Five Common Mistakes People Make About Interior Design
Image: Lived in 365
There seems to have been a glut of interior design related programmes across different TV networks recently. Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr, Dream Makeovers with Sophie Robinson, and the Great Home Transformation over on Channel 4 to name a few. I have to say I’ve watched most of them. It’s fascinating to see other people’s ideas come to life and to see what works, and what doesn’t, for their brave clients.
I also find that people tend to ask me what I think of these programmes, bound up as they are in the world I work in on a day-to-day basis.
Although I often enjoy them, the thing I tend to find most frustrating is that their depiction of what it is to be an interior designer doesn’t have much to do with the reality. I realise – when I think of what a typical day looks like for me – that this is partly because that would be uninteresting in the extreme. Painstakingly drawing complex tile patterns in a computer model, trying out twenty different colour and wallpaper combinations to find the one that feels just right – not the most interesting to watch.
Seeing them try to execute their designs, whilst being something that most interior designers never actually do, makes for better viewing and so you typically end up with something that is a bit more Changing Rooms in style where we root for the best and cringe at the DIY skills of others.
Along with our lack of DIY skills there are other misconceptions I come across about interior designers on a regular basis. Here are the most common five:
1. People only hire an Interior Designer when they have no ideas of their own
When it comes to the level of input that clients want to have in the design process my projects span a complete spectrum. I have had a very small number of clients who come to us with absolutely no interest in and/or ideas of what they want, and just want someone who will come up with a complete scheme with no input from them.
At the other end of the spectrum, I have also had clients who know almost exactly what they want but want help with the technical layout and execution, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms.
Most clients, however, lie somewhere in between. They often have enough of an interest in design to want it to work well in their home but may lack the time or the courage of their convictions to come up with a scheme without some support. A designer’s job is then to help to realise a vision that feels like their own and to provide support (and qualified professionals!) to execute it.
Image: Lived in 365
2. Interior designers impose their own style on your home
Which brings me neatly onto my second misconception. Some of the most famous designers in the world, Kelly Hoppen for example, have very much their own signature style and people hire them for that style which chimes with what they want in their own space.
For many designers however, including Lived In, whilst we have our own distinct style which will influence our designs, we start with a brief and aim to come up with a scheme which reflects the client’s likes and dislikes rather than our own. For this reason, you will see quite a range of styles when you look at our Projects page.
Source: Lived In 365
3. Professional interior design isn’t affordable
One of the biggest misconceptions which prevents people from exploring the use of an interior designer is that it is cost prohibitive. Whilst it is true that it adds another fee to your project when you might already be looking at an architect, a structural engineer or even just the cost of materials, there are also many ways in which working with an interior designer can save you money.
Working with a designer will typically give you access to a range of trade discounts on materials from kitchens to flooring, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The main savings should come from your own time costs in putting together a scheme and in fewer last-minute changes and rectifications on site.
It may also be that our services cost less than you think. Check out our services page for more details.
4 Interior Designers add cushions at the end of a project
Historically the role of an interior designer was of one who came in at the end of the serious stuff to add some embellishments and chop the cushions. Today, however, the role of an interior designer extends far beyond the remit of soft furnishings.
To get the best out of an extension or reconfiguration project with an interior designer is to involve them as soon as possible as internal factors often have a bearing on decisions that need to be taken early as they may, for example, impact a planning application.
At Lived In our role extends from initial consultation, through a design concept right into the nitty gritty of a project including technical drawings, electrical plans, and sourcing materials.
Image: Lived In 365
5 Anyone can be an interior designer
And that leads me onto my final point. There’s absolutely no doubt that there are many highly talented homeowners (or home renters), out there who have designed their homes single-handedly and done a brilliant job. You just need to have the quickest glance (or an extremely long scroll if you prefer) of Instagram to see that.
Designing and running multiple jobs for other people, however, is a different skill. Most designers have a qualification in the field which prepares them for the job with training in areas including professional software packages, lighting design and project management. They can also bring a wealth of experience to your job from having seen (and solved) similar issues again and again and introducing you to tried and tested tradesmen to help you complete the work.
All in all, there is much more to interior design than good taste. A really good designer will help you run a smooth process to deliver a design that works for you and looks fantastic.