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Many
of us read design magazines and admire the beautifully
appointed homes displayed in their pages, yet
we are hesitant to hire an interior designer for
our own homes. The idea of employing a professional
to select furniture and finishes, carpets, curtains
and colors seems like not only an extravagance
but also an admission that you don’t trust
your own taste. What we often fail to realize
is that a professional interior designer brings
a level of expertise to a home that most of us
don’t possess; for example, you certainly
wouldn’t try to be your own doctor.
Many
would-be clients are fearful that a professionally
decorated home will look impersonal; they fail
to realize that an experienced designer will always
strive to tap into and express a client’s
personality and tastes.
It’s
hard to be objective about your own space; it’s
like having many pieces of a puzzle jumbled up
before you. A designer is able to imagine what
the final picture will look like. A good designer
will bring a clear sense of color, proportion
and line to a home; he or she will be able to
envisage what rooms will look like with furniture
and know whether removing a wall or adding a bookcase
will improve the space. Because these skills are
applied to the whole project, and the designer
is able to hold together these different ideas,
a sense of continuity is established in the home.
One
of the most important elements that designers
bring to a project is their familiarity with the
process of creating a livable space. They know
in which order decisions need to be made regarding
lighting, wiring, plumbing, fabrics, and furniture
and can actually help to avoid unnecessary expenditures
by making sure that needs are met and no errors
are made along the way. Their knowledge of scale
and proportion can also help to avoid erroneous
purchases.
Another
important reason to use designers is their extremely
broad range of sources. Designers have access
to the finest fabrics and furnishings, much of
which are not available on the retail market.
And, designers have access to artisans and craftspeople
that can custom-make items to suit the customer’s
specific needs.
In
addition to the extensive access to and knowledge
of the materials that go into furnishing a house,
professional designers also have established connections
to a team of builders, upholsterers, electricians,
plumbers and carpenters. This can have major advantages
for a homeowner because these professionals have
an interest in getting the job done well if they
are to retain their ongoing relationship with
the designer.
If
you are still uncertain, ask yourself this question:
Can you afford NOT to have a designer?
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