As a First-Time Home Buyer, Should I Hire an Interior Designer?
Anyone fitting out a new home has likely considered whether it’s better to hire a professional to design the interiors of their new space or to take that task on themselves. Hiring an interior designer brings unquestionable value to making a home uniquely functional and comfortable, but it does bring into question if it’s worth the cost. Luckily, the burgeoning world of online freelancing platforms offers a new method for homeowners to engage with freelance interior designers that makes even a modest investment worth the expense.
What Can an Interior Designer Do?
In general, an interior designer’s role in a home design project is to conceive of one or more possibilities for the layout, look, and feel of an interior space, then communicate their ideas with images such as 3D renderings, technical drawings, or material lists. Most importantly, they design spaces to satisfy both the functional requirements and aesthetic tastes of their clients. If done well, their experience and training leads to a more detailed, refined, and well-implemented design than a homeowner taking a do-it-yourself approach.
Interior rendering by Fiverr seller @dutchbydesign
Responsibility-wise, interior designers are often tasked with both selecting products and devising layouts for surface finish materials, lighting fixtures, furniture, cabinetry, and other furnishings. They can also oversee a contractor who’s building their designs, or advise a homeowner that’s installing them on their own. Their exact responsibilities vary by the needs of a project, but they can grow or be limited to include any aspect of how the interior of a home, or even just a single room, is designed.
Hiring an interior designer brings many practical benefits to a home design project. Their expertise allows them to spot problematic decisions before they’re implemented, saving time and money on mistakes. They’re also likely able to use their professional connections to get the best price on any fixtures, furniture, or furnishings needed for the project. Most importantly, their services free up a homeowner from taking the time to come up with a design, determine if it will actually work, and fret over numerous minor details in the process.
Why Hire a Freelance Interior Designer?
Many great, small-scale interior design firms and solo practitioners can provide services within many homeowner’s budgets. However, the best value is found by hiring a freelance interior designer through an online platform, such as Fiverr. The development of online freelancing platforms in recent years has allowed freelance interior designers to operate virtually while offering their services in discrete, pre-packaged bundles. This allows them to perform their services at much lower rates than conventional professional arrangements due to lower overhead costs and the elimination of a great deal of up-front negotiation.
Interior rendering by Fiverr seller @mmjhbaig
Anyone pursuing this approach to home design would definitely benefit from considering what deliverables they expect from a freelance interior designer before reaching out to one. An interior designer’s work products are often produced cumulatively as a project progresses, and what’s needed depends on the scope of the project and a homeowner’s budget. A typical workflow could incorporate any combination of items including an introductory consultation or conceptual direction-setter, such as a mood board, before moving on to detailed floor plans, elevations, or renderings.
If a homeowner is hiring a contractor to build their new space, they should ensure any plans an interior designer creates are detailed enough for their contractor to build from. In this case, it may be best to arrange a meeting between the designer and the contractor, or even a series of check-ins throughout the project’s construction. Many freelance interior designers offer this service virtually, although for relatively simple projects it may not be necessary, so it’s best to verify in advance what each party feels they need from the other to best complete their portion of the work.
How to Hire a Freelance Interior Designer
The easiest way to hire a freelance interior designer is through an online platform. With a dedicated Architecture & Interior Design store, Fiverr leads the way in this approach. A homeowner searching for an interior designer can filter their search on Fiverr by the type of deliverable, set of services, budget range, or seller characteristics they’re looking for, leading to a match far quicker than relying on recommendations from friends, family, or local industry groups.
Most talents on Fiverr break their work packages into three graduated levels of service, with price and other items like turnaround time, number of revisions, and final deliverables clearly identified. Specific details are agreed upon through direct communication before an assignment begins, and many freelance interior designers are open to discussing custom combinations of services, or even more complex work beyond their boilerplate packages.
Ready to find the perfect interior designer for your project? Head over to Fiverr’s Architecture & Interior Design store and check out the vast range of budget-friendly professional interior design services at your disposal.
