Whether you need someone to help you with renovations or need professional advice on design in your current living space to suit your personal style, hiring an interior designer is the way to go. However, with so many interior design firms in Singapore, it may seem daunting to pick one for your renovation project. In this article, we will talk about the factors to consider and the key questions to ask before hiring an interior designer to transform your space.
Factors to Consider
Type of Project
Is it a design project? Is the interior designer looking at your existing space and giving you advice on how to improve the placement of the furniture you already own? Or is it a renovation project where you plan to completely revamp the space? Will you need a whole design team or not?
There are various design services available from an interior design company including consultation, space planning, concept development, interior decoration, lighting or furniture design, and colour consultation.
Type of Designer
Based on what type of design concept you want, various types of designers specialise in a specific style. There are residential interior designers, who design living spaces, and hospitality and retail designers, who design environments for hotels, restaurants, stores, and more. There are also commercial designers who are hired by businesses, schools, hospitals, and hotel chains.
Budget
How much are you willing to spend on the design project? Do you have enough money to cushion you from unforeseen hidden costs or are you on a tight budget? Are you willing to spend a little more to get experienced interior designers?
Having an experienced interior designer may be more expensive, but is safer in the long run because they are unlikely to avoid costly mistakes such as poor space planning, lack of attention to detail, and poor communication and project management. What to Look for in an Interior Designer
What to Look For – Key Questions
Qualifications
Do they have the correct qualifications? While decorating or redecorating does not require a special license, anything that involves construction does. Ensure that the design company has the required license or hires a contractor with the correct qualifications.
Style
What type of styles are they experienced in? Ask to see their online portfolios and see if they can provide client testimonials so you can read the reviews from previous clients. Do they have the ability to draw up architectural plans that reflect their artistic vision while also suiting their client’s preferred style?
Interpretation
Are they able to interpret what the client wants? People who do not have an artistic eye or background in interior design may not be able to visualise or express what they want. Can the interior designer figure out what their client wants based on vague descriptions and mood boards made from Pinterest images or magazines?
Experience
Are they good at managing the whole renovation process? Experienced interior designers will be able to handle any problems that arise during the renovation process and come up with creative solutions to keep things running smoothly.
Furthermore, experienced interior designers will most likely already have connections and working relationships with contractors, construction crews, and material suppliers, meaning they can get your services and materials at competitive rates.
Communication Skills
An interior designer has to have strong communication skills in order to bring their client’s vision to life. They are not only in charge of the design process but manage the whole project including hiring contractors to do the technical side of the renovation journey.
Interior designers need to communicate well with the contractors and the clients to achieve the client’s dream design while keeping the client’s budget in mind. If there’s low client involvement in the renovation process, the interior designer has to understand what the client wants to make informed decisions on their behalf.
Reliability
Can you trust the interior designer to plan according to your design style? Can they manage the whole project and stay on schedule to meet deadlines? Can they manage hiccups during the project, such as potential delays, and adjust accordingly to stay on track? Can they stay within your budget and fulfill their contractual obligations?
Transforming Your Space
When you decide to hire an interior designer, you should consider the size of the project to determine if it’s worth the cost to hire a professional. You can hire them for a design consultation to simply move furniture around to make the most out of awkward spaces or completely transform your space with renovations.
Once you’ve done your research on which interior designer to hire, make sure to have a clear and detailed contract in place. The contract should outline important things such as the scope of the project, budget and payment plan, and timeline.
