Common Misconceptions About People Who Hire Interior Designers
We love our interior design studio space in Downers Grove, Illinois. There are all different types of businesses in our building and I recently chatted with one of the other tenants there about interior design. We had a really insightful conversation that sparked this article. It seems that they had many different assumptions about the “type of people who hire interior designers”, and while I’m sure many of them would be correct for some designers, these assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth for us.
I’m sure many people are reading this who have been intrigued as to what sort of person typically hires an interior designer for their home. So we wanted to take you through some of these assumptions and common misconceptions about people who hire interior designers to share how our studio works.
Let’s explore some of the common misconceptions about people who hire interior designers!
Assumption 1 – Only Working on Super High-End Projects
Firstly, many people assume that interior designers are completely out of their reach and only work on super high-end, multi-million dollar projects. While we do work on high-end projects, we focus on creating a balance of value for our clients. We want to get them the best quality that makes sense for the goals of their home and budget. We can easily design a bathroom renovation that costs $25K or a bathroom renovation that costs $100K, but what we focus on is the bigger picture. Plus, we hate the idea that people feel intimidated about working with us.
We are extremely approachable, and many of our clients are regular people who appreciate a strategic approach being taken to design their homes and value the high level of technical knowledge our firm excels in. They understand that hiring a professional will yield them the best results without wasting money that taking on a DIY project may do. They care about their home and want to protect their investment. We meet them where they are – in every sense of that (financially, design-driven or not, etc) – and guide them the best we can.
While we do work with multi-millionaires, we also work with those who aren’t millionaires too. Usually, our clients are ready to invest in their homes because they see the value in creating a nice home for them and their families. They also understand that to create a functional and nice-looking home, they need to spend their money wisely and are prepared to invest in the help they need.
Assumption 2 – People Need a Lot of Money to Work with Interior Designers
Similarly to the first assumption, many people assume that they need a lot of money to work with an interior designer. Honestly? This statement depends on many different factors.
Firstly, we all have different views on what a lot of money is (and what that equates to), and whether that gets applied to a home-specific project.
We all value home improvement projects differently too which can definitely play a part in this. For example, one person may want or need a functional kitchen and puts a fair amount of value on that. Whereas someone else may want to go down the DIY route instead. A better end result that is visually pleasing and functional too will be achieved if they hire a professional kitchen designer. Versus the alternative which is to go down to the box store, buy the cabinets, and install them themselves.
The bottom line is – we all place different values on home improvement projects, and all have different opinions on what a lot of money is. The bottom line is that we love helping people love their homes. We have various service model offerings available to meet people where they are. From design consultations to full-service interior design, we like to have an option for almost anywho who would like professional interior design assistance.
Assumption 3 – Married Couples Agree and Want the Same Thing
This was a funny turn in the conversation because it couldn’t be further from the truth! Along with thinking that married couples agree on what they want, they also assumed that they have the same habits.
We are currently working on a new construction project where one of our clients wants everything to be closed up, and out of sight. While the other, wants more visible things in their home to make it feel more homely and lived in. This is a great example of how different we can all be!
The solution for couples that don’t agree on what they want? Find a compromise for them both, so neither of them feels like they’re missing out. This is where we designers need to think carefully to satisfy both perspectives. We are going to create a mixture of both closed and open storage, so it covers both bases. The storage will be used strategically in a way that both will gravitate towards and love.
This will be executed in a way that doesn’t impede their environment too much, we’re still creating symmetry throughout, and it means that they can have fun playing with the kids getting all the toys out, but can easily pack things away in baskets that live within cabinets when guests are over.
It’s my job as an interior designer to find out what makes each person tick and design accordingly. It’s very common to have differing opinions and needs within the same home.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that we work with a wide variety of different people.
As such, we layer our services to cater to everyone and meet them wherever they are in their home interior design journey. Our services are in-depth, and we pride ourselves in not just throwing together a room design! We carefully consider every aspect of a project. We work with the emotional connection people have with the space so that it feels like their own when they come home.
Interior design is an extremely personal service, and we make our clients feel comfortable in sharing how they live with us, and how they ultimately want to live in their new space too. Sometimes this is their day-to-day routines or finances. This gives us the bigger picture and allows us to create a functional space for them.
If you’re looking for one of the best interior designers around, reach out. We have an incredible team and would love to learn more about your project!