There is a lot more to hiring an interior designer than just mapping out the design of your home. Having an interior designer on board can help you with what tends to be one of the most challenging aspects of remodeling or designing a home — shopping. Seriously, many people have no idea just how beneficial it can be to have an interior designer to help with the shopping aspect of your next project.
Higher Quality and Unique Pieces
Not only will an interior designer help you with decision-making when it comes to choosing the perfect pieces for your home, but we also have access to some much higher-quality and unique options. Most online retailers that are available to the general public make their products with lower quality, cheaper materials – and the cost of the item doesn’t always reflect this.
In addition, simply purchasing your furniture online definitely offers limited options. Typically, an interior designer will have access to thousands of fabrics and frames that allow for a plethora of unique and custom combinations. If you have specific ideas in mind for your furniture design, your interior designer can make these dreams a reality.
From specific fabric and frame combinations to contrasting or coordinating trims, all the way down to the look of the seams; intentional home design is taken even further when you utilize your interior designer to help with the shopping. Interior designers can even help with customizing the size of your furniture so that you can get the perfect fit for your home.
Image Source: LeClair Decor
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Environmental Benefits
Furniture shopping has changed a lot over the years. Few people will still take the time to walk around a furniture store, pick out a piece, and deal with the transportation when you can simply order affordable furniture online from Wayfair, Pottery Barn, or Amazon. However, we have to say that the convenience often comes at a hidden cost – i.e. unethical production standards and a negative environmental impact.
Most of the conveniently available furniture we see on the internet is not only made with low quality materials, but it may not last very long. Typically, we can expect to see this stuff ending up in a landfill in five years or less – yikes. Some people look to the “fast furniture” sites knowing they’ll tire of their furniture in a few years, with the hopes of switching it up as soon as they get bored. This is understandable, however, it’s highly unsustainable to buy all new furniture every time you want a new look in your home. There’s a good chance that a high-quality, timeless, staple piece won’t get old to you but even if it does, you can always reupholster it and it’s worth it to do so. High quality furniture can stay in your family for generations to come.
These days, you can do so much more than simply swap out the fabric of a piece of furniture, you can even adjust the shape of the arms and change other details without having to purchase a whole new piece of furniture.
Tips for Shopping on Your Own
I understand that although utilizing an interior designer to help with shopping is entirely worth it, it’s not always feasible for everyone. Here are some tips to help with furniture shopping on your own.
- Make a plan ahead of time. You’ll want to map out exactly what you’re looking for in terms of size and design options. You may be able to find an app or online resource that can help with planning out the layout based on the size of your space. In terms of planning the furniture’s actual aesthetic, you could create a Pinterest board to draw inspiration.
- Determine a solid statement piece such as a rug, specific fabric, or piece of art. This will allow you to establish the look and feel and work other pieces around it.
Image source: Pexels
- Don’t be afraid to mix and match! Personally, we think a little variety goes a long way and adds an eclectic feel to the home. You may have a set plan for your home but we always recommend leaving some room to follow your heart as well.
- When it comes to allocating your budget, you’ll want to focus on upholstered furniture first, as these items are the most important. From there, you can fill the remainder of your space with accent tables, art, and other accessories that fit into your budget.
It basically all comes back to the whole reason most people hire interior designers — to create a home that uniquely represents one’s personality, values, and taste. Why stop at the paint colors, wall paper placement, and kitchen design? By allowing your interior designer to support you through the furniture shopping process, you’re getting the most out of their services while also further customizing your home.
When you choose to hire an interior designer to help with your home projects, you’re getting a lot more than you may think. You get unique design skills, inside relationships with vendors and traders, and better responses to problems that may occur if you tried to tackle everything on your own.