How to choose the right design company

If you are thinking about redesigning a room or indeed your whole house but don’t really have much of an idea about how to make it look good and be practical too then it might be worth considering using interior design services.

A contemporary designed open plan living space

Interior design is an art and designers have studied aesthetics and functionality. They have years of experience of what works, where and how. Of course there are designers who have extreme taste and others who stick to a certain look. Only by looking at interior design companies’ websites and portfolios will you get an idea of what you are looking for.

A good designer will be worth his weight in gold

Let’s imagine that you are considering renovating an entire house. You will need a very experienced designer to be able to provide you with the suppliers, materials, contractors and information you will need. Interior designers also know about planning permission, building regulations and have a good idea about costs and timescales too. Some interior design services will offer you a project managed service that takes care of everything from the initial mood boards to pricing up the job, overseeing the contractors, consultation with the project manager or even managing the project themselves. This is perfect for a really big job or for people who are simply too busy to oversee things themselves. Of course this will be more expensive but it allows the customer to carry on with their own business.

Many interior designers like this Cape Cod Interior Designer are able to get items cheaply from places they know, this is when it really pays to use a designer because they will save you money in the long run if you choose the right company. They know of antique dealers, end of line sales, house clearances and so on. You will be amazed where a lot of great looking furniture, fixtures and fittings comes from and it is all to save the customer money.

Choosing the right fabrics, colours, textures and lighting

Interior design services are also able to offer a simple design service. This is when they meet with the client, discuss the zones to be designed, measure it, survey it and talk about budget. After this the designer uses his or her magic to present to the client their vision of what the zone could look like with the addition or removal of items. Fabrics, colours, textures and lighting are all considered when creating this mood board. The board is then presented to the client, along with the cost involved and the source of where the items come from.

A modern, designed and styled living room

So as you can see, interior design companies are able to offer a whole range of services from a basic design to a fully project managed job. How much involvement you would like is your choice but to find the right company for you, look online, ask friends and family, look at as many portfolios as possible and don’t be afraid to share your ideas about how you want your special place to look. Also, make sure you are very clear about your budget and that you would like to keep within it as it is very easy to get carried away with good ideas.

Featured images:

• License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.ingimage.com/imagedetails/45525882_extInt0/ISS_2968_00292-Isignstock-Contributors-modern%2Dinterior%2D3D%2Drender%2D%2DLiving%2Droom.html
• License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.ingimage.com/imagedetails/44399560_extInt0/ISS_2968_00045-Isignstock-Contributors-Modern%2Dinterior%2D3D%2DRender%2D%2DLiving%2DRoom.html

You can read more from me Adrian Allsopp at 2ADesign. I have been in the interior and spatial design industry for many years now and I love to share my experience and knowledge on this topic.

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