Looking for an interior decorator for your home?
As an interior design professional for the last 7 years, one thing I observed is most people get trapped by fake people, carpenters, and so-called professionals who know nothing about interior design.
And the outcome is pouring so much money into home decor and getting things not as expected.
Isn’t it?
But why so?
The real reason lies within us!
Yes, you read it right. I can tell you why?
It’s important to exercise caution when choosing someone to design your home interior, and not simply go by what others say.
Selecting an interior decorator
Mistakes you should avoid when selecting an interior decorator
I can tell you from my experience from the last couple of years as an owner of an interior designing firm called “Gruha Pravesh” that selecting an interior decorator for your home is a difficult task. Designing your dream home requires a lot of your hard-earned money and time. And all the things depend upon one person, the interior decorator. It may be good or bad, after all, you have your life to spend.
Hence it all depends on how you select a person or an interior design firm and avoid the mistakes we often do when selecting an interior decorator.
The article is about that and we are going to discuss the 10 mistakes we should avoid when selecting an interior decorator.
1-Not having basic knowledge
Many people don’t have a basic knowledge of interior design. Hence they depend upon others entirely. Hence they are convinced by someone even if the person is not good at home decor things. Knowing certain things helps you in decision-making. knowing things like the price, basic products, fittings, and labor charge help you plan properly when selecting an interior designer.
2-Not planning properly
You should definitely know how to plan for your home interior. There are certain things you should plan early and clearly. A proper plan can save you money and time. There are many things you can plan before the construction of your house. So you should select an interior decorator who can help you with basic planning from the early stage. If you think the designer is unable to plan properly the primary things then he or she may not fit the entire task.
3-Not deciding the budget
One thing you should be clear about from day-1 is your budget or it may go out of your hand at the last phase of your work. You can take a rough estimate from the interior decorators you are considering before deciding on someone for your work. Be clear about the pricing of various designs and furniture they offer. It may help you decide the one whose price point is pretty similar to your budget.
4-Not clear about the theme and design
Interior design is a mix of various complex things and the mixture of all these give you the look you want and must have symmetric. Before designing you should have a clear picture in mind like How is your bedroom or living room going to look and how you plan your furniture accordingly?
You should know about the theme, color, and design of various pieces of furniture so that the whole design is not going for a mess. Check, if they completely understand you and help you with it or not before deciding on someone. If it’s ok then you can ask for a 3D layout of the entire design from the interior decorator.
5-Judging a book by its cover
Do you ever hear the saying “never judge a book by its cover“? If, yes then do not go for the same mistake. Ask a lot of questions and tell your interior designer about everything you need or want to add to Your home. Discuss with them clearly ask them about their inputs and check if the designer is convincing or not.
Similarly don’t judge someone by the big and beautiful displays they have. Particularly these days there are many players who have big display units to showcase their clients (even though it’s not a bad thing to display the designs at all) and charge a whooping amount from you. But what I observed is the material they use(as most people don’t know) with this price point is not quite ok.
6-Not thinking clearly
Think clearly before judging an interior decorator. Don’t be judgemental and make any decisions in a hurry. It’s ok if you don’t like something about the designer. Think once before rejecting any ideas. Give the decorator a chance to explain you. What you think may not be correct always. But ensure he or she is not forcing you with any suggestions or ideas.
7-Not ensuring the Experience of the interior decorator
May it be an interior designing firm, architect, or interior designer, not considering their experience may turn into a disaster. They may tell you many things but knowing things and designing something is very different, like a good coach may not be a good player.
Take a look at their previous projects, and ask them for some photos or videos, share them with your family members before deciding on an interior decorator.
8-Not selecting one according to the budget
Look, the cost of interior design depends on many things, like material, finishing, and design. You have to decide what you want to do according to your budget. Select the firm or interior designer according to the amount of work you want to do.
There are firms that are only doing premium projects and there are firms doing economical projects too. There are firms too who are involved in modular furniture making only. So, you have to decide on the basis of your needs. If you want to spend less money then do not prefer the premium ones and if you want to make only modular furniture then you can prefer accordingly.
9-Listening to many
Listening to many people creates confusion rather than gaining knowledge. Asking certain things to certain people is ok but taking professional ideas from people who don’t have proper knowledge about interior design is worthless.
One thing I observed is, people like carpenters, some so-called interior decorators, and some contractors mislead people for some financial gain. I have seen some even trapped by them and the thing leads to some unpleasant results.
If you want to know about anything regarding your home decor, then take the help of the experts in this field and try to research your own.
10-Not doing the required research
Look, research is very important. Knowing the market price around you, and basic product knowledge like plywood, finishing materials, and fittings is necessary to judge the cost that an interior decorator provides you.
For that, you can take the help of various online magazines like this one and can explore the market around you. There are many social media platforms you can consider.
11-Not making a contract
Don’t make a mistake at last. Once you decided on someone, ask them for a detailed contract. Things you discussed are may worthless without a contract. Check once if they mention all the things like material details, price of various things, design, payment structure, and most importantly the work timeline. If you take my advice do not get involved with any decorator without a contract. It is beneficial for both parties.
Conclusion
I am not telling you to judge so many people or be extremely choosy. You just have to make decisions to invest your hard-earned money with someone worthy. You may live with your interior for a lifetime. Hence making it beautiful and designing it according to your need and requirement is not acceptable.
What is the difference between interior designers and interior decorators?
Interior designers are certified professionals and are required to design a property, whereas interior decorators may be an owner of an interior design firm without being certified professionally. You can say that interior decorators implement the designs.
How to find an interior decorator on a budget?
There are various interior design firms, that provide services for every budget. You just need to explore your nearest market and discuss your requirements and budget with a couple of firms. You can choose one of them who fits your bill.
What to expect from an interior designer?
The first thing you expect is their expertise. You need them because you can do the same on your own. Also, check if they understand your requirements or not within the budget you have.
Hope this article helps you to design your home better. For any query please reach us in the below comment section.
