How to find home interior design advice (and keep your costs down)

Most homeowners who use Design for Me typically have the following things in common:

1. They value great design.
2. They want to love their home and feel proud of it.
3. They don’t feel talented or inspired enough to make all the design decisions themselves.
4. They are keen to get the most out of their budget.

Featured image above is by Lucy, interior designer on Design for Me. See her full Design for Me profile and shortlist her for your project.

‘I don’t want an interior designer… I just need some design advice’

There are common pre-conceptions that interior designers are for large renovation projects with big budgets or clients with a lot of money.

Firstly, you might find our article helpful – How to find an affordable interior designer – which covers the cost advantages of freelance designers and start-up practices and where to find them.

A one-off design consultation

Did you know that it’s possible to hire an interior designer for a single design meeting?

Many interior designers would be happy to charge for a couple of hours of their time to discuss an aspect of your project where you feel ‘stuck’.

It can be incredibly valuable to get a steer on the big design decisions, leaving you to focus on the smaller ones yourself. For example, you could ask to discuss:

• layout changes
• an aesthetic concept or set of ‘design rules’ for you to follow
• solving a particular challenge e.g storage
• innovative ideas for small-space living
• lighting advice
• how to make a room more functional / more cosy.

E-design

Many entrepreneurial interior designers across the UK are offering e-design packages. This can be a fantastic, cost-effective way to get your interior design project started, solve a particular design problem and provide the ideas and inspiration you’re looking for.