Why You May Not Want to Design Your Home On Your Own

Going It Alone?

One of my clients and her husband thought they were doing all the right things when they built their custom home. Yet, within a year of moving in, they called me in to fix problems that they didn’t anticipate. The thing is, it wasn’t their fault, so how does this happen? Read the inside scoop and discover what you need now to prevent this from happening to you.

The Problem

First, my client and her husband purchased a home built to their specifications by a builder specializing in new homes in her area. Having signed a contract with the builder, the couple continued to work with all of the builder's subcontractors and his recommended sources to finalize the look. These clients are busy professionals with a family. They excel at what they do, but they’ve never built a home of their own. Without sufficient time or experience, they simply took the advice of the builder and his recommended subcontractors, only to end up unhappy with the results.

The Solution

When I came on board, my client and her husband were thrilled. The problems occurred because they did not realize they lacked some important skills and knowledge they needed to design and decorate a home well. In order to do great design, you here’s what you need:

Exposure — It is very important to look and see how other people may have used the current materials to design a space. You gain inspiration, ideas, and awareness of what’s possible.
Know where to go — It takes a lot of time to learn what to look for and where, for the best price. Some stores and trade sources specialize in certain styles and others don’t offer the best options.
An eye for design — Everybody has taste, but not everyone knows how to pull a room together..
Education — With the proper design education, you learn about things that you may not have considered otherwise, such as good proportions for a space, rules and codes, and optimal color combinations..
Trend awareness — Even if you don’t like modern or contemporary furnishings and have a more traditional taste, it’s important to be aware of current trends and what is available. Otherwise, you might design a space that quickly grows outdated.

To alleviate these problems, it is best to work with an interior designer from the very beginning of a project. When hiring a designer, here’s how you benefit:

Save time — The designer takes the time to curate and choose options.
Save money — The designer has access to trade sources with discounts.
Prevent big mistakes — The designer has the education and experience to avoid mistakes people don’t even realize they’re making.
Be current — It is the designer’s job to be continually aware of what the current market offers.
Be unique and original — A good designer will offer options best suited to your lifestyle.