Hiring an Interior Designer vs. Doing It Yourself

“Wow! I would never have thought of that,” exclaimed Nikita after looking through the designs her interior designer had sent her. Those designs were exactly what she had been looking for.

Of course, not all designer – client relationships are a match made in heaven. And like all artistic professions, it’s also true that interior designing has something as subjective as ‘taste’, in it.

Ultimately, the best home design is the one that expresses your taste and lifestyle. At the same time, executing your home design project properly is also equally important.

This begs the question: “Should you go about doing it yourself or should you hire an interior designer?”

Here’s some food for thought.

When to do it yourself?

1. You’re on a budget: Dealing with budget constraints does not mean you have to compromise on the final look and feel of your space. Instead of seeking professional help, the idea is to allocate maximum funds towards high-quality purchases for your home. A word of caution though: Make sure you have a clear vision for the interior style you want to incorporate in your home before you begin.
2. You’re passionate, creative, and have an eye for design: If you find yourself immersed in interior design blogs and magazines – pinning ideas for inspiration, then this might just be the perfect opportunity for your creativity to express itself.
3. You’re looking to make modest design changes or quick refreshes for singular spaces, for example, a kitchen revamp or a bedroom makeover: Small scale projects present the perfect opportunity for the DIY’er in you.
4. You want to be flexible with timelines: Projects developed by professionals are executed on specific timelines and estimates. This means you need to have the cash reserves to ensure that the project flow isn’t disturbed. On the other hand, when you do it yourself you have the flexibility to pace things, based on your cash flow and the expenses for the month.

When to hire an interior designer?

1. You’re not quite certain about the direction to take with your interior design: At such times, seeking professional guidance will go the mile and offer you the quality results that you’ve always dreamt of.
2. You’re short on time and need to get it done: While it is inspiring to design your own home, time may not always be on your side. And if you’re neck deep in responsibilities, hiring an interior designer will take that pressure off your shoulders.
3. You want some third party feedback and guidance: Designing the interiors of your home can quickly turn into an overwhelming experience. That’s because you’ll be suddenly confronted with a sea of choices, and it can be hard always to make the right decisions.  At such times, receiving feedback and positive assurances from a designer can make all the difference and help you move the project to completion.
4. You want to save money in the long term: Indeed. Mistakes in design decisions (which you may have to live with for years) can leave you feeling angry or remorseful for a long time to come. Not only that, but wrong choices of products or furnishings may shoot up your replacement costs. Investing in an interior designer minimises these blunders and can save you a lot of money and grief in the long run.

So, what’s the result?

The choice of doing it yourself or hiring a designer is a very personal one and certainly one that depends on your circumstances.

In our opinion, it’s always helpful to have a guiding hand to help you move through your design project, but well, if you believe you have the passion, creativity and the drive for it, go ahead and create something beautiful for yourself.