Custom Home Interior Designers- Why you need them and what to look for

Interior designers can save you time, sanity, and money, and create a beautiful space to top it off! In my never-ending pursuit of your peace of mind, I introduce to you the magic of the interior designer. 

The Interior Designer Relationship

Let’s first start by explaining how interior designers fit in the relationship with the client, architect, and builder. Chronologically, this is how it roughly plays out. The client approaches the builder with a complete (or near complete) set of plans drawn by an architect. The builder and client work hand in hand with the architect to finalize the plans. At this point, a contractual agreement is made between the client and builder over said plans, and construction begins. It is at this point that the interior designer is brought in – once a full set of plans are complete and no more structural changes will be made to the size/shape of the home.

A Really Good Interior Designer Described

What is an interior designer? Or better yet – what does a really good interior designer do?  I have had the pleasure of working with a couple of different designers over the years, and they are worth every penny.  Really good interior designers sit down with the client to get an overall feel for the kind of style they hope to achieve in their custom home (modern, rustic, boho, farmhouse, industrial, etc.). These designers will have established relationships with local vendors. They’ll take the client to showrooms to let them see and touch different materials to aid in making selections. A really good designer will have up-to-date design software that allows the client to (for example) see a simulation of their actual shower with their selected tile on the walls. I can’t emphasize enough the peace this provides for the client as they make their selections. They don’t have to hope and pray while they wait for the tile to be installed to see if they like it. Lastly, a really good interior designer should provide a detailed selections packet (signed by the client) to the builder for seamless communication.  Designers should be in the weeds with a lot of the decision-making. For example, if I, as the builder, am only told what tile is going on the bathroom shower walls – I am left with many unanswered questions. What color grout? What size is the grout thickness? In what pattern does the client want the tile laid? Is there a shampoo niche? If so, where and what does it look like?  How does the edge of the shower tile transition to the bathroom drywall? Is this transition completed with a bullnose tile or a metal trim? If metal – what color? Are you starting to get the idea? This amount of questions may seem ridiculous, but I doubt any client would prefer I attempt to read their mind. A really good interior designer would know what questions to ask and take the time to gain a full and complete understanding of what the client wants.

More Benefits of an Interior Designer

Further, an interior designer will keep your project on track with the selections schedule. This is where a designer really proves their time and money-saving value. Navigating lengthy lead times for materials requires that selections be made early and on schedule to ensure progress is not delayed. A common example is windows. Windows can take months to arrive on the job site, so windows are one of the first selections I require a client to submit. If a client fails to make a selection by the agreed-upon deadline, an extension ranging from days to weeks will be incurred along with a potential financial upcharge. But with an interior designer, you can rest easy and be at peace knowing that you are making all the right decisions at the right time.  

Additionally, an interior designer minimizes your likelihood of change orders. I mentioned earlier that a designer has software that allows you to visualize your selections prior to installation. This decreases the need for later changes resulting from not being satisfied with the look of your selections. Every change order automatically adds time and money to your project. 

A Design Selections List

It is worth noting that many of the great “interior” designers actually design both the interior and exterior components of the home.  Here is a list of all the selections you should expect your interior designer to help you make in your custom home:

EXTERIOR

• Windows

• Exterior Doors & Hardware

• Fiber Cement Siding

• Rock & Mortar

• Garage Door

• Stucco

• Lighting

• Roof Type & Color

INTERIOR

• Drywall Texture

• Paint Colors

• Trimwork

• Interior Doors & Hardware

• Cabinets & Hardware

• Countertops

• Fireplace

• Flooring (Wood, Tile, Carpet, etc.)

• Shower Tile

• Plumbing Fixtures

• Appliances

• Bath Hardware

• Mirrors

• Lighting

Are you convinced yet that you need an interior designer on your custom home-building team?