A little bit of style goes a long way when it comes to appearance and attitude. With experience, talent, and the right set of tools, a good interior designer can transform any space from “Blah” to “Bravo!” The question is what makes an interior designer good? How do you choose the right one? And what sort of information do you need to know beforehand? If you’re thinking about hiring an interior designer, these are the questions you need to ask! Read on to find out the answers.

How to Choose an Interior Designer

Benefits of a Good Interior Designer

Hiring a skilled interior designer can have many benefits — not just for your home’s appearance, but also your wallet (and peace of mind). Let’s take a closer look at three major benefits of hiring an interior designer to help decorate your home or apartment: 

1. Save money: Especially in older buildings, it’s all too easy to make a mistake that could wind up costing you thousands of dollars. An interior designer can help you avoid hazards, pitfalls, and some downright regrettable design choices.
2. Get ideas: An interior designer can introduce you to ideas you might never encounter otherwise. Not only that, a good designer can transform your rough, sketchy ideas into a concrete, fully-articulated vision.
3. Reduce stress: Let’s face it, life isn’t always like HGTV, and finding the time and energy for a home design project can be challenging. Hiring an interior designer lightens the load and takes stress off your shoulders, freeing you up to focus on the things you really care about.

What to Know Before Hiring an Interior Designer

Now that you know the advantages of hiring an interior designer, here are five factors to consider before you start looking for design help: 

1. Not all designers charge the same: For more information about money and budgeting, scroll down to the section about how much it costs to hire an interior designer.
2. Model homes are great places to look for designs you love: Model homes, open houses, and showrooms create fantastic opportunities to view different styles and themes in 3-D — and find designers you love in the process.
3. Professional organizations are another great resource: Finding a competent and experienced designer is essential. That’s why it’s a good idea to check with trusted professional organizations, like the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), for directories or referrals.
4. Look for designers with the proper certifications: You should strongly consider hiring a designer who has the appropriate formal licensing and certification. While standards vary from state to state, ASID accreditation is a solid starting point.
5. Choose someone who demonstrates good communication skills: This cannot be emphasized enough. Bringing your dream to life demands collaborative effort, which means you need a designer who can clearly articulate ideas, explain the potential roadblocks ahead, and work with you to achieve safe, budget-conscious, and stylish solutions.

Questions to Ask an Interior Designer before Hiring

Below, you’ll find a helpful list of possible questions to ask before hiring an interior designer. 

• Are you accredited? Do you have any professional licenses and certifications?
• How many years of experience do you have?
• What sorts of styles do you have experience with?
• What do you typically charge for projects like mine?
• Do you have examples of previous work?
• Can you provide any testimonials or recommendations of your work?

How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Interior Designer?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is that it simply depends on the service or person you choose. That being said, it’s important to keep in mind that some designers charge on an hourly basis, while others charge a flat fee that covers specific services (which should be determined in advance through a written contract).

When budgeting, try to be realistic about how much time your project will require. Otherwise, you may wind up seriously underestimating the cost of a designer who charges by the hour!

No matter how the designer charges, get information about his or her rates at the outset of the process. That way, you won’t waste valuable time — or run into avoidable price disputes later down the line.

Get More Interior Style and Decorating Ideas from My Design Finder

Hiring an interior designer is a great step toward making your dream home a reality. But before you do, get inspired by browsing My Design Finder, our free and easy-to-use visual guide to personalized style recommendations. Simply choose a style you like, and let My Design Finder handle the rest!

For more design and flooring inspiration, contact Flooring America online, or call today at (866) 439-6743. We offer hundreds of unique, durable, stylish home flooring products at convenient locations throughout the U.S., including carpet, hardwood, stone, laminate, tile, luxury vinyl, and more.

Visualize Your Flooring Dreams

Want a preview of how new floors will look in your home? Try our room visualizer, My Floor Style. Upload a photo of your room, select your style preferences, and get a virtual look at each different flooring style. With My Floor Style, there are no surprises. Only beautiful new floors.