Many homeowners want to be more involved in the process and do some of the work themselves, while still wanting the assurance that they will get a great result. Here’s the good news. You can have your cake and eat it too.
What might be ideal for you is hiring a professional to prepare a design plan. Here’s what to know. A design plan includes all the information you’ll need to complete your project. This approach of providing a plan for dimensions and style notes is ideal if you love to shop for a bargain on the Internet or at a flea market, because it will give you clear direction on the pieces you need and will let you do the rest. That way you can begin acquiring pieces according to your schedule and as your budget allows. A design plan is a perfect way a designer can work with you if you are in another city. It’s also great for you if you’ve already started a decorating project by buying a few pieces and just can’t seem to get the room pulled together the way you want. Should you buy all new pieces? Not yet. A designer with a plan may be able to help you achieve the look you want with what you’ve got.
A Few Things Interior Designers Want You to Understand
Are you are handy with tools but don't have the aesthetic training to properly visualize how something should look or where it should be placed? A design plan can include drawings for millwork, built-in bookshelves or window seats. With a handy plan in hand, you can do everything else yourself. Likewise, if you are handy with a sewing machine, you can make a lot of the soft pieces yourself. Window coverings and bedding are surprisingly easy, for example.
What to Expect
A professional’s design plan will typically take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to finish, depending on the size of the project. You need to make sure you find an interior designer or a decorator who understands your vision and style, as well as one who you can trust and get along with. When you have a design plan in tact, here are a few ways it can benefit you along the design process:
- Plans for a bathroom might include tile selection, suggested fixtures, lighting and a color scheme.
- A great design plan for a kitchen could include materials, finishes and fixtures to make sure you get a unique look that relates to the rest of your home.
- For a living room, family room or bedroom, a design plan could include space planning, furniture advice, lighting options and a color scheme.
- A design plan can also provide space-saving strategies to use your home more efficiently or help you maximize your square footage in ways you may not have thought of.
What It Will Cost
A design plan is typically priced on a fixed-cost basis. The design fees are estimated by experience with projects comparable in scale and budget. Due take into consideration that professional practices will always vary.