. It can be helpful to bring pictures of aesthetics you do and do not like to show your desired outcome.

#3 Reseller’s Permit

One of the main benefits of working with an interior designer is the trade discount they can pass on to clients when purchasing furniture and decor. If you plan on putting designer furniture in your home interior design, you’ll want to be sure that the interior designer you work with has a valid reseller’s permit. This permit allows them to buy furniture for your home at a discounted price, saving you a good deal of money overall.

With their reseller’s permit, interior designers can access some of the best quality and most unique furniture and decor pieces that laymen outside the industry cannot obtain. In addition, you may ask your designer which furniture and decor lines they have worked with to learn more about the brands and designers with whom they have already established connections.

#4 Client Reviews

Reading the reviews of past clients is one way to learn more about an interior designer’s potential strengths and weaknesses. You can find these reviews and testimonials on your designer’s website or third-party websites. Remember that testimonials featured on the designer’s homepage have likely been curated to show the most positive feedback. In contrast, third-party reviews may provide a well-rounded sampling of opinions.

While clients are typically motivated to leave reviews after negative experiences, those who have been successfully satisfied or continued working with a designer may not take the time to publish their experience. For this reason, it is essential to take the information learned from reading reviews with a grain of salt.

If you have difficulty locating reviews of a particular interior designer’s work, consider asking them during a consultation if it would be possible to get some references from them. In some cases, designers may be able to provide the phone numbers or email addresses of previous clients who can speak on their behalf. You can ask these clients about the designer’s professionalism, work habits, general availability, ability to stay within a budget, and more.

For designers who have not completed many projects, you may be able to speak to a previous employer in the industry or professors from their design school who know about the interior designer’s work ethic and capabilities.

#5 Contract Structure

Before hiring an interior designer, review their contract in depth. An interior designer’s contract reveals all of the terms and conditions under which they intend to complete your project, including how fees will be structured, when bills must be paid, and the extent of services they will provide you. No matter who you decide to hire for your interior design project, it is vital to obtain a contractual agreement to ensure that you both can agree on how their services will be provided. As with any legal agreement, if you have questions about an interior designer’s contract, ask them before deciding to sign it.

Start Designing the Home of Your Dreams

Hiring an interior designer can be a wise investment for your home, so spend time and effort evaluating each candidate before agreeing to hire someone! We hope you found this blog helpful, and if you are looking to redesign your home in the Charleston area, our team at The Anderson Studio is here to help. Find inspiration by viewing our portfolio. Or, contact our team today to start imagining your new exciting project.

Renovations and remodels are popular ways homeowners can personalize, enhance, and transform their homes, but these projects can often be pricey and time-consuming. Fortunately, for those looking to tackle some key updates and aesthetic changes, there are plenty of affordable home improvement projects to choose from.

Refresh your space and enjoy the impact of improvements in every room of your home without the daunting cost of a full-blown remodel with these eight affordable home improvement projects.

Kitchen

#1 Add Roll-Out Drawers to Your Kitchen Cabinets

Maximize storage in the kitchen and make your cookware easy to reach by installing simple roll-out drawers to your existing cabinets. These accessories turn any regular cabinet space into a fully functioning drawer. Roll-out drawers can be retrofitted into most cabinet spaces and are typically available at home improvement stores for less than $50.

Installing these upgrades to your kitchen cabinets is quick and easy. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this project–installing roll-out drawers in your kitchen can vastly improve the functionality of the space, making stored items easy and efficient to access.

#2 Give Your Kitchen Cabinets a Fresh Coat of Paint

You don’t need to purchase new cabinets or change the configuration of your countertop to enjoy a noticeable change in the kitchen. A quick and affordable paint refresh on outdated cabinetry can go a long way to make the space look and feel more modern. Whether you aim to fix a peeling or faded finish or want to experiment with a new color, painting the kitchen cabinets is a great way to refine the space and add a little personality.

Changing the paint on your kitchen cabinets typically requires sanding the old finish away and adding a few layers of primer and paint. This type of job can be affordable when outsourced to a professional or straightforward enough to take on yourself as a weekend home improvement project.

Bath

#3 Upgrade Your Bathroom Vanity Mirror and Light

Consider replacing your bath vanity mirror and light for a small change that packs a lot of punch. Without the need for intrusive plumbing work, you can make your bathroom space feel large, light, and open. As you swap out your old mirror for a new one, consider choosing a piece with a unique shape or elegant border to add a sophisticated feel to the room.

Installing wall sconce lighting on either side of your new mirror provides a structured design to your bathroom and improves the lighting quality in the space. In addition, having an even distribution of illumination coming from the sides of the mirror is more functional than the standard overhead light. This is because the lighting creates fewer shadows in the reflection in the mirror.

#4 Swap Out Bath Fixtures for Modern Models

Whether you hope to enjoy better water pressure, more flow options, or simply a change in your fixture finishes, changing your existing bath fixtures with new models is an affordable project that does not require professional installation. In addition, matching your sink faucet, shower head, and other fixtures in the bathroom can contribute to a greater sense of cohesion in your bath design and a more organized look overall.

Main Bedroom

#5 Organize Your Bedroom Closet

Give your bedroom closet a luxurious look and feel by installing an organizer that helps maximize functionality by dividing the space and different storage options, such as drawers, hanger space, and shelves. Adding a closet organizer to your bedroom is affordable, quick, and easy. Most systems use drill–in or tap-in installation methods and can be completed with basic tools.

#6 Opt for New Bedroom Window Treatments

Don’t underestimate the potential of upgraded window treatments to improve a space’s overall look and feel! Choosing the right window coverings for your room can improve how natural light comes into the room or even make an area appear wider or taller. In addition, by swapping out old and outdated window coverings for more modern options, your entire space will look renewed.

Living Area

#7 Wallpaper a Feature Wall in Your Living Room

Inject some personal flair into your home by choosing a feature wall in your living room to accentuate with a fun print of wallpaper. Today it is possible to select from a broad range of patterns, colors, and application types. While some wallpapers use traditional gluing methods to the wall, there are also less permanent options, such as peel-and-stick wallpaper, that can be installed without professional help and removed later if desired.

#8 Replace or Add Door and Window Trim

Want to give your living room a designer look on a budget? Adding trim to the doors and windows around your living space adds a small detail that helps the entire home appear curated. When it comes to door and window trim, there are dozens of styles to choose from so you can find the right look for your unique style.

If you enjoy the look of trim around your doors and windows, you may also consider adding molding to other areas of your walls, such as installing a chair rail, wainscoting, plate rails, or crown molding. These intricate details can draw attention to a space and make certain wall paint colors stand out.

Design Your Dream Home with The Anderson Studio

We hope you enjoyed this guide on affordable home improvements! When remodeling or renovating a home, working with an experienced interior designer is a great way to discover all the possibilities. At The Anderson Studio of Architecture and Interior Design, our accomplished and knowledgeable team has a knack for putting your preferences, inclinations, goals, and dreams at the center of every project you desire. Contact us for any custom luxury home design questions. We can’t wait to help you with your next exciting project!

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What to Look for When Hiring an Interior Designer