10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Decorator

Is hiring a professional interior decorator for you?

If you foolishly ignore beauty, you'll soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you wisely invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.

— Frank Lloyd Wright

While at first glance, hiring an interior decorator might seem to be a luxury item, like an option that would be nice but isn't absolutely necessary. However, later you may discover, after hours of wandering the aisles of Home Depot, pouring through design magazines, squabbling with your spouse over where to put a closet, and re-painting the walls for a third time because the color is still not right, that an interior decorator would have made things a whole lot easier and less expensive. So, before you get to that point, here are ten reasons to consider hiring an interior decorator before your next project begins:

1. You are overwhelmed by the number of options available.

Let's start in the paint department. Look at the paint chips. Hundreds of shades of red – autumn maroon, barnwood burgundy, cabernet rose – and that's only red! And that's just in the PAINT DEPARTMENT! Hundreds of choices everywhere, and you end up disoriented amid oceans of furniture and fixtures that suddenly look exactly the same. Interior designers have the experience and ideas to look at the fog of decorating options and isolate the choices that will work best for you.

2. You have many nice objects, but you just can't seem to pull it all together.

Don't resort to calling your style "modern eclectic." A professional interior decorator will help you find a look to suit your lifestyle and budget. There are so many factors to take into account: color, dimensions, textures, lighting, traffic flow, and more. An interior decorator can bring the whole package together so you don't end up spending a lot of money on that perfect couch only to find that it was perfect in the showroom but not in your living room.

3. You have a folder full of pictures from magazines, but you don't know where to start.

The home décor magazines have inspired you. Clippings of gorgeous bathrooms and gourmet kitchens fill your files. But now what? The size and flow of your room is entirely different than the one in the photo. And there are a few tweaks you'd like to make to it anyway. Couldn't a larger island work? Before you grab the sledgehammer and start swinging while you hope for the best, why not sit down with an interior decorator and go through your pictures. Point out what you like and what you don't like, and let the professional help you come up with a picture and a plan that meets your dreams, your space, and your budget.

4. You don't know any reliable craftsmen or installers.

You know you want the job done right, but you have no idea who is right for the job. Your professional interior decorator will. She has a wide array of resources at her fingertips, and she knows how to match the right craftsman or installer to your particular project.

Also keep in mind that big makeover projects require compliance with building codes and federal and state laws; you must adhere to these to avoid expensive mistakes or even lawsuits. Your design professional can help you ensure that, whether you are updating old wiring or dealing with old lead-based paint, you are working with certified, insured, and qualified renovators.

5. You have little time to plan, shop, order, ship, schedule, follow-up, etc.

Quality craftsmanship takes time, as does good interior design. There are so many details to work out and schedules to coordinate. You already have plenty on your plate. Hand over the complexities and headaches of your renovation to a trained interior decorator who will give your project the time and attention it requires while completing it efficiently and within budget. So put your feet up and enjoy a glass of iced tea. Phew! Don't you feel better already?

6. You need help picking out the right color scheme and the perfect fixtures.

You appreciate excellence. And you are an expert. Just not at interior design. But you do have personality and particular tastes. Don't worry! A professional interior decorator will explore your preferences and ask questions to discover your style, and then combine your responses with her professional expertise to guide you to the perfect selections for you and your project.

7. You need help with space planning. Where will the buffet table go?

You have some furniture pieces that are important to you, or you just don't want to replace them right now. But you want to know that they will work in the renovated space. Your interior decorator is adept with design theory and space flow. She can show you how existing pieces can work efficiently and attractively when your project is finished.

8. Your current kitchen or bath is not working for you and you need a fluid floor plan.

You need more room. But the only way it seems to make sense is if you put the refrigerator in the garage, or eliminate the sink and just wash your hands in the tub. Before you do something drastic that will severely affect your enjoyment of your home and your resale value, consult with a professional interior decorator who can lay out floor plans and design options so that you have a renovation design that will be both beautiful and intelligent.

9. Your family has lots of strong opinions, some of which seem contradictory. You don't know how to find a solution that will satisfy everyone.

Your interior decorator has years of experience finding solutions to complex problems. She designs spaces that exceed everyone's expectations. So you don't need to be the one trying to herd cats. Leave that your professional! She will find the design options that work best for you and all the felines.

10. You can't afford to go over-budget.

Many people first assume that hiring an interior decorator will exceed their budget. But by now, you have seen how a professional can save you time and money by avoiding the expenses of delay, inexperience, bad design choices, code violations, and costly do-overs. A certified interior decorator will present a detailed cost projection that you can adjust as needed. The interior decorator has the power to negotiate for the client with manufacturers and vendors, getting you the best prices and ensuring everything is purchased and installed to meet your desires. And, in the long run, the interior decorator saves you even more money by using her experience and training to purchase quality products and hire the best artisan craftsmen for your project so that it is positively inviting for years to come.

Now, here's the real value-added part: At John Rogers Renovations, we offer even more than construction or design. We manage the complete renovation project. We have years of experience and a number of qualified professional contacts to get the job done right and in a timely manner while staying within your budget. Before you begin planning your next project, contact John Rogers Renovations for a free, no-obligation consultation on our interior design and complete renovation services.