When to Hire an Interior Designer — Interior Designer in Appleton, the Fox Cities, and Wisconsin

As a general rule: as soon as possible. Before you begin a project, decide whether an interior designer is right for you.

For a Remodel or Refresh:

It is really common that a client will get ahead of themselves, a little excited, and will go out and select something, like their carpet thinking, “I’ll just pick something neutral…”

<<Sigh>>

Neutrals are rarely truly neutral. They will always lean towards being warmer or cooler, or have certain undertones that inevitably eliminate the use of a broad swath of colors.

Sometimes they find the perfect sofa (and it’s even on sale!)

…And the fabric clashes with the carpet…

It’s heartbreaking.

A beautiful and cohesive room is not planned one piece at a time. It comes from a network of items that are selected to play off one another. Each piece needs to work to uphold the intent of the design.

Of course, there will always be items that a designer needs to work into a space. Whether that be a family heirloom, a piece of furniture you love and can’t part with, or that carpet you had installed before you decided to hire a designer. Rarely is there a room that is a truly blank canvas.

Bring in a designer early. Lay out your non-negotiable heirlooms (or that chair that was too good to be true). Be upfront about this so she is able to adjust her color scheme, or plan the footprint around that item.

For New Construction.

This is doubly true for new construction. In the best-designed new construction, the interior designer is brought on early as part of a team. She is there for the planning, and able to work as a liason between the client and (sometimes stubborn) contractors.

A designer looks at a plan differently than a builder or architect. When I look at a new build, I immediately start laying out furniture, determining where a tv will go, and calculating the size of dining table a family will need (or not need!). Then I determine if I have enough space to allow for safe and comfortable walkways, logical traffic patterns, etc.

Consider Every Inch

It’s not enough to look at a plan and like it. *Liking* a plan and having a *functioning* plan are two very different things.

I ask questions about your lifestyle so that I can determine the best way to divide a space. Are you an avid cook? Maybe a larger island with generous walkways. Are you a baker? Maybe you want a steam oven that requires a water line. Do you work from home? What size desk do you want? Do you have file cabinets? A credenza? Do you want to be near your family to keep an eye on young children, or do you want to be separated from them in a quiet area of the home? Is there a young or elderly family member to consider? Is this home your forever home, or is it a stepping stone on your way there?

These are just a sampling of questions that a good designer will ask and think about in the case of a new build. Yes, she will be there to help select a tile for your backsplash, but before you ever look at a swatch, there is crucial work to be done.

Once the walls are framed and finished, it becomes much more difficult (and MUCH more expensive) to go back and add electrical for those sconces, find a smaller desk because there isn’t enough space to safely move around the one you bought, or anywhere to store your collection of vintage holiday decor.

The secret to a home that perfectly fits an individual family is not in the selection of stone for the facade, or the perfect LVP. It starts with copious planning and careful consideration of each space. That starts as early as possible.