After almost ten years running my interior design business, I decided to make interior design consultation my primary focus. Honestly, I didn’t come to this decision lightly. It all started a couple years ago. I was getting more and more calls from homeowners who needed decorating help but did not want or need full service interior design.
Often times, the client’s budget had nothing to do with it. Instead, many people told me they enjoy the process of decorating their own home. Or that their home was mostly finished but they needed a few loose ends tied up. That, plus wanting to have full control over both timeline and purchasing made a design consultation a better fit than full service design.
For me, there is something very fulfilling about a decorating consultation. I love solving a client’s decorating dilemma in a single session or a couple sessions spaced out over a period of time. Clients love that I share my design expertise with them but allow them to carry out the plan.
So what are the benefits of booking an interior design consultation?
1. An interior design consultation Saves Money
An interior design consultation will save you money because a designer can prevent you from making a costly mistake. I once had a client who was getting her home ready to put it on the market. She was planning a full kitchen reno because she was told a new kitchen would help sell her house.
During our consultation I advised her against a full reno because she would never get her investment back. A desirable kitchen is different for everyone. One buyer might have their heart set on white cabinets while another might think cherry cabinets are the bomb. Instead, I suggested she paint her 80’s oak cabinets to freshen them up. During the consult we chose a cabinet color that would go with her existing stone countertops, picked out new cabinet hardware and lighting. Those few changes made her kitchen much more appealing for resale without spending the $50K she was planning on.
The kitchen looked “presentable” and most likely the new owners would eventually want to redo it according to their own tastes. The end result? She spent 6K and her home sold in an overbid in less than a week.
Lesson: A designer will tell you the best investment of your decorating dollars.
2. An interior design consultation Saves Time
How often have you done the “buy and return” method of decorating? Or you drive from store to store and come home empty handed? Many of my clients spent years decorating that way until they called me in for a design consultation. Most times I can give them a guide to getting the room completed during the consultation. Shopping online with my extensive knowledge of venders, knowing what will be the proper scale and color will save hours of guessing time. It’s time to say goodbye to the hit and miss method of decorating.
Lesson: A designer will share their design expertise, resources and experience that took years of education to acquire.
3. An interior design consultation eliminates stress
A productive interior design consultation can take away the feelings of overwhelm and stress. Often times I get a call that the painter is coming next week and the client is stuck on which colors to choose. Or the contractor is pushing for decisions on cabinet style and finish selections ASAP. Recently I received a call from a seller who was about to list their home and needed staging help. I offer several consultations that will suit almost any need.
Lesson: Whether it’s a two hour consult or a Design Day I can swoop in and help take the stress away.
4. A consultation gives a new perspective
Homeowners don’t know what they don’t know. A designer can look at a design dilemma with a fresh perspective and offer solutions that the homeowner may never have considered. Recently during a consult I suggested a homeowner flip the location of their living room and dining room. The dining room was huge and 99% of the time it wasn’t used. Their living room however very small and constantly in use. Furniture, toys, a homework area and a large tv were all crammed into the too small space. The homeowner could never keep it organized and felt constant stress when she was in there. Simply by flipping the two rooms, the living room doubled in size and everyone was happy.
Lesson: Sometimes it’s impossible to see the forest through the trees when it comes to your own home.
5. A design consult can give you a plan for the moving forward
Have you recently moved to a new home and don’t know the best layout for the furniture? Are you planning to update your home but don’t know where to start? Do you have a home that feels unfinished because every room needs at least one or two things? A design consult can solve your design dilemmas and give you an action plan for moving forward.
Unlike full service design where you give all the purchasing power over to the designer, a consult gives you the power and control over your budget. During the consult, I give my clients a detailed list of what to buy, suggestions on where to buy it and what color and size to buy. They end up with a decorating plan, then can purchase on their terms while waiting for a sale or searching for the best deal. Implementation of the plan is in their hands not mine.
To find out more about my consultation services or to book an appointment click HERE
A consultation can be either in person or virtual. You can read about a couple virtual consults I have recently done HERE
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I think this is a fantastic idea, I so wish you were in Perthshire Scotland. We moved house 16 months ago to a new build. I wanted to keep a couple of pieces of tradItional furniture and I have struggled to mix old with new, appropriate soft furnishings and add colour. We wasted a lot of money trying different things and made some poor choices. Wish I had got advice early on from an interior designer, it would have saved us a wee fortune I am sure. Wishing you all the best and I look following to reading your progress. Thank you
Thank you Margaret, I think so many need this kind of service. Expert advice to get a plan for moving forward. Thank you for taking the time to both read and comment and best wishes for your new home.
Linda, you may not remember me but I was the lady from Scotland who was so very emotionally attached to my home (plus I had a castle as my view), we were down sizing. It was thanks to your inspiration and encouragement that we did finally moved… and everything you shared re getting rid of clutter and old belongings was so very honest and true. So I can’t thank you enough. My husband however bought one old kist back for my birthday hahaha…but it’s likely to go in the garage. Thank you, doesn’t even touch how you helped me.
Margaret from Scotland.
Oh wow! Margaret you just made my day. I absolutely do remember you know. So happy to hear you survived your downsizing. It’s going on three years for us now and other than wishing I had a bit more outside space (especially during Covid lockdown) I don’t have a single regret. I hope you feel the same way! Thank you again for reading and reaching out!
Brilliant article!
So true, so many client like the feeling of creating something of their own, but need a little guidance along the way.
Your clients are so lucky to have you to navigate all the choices and come up with something beautiful!
Thank you so much a Jil! It was such a tough decision to let go of full service design but my heart really is in the consults and helping lots and lots of people.
This post Linda is so relevant for tons of today’s homeowners for all the 5 reasons that you listed. I wish you major success as you meet the needs of so many that have no idea what to do but they want to do something. You will be the answer to these soon to be grateful homeowners.
Thank you so much Mitzi for such a kind comment.i so appreciate your continued support and encouragement. 😘