Tackling a home project can be extremely overwhelming. Without the time, resources or knowledge, making decisions and executing your vision can seem impossible. This is when hiring a designer can make all the difference. Interior designers offer an extra level of expertise as they often work as both the creative driver and project manager. This ensures consistency in project execution and creative vision. Here are the top reasons hiring a designer is worth the investment:
Why work with an interior designer?
1. Fresh Eyes & Fresh Ideas
We all want a second opinion when it comes to making big decisions. A designer's eye can provide an educated and outside perspective. Their opinions should always consider the basic principles of design: balance, proportion, rhythm, unity, etc. Designers may push you outside of the box when it comes to making stylistic choices. A design professional's opinion is vital in staying ahead of trends and creating a timeless look that you will be happy with for years to come.
2. Professional Knowledge & Resources
Product knowledge is an often forgotten benefit of hiring a designer. Durability, value, cleanability, and style are all things designers can easily recognize and search for in products. This allows the client to know where to invest. Designers can advise on how to make the most of a budget. Designers also have access to high-quality products not always available to the public. Purchasing goods from your designer gives you more opportunities for unique pieces.
3. Beauty & Function
Designers work to find the balance between form and function: beauty and livability. The "look" of a space doesn't have to take priority over the "use." Designers take the time to understand and meet the functional needs of the space while also creating visual appeal. It's essential that clients enjoy being in their spaces because they are comfortable and beautiful.
4. Save Time, Money & Stress
Having a set design plan helps prevent unforeseen costs or changes that can increase a project's budget. When working with a designer, it's doubtful you'll have to repaint a wall, return a piece you didn't like as much as you thought you would, or take apart a piece of furniture that won't fit through your front door. It's the client's job to set expectations for the project; it's the designer's job to sweat the details.
Even if the benefits of a designer are clear, it can still be hard to pull the trigger without knowing how the process works. Here is how we tackle a design project from start to finish:
How to work with the team at Clark Design Studio
1. Consultation
This is when we get to know you! We want to take the time to listen to your needs, see your space, and get a feel for your style and vision. The more information we have, the better your project will turn out.
2. Design Planning
This part often starts with a floor plan. We lay out your room to ensure you get the most function from your space. From the floor plan, we are able to see the most significant needs for the space. Then we start brainstorming. Clear design concepts are vital in creating a design presentation; they set the pace and mood for everything. All design decisions get filtered through the concept. Once the vision is clear, we start digging through our sources to find the best products.
3. Presentation
Once we have made most of the initial decisions, we show you! Mood boards, fabric samples, inspiration images, floor plans, specifications, etc. This is our plan for the space, from top to bottom. Along with the presentation comes an estimated cost of all the product.
4. Design Development
Presentations are not final plans. We want your feedback! The project's development phase involves a lot of back and forth between designer and client: making final decisions, ordering more samples, taking exact measurements, creating custom details, etc. This is when the design plan starts to take shape, and the space begins to come together.
5. Project Administration & Installation
Execution of the design plan. We order products, track job progress, make custom pieces, and gather art and accessories. Once everything has arrived and is ready, we install it in the space and ensure all the details are precisely what you want!
We have many projects in the works, and we can't wait to show off the finished products. We are currently booking two months out on new interior design jobs, so now is the time to start planning for your fall project!
