Ten Benefits of Working with an Interior Designer
In a time where inspiration is at our fingertips, and we can take a peek inside other people's homes from our sofa, the motivation to create a beautiful place to live is high. However, for many the potential just isn’t reached as there’s more to design than meets the eye. (Accidental rhyme there, but I like it).
Designing a home is more than just choosing the right furniture, flooring and wall colours. It's about creating a space that reflects your personality, functions in a way that makes life easier and has a timeless style that you’ll adore for years to come.
While many homeowners are tempted to take on the task themselves, there are significant advantages to hiring a professional interior designer to work with you, or for you. Whether you're starting from scratch with a new build project or looking to refresh your existing space, here are ten benefits of working with an interior designer.
1. Expertise and Experience
Interior designers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. They've studied design principles, space planning, and know how to work with colours, materials, and lighting to achieve the best results. Their trained eye helps spot potential issues early on, as well as missed opportunities for the property, and ensures that everything from furniture layouts to finishing touches is balanced and cohesive.
2. Access to Resources and Networks
One of the greatest perks of hiring an interior designer is their access to exclusive resources. Designers often have relationships with suppliers, makers and contractors. This can mean access to less mainstream, high-quality furnishings and materials that help make your home one-of-a-kind. A further benefit is that designers often get trade discounts, which they can pass along to their clients, I recently saved a client over £5000 on two bedrooms and bathrooms through my trade accounts. Another benefit to great access to retailers is coming next….
3. Saves Time
How many hours have you spent in the past looking for one key item, your last sofa or dining table for instance? I once worked with a client who had been looking for a sofa on and off for three years. We estimated approximately 120 hours went into the search including weekend trips to stores, hours scrolling during sale periods and being tempted back onto websites when promotional emails came. It was so overwhelming with many shapes and styles that it became too difficult to confidently make a decision and commit. Maybe that’s a world record, but it's easily done. It took a few hours for this to be resolved when we worked together because I knew what shape would be comfortable and suit the rest of the interior, which fabric would be practical and I had a long list of manufacturers to refer to, avoiding the ‘same but different’ high street look. Designing a home requires careful planning, research, and execution, all of which can take up significant amounts of time and can be impossible to fit into normal life. An interior designer can handle all of these details for you, allowing you to focus on other priorities and enjoy precious time off.
4. Maximises Your Budget
It might seem counterintuitive, but engaging an interior designer can actually save you money in the long run. A professional will help you avoid mistakes, like buying furniture that doesn’t fit the space, choosing a light fitting that isn’t suitable (a common mistake) or choosing the wrong paint colour (I’ve seen that a few times as well). Designers also know how to stretch a budget, prioritising key pieces or renovations that will have the most impact for the investment spent. Further still, due to careful scheduling of work and collaborating with others involved delays can be avoided and the project can become more efficient; ultimately saving construction costs.
5. Personalised Design
I think it’s fortunate that every home is unique, because so are the people who live in them. An interior designer will work with you to understand your preferences, lifestyle, and how you use each room. This ensures that the design isn’t just visually appealing but also functional and suited to your needs. My approach has always started with emotion, and how you want to feel in the room. From here I layer in the function and essentials, before moving onto the aesthetic. Collectively this information forms a design brief which is a strong springboard and creates the route to a successful design.
6. Attention to Detail
A designer’s attention to detail is what transforms a good space into a great one. I recently went to a networking event and within a few minutes I’d spotted two curtain hooks that had dropped from their rings, a detail nobody else noticed. Sometimes it’s quite frustrating having an inbuilt scanning and snagging device, but it’s beneficial to what I do. Designers think about things you might not even consider—like how lighting affects the mood of a room or how furniture placement impacts traffic flow. They’ll also incorporate finishing touches like bespoke made furniture, correct window treatments, or curated art to give your home the feeling of everyday luxury.
7. Increased Home Value
If you're thinking about selling your home in the future, an interior designer can increase its value. A well-designed home attracts a wider range of potential buyers, increasing the curb appeal and getting interested buyers through the door. I remember getting such a buzz booking 13 viewings within 24 hours of my last property going on the market. Even small design updates can provide a significant return on investment, an example of a full refurb in my portfolio where approximately £80k was invested, has added £210k to the original purchase price!
8. Stress-Free Renovations
Home renovations can be stressful, I’m on my third, I’ve been there and done that! There are unexpected challenges popping up at every turn, unusual time zapping ways of living (washing pots in the bath), questions from all directions, decisions to be made, orders to place and research to carry out. An interior designer acts as a project coordinator, liaising with contractors, keeping everything on schedule, and ensuring the project stays within budget. Their expertise helps avoid delays and miscommunications, making the entire process smoother and less stressful for you. I absolutely love a renovation project, the transformation is addictive, and as the property has been taken back to bones it's such a great opportunity to create a very special home! If you’re renovating, definitely check out the renovation mentorship subscription (linked at the bottom), and even better, imagine having the work done for you and saving money at the same time. It really is possible with all of these benefits.
9. Sustainability and Future-Proofing
If sustainability is important to you, an interior designer can help guide eco-friendly decisions. From sourcing sustainable materials to choosing energy-efficient lighting and appliances, designers have the knowledge to make your home environmentally conscious. Most importantly they also think long-term, ensuring your design will stand the test of time rather than quickly going out of style. A previous blog delved into why design trends that are in, are really out for me, read it here.
10. A Home That Feels Like You
Lastly, the best benefit of hiring an interior designer is achieving a home that truly feels perfect for you. My website hopefully conveys my passion to help you create a home that is uniquely yours. Interior designers will understand what you need from your home, lifestyle and greatest investment and make it work really hard for you, bringing your vision to life, ensuring that every room is a reflection of your tastes, personality, and way of living. They create spaces that aren't just beautiful but deeply personal—transforming your house into a home.
It's time to make careful choices to create a home that inspires, nourishes and wraps you up in something rather beautiful. I’d love to join you in your pursuit of the perfect home, below are a few of the ways I can help you.
Renovation Mentorship from £43 per month
An in person design workshop from £30 (currently Cornwall only)
The Designer for a Day service from £325
Projects that need more than a day's attention require a really good chat so we can work out the best way to work together, please email me charlotte@chestnutinteriors.co.uk or book a mini consultation on the link above.