Finding interior designers near me

This week, we thought we’d share our answer to a frequently asked question here at Design for Me:

‘Should I only consider interior designers near me??’

 

Whether you are planning on just re-decorating one room, fitting a new kitchen or bathroom or planning a whole house re-design, finding the right designer is probably the most critical decision you’ll need to make. Once you have them on board, they can guide you through the maze of decisions you’ll face throughout the design, planning and construction of the project.

Finding just the right person for your practical requirements, as well as the right inspiration for your own sense of style, will help you to

  • keep a tight rein on costs and spend money wisely in the design process,
  • find a good interior decorator, avoiding any problems with time, cost or quality of the workmanship,
  • most importantly, end up with your dream home that you’ll want to live in for many years.

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Here at Design for Me, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners all over the UK to find the best architect or interior designer for their project.

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How much do interior designers cost?

Every interior designer will work differently and charge accordingly. There are four main ways interior designers commonly charge for their work:

 

  • Room by room: commonly used for small, straightforward projects. We’ve found that fixed fees for a concept design per room for a small, simple home project can start at £500, including drawings and samples.
  • Fixed lump sum:  this is where fees are costed by multiplying the estimated time the project will take by their hourly rate. It allows you to budget much more efficiently by having a very precise idea of what you will spend from the beginning and splitting the work into stages (e.g. concept design – detailed design – overseeing the project on site).
  • Time charge: this is a common way of charging, and can include project management during the course of the project. Hourly rates start at £50 but vary, up to £150 per hour or more.
  • Percentage: where the fees are calculated based on the overall budget of the project.

 

But how important is it that I only speak to interior designers near me?

Location is just one of the criteria you might look for in your interior designer but using a designer nearby may well have some advantages:

 

1. Finding good local builders / decorators

A local interior design will be more likely to be able to recommend a local builder/decorator. They may well have worked with decorators in your area on similar projects. Having this first-hand recommendation, as well as a good working relationship between your interior designer and decorators, can be a real advantage.

 

2. Finding other professionals

For the same reasons above, they are also likely to be able to recommend other professionals that you might need; local structural engineers, for example.

 

3. Using local suppliers

Obviously, furniture and fittings can be sourced nationally (or even globally) but there may well be some things that you’ll want to source locally. As well as the environmental advantage of keeping delivery distances down and helping the local economy, being able to go and see and touch any products can be really helpful in the design/specification process. A local interior designer should have a good knowledge of suppliers in the area, and may even have access to trade discounts.

 

4. Face to face meetings / site visits

Local interior designers would make it much easier to meet with them regularly during the design process. Although many conversations can be done over email and the phone, sometimes it’s really worthwhile meeting in person to clarify the design and any complexities in the project. Likewise, it’s also very advantageous that the interior designer can nip to the site regularly and be there quickly in a critical situation!

 

How far away should an interior designer be?

Here at Design for Me, we recommend that the ideal distance is less than 20 miles from your home. However, it’s not uncommon for fantastic projects to be born out of longer-distance appointments. In fact, sometimes it’s better to cast a wider net to make sure you find someone who you trust and is on your wavelength. Ideally you should try and find someone who

  • is genuinely enthusiastic about your job,
  • has the time and resources to set to work on it when you need them to,
  • understands your brief and budget, and is confident that they can meet your expectations,
  • understands your sense of style,
  • is within your budget.

So, location is definitely a consideration, but we strongly recommend that you don’t simply use the interior designer closest to your house for solely that reason!

 

Finding the best / local interior designer for you

Here at Design for Me, we match homeowners with the best interior designers for their home decor projects. Whether it’s a simple living room re-decoration or the complete interior design for a new build house, all of our interior designers specialise in home decor.

To find the best matches for you, register your project with Design for Me (it’s completely free).

  • Quickly see who’s interested in your job
  • Create a shortlist
  • Invite up to three for a no-obligation consultation

 

Emily  Design for Me

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