Different Interior Design services explained.
Interior Design has no doubt seen a recent boom, with COVID-19 creating a shift towards enhancing our lifestyles within the home, and creating a greater need for multipurpose living and home office set ups. In addition to this, there’s been a huge increase in access to DIY home renovation tutorials across Instagram, TikTok and streaming services. With all this inspiration flooding our newsfeeds and all these resources at hand, the world is our oyster. That being said, not everyone feels comfortable taking the DIY approach. Some prefer to leave design, planning and implementation to the experts (your insurers definitely prefer you do, too!). So when it comes to hiring an Interior Designer, what are your options? How do we break down the services (or bundle them up) to fully understand what options are available to us, and which ones are best suited to what we are trying to achieve?
We’ve split out a list of interior design services that can undoubtedly be bundled and customised for any given project.
Interior Design Consultation
Image Source: Style Curator
An interior design consultation is a service where a professional interior designer meets with clients to discuss their design goals, preferences, and budget. During the consultation, the designer provides expert advice, ideas, and recommendations tailored to the client's needs. This service is ideal for those who need guidance and direction in their interior design project. Engagement with an Interior Designer can end there, or it can continue on to additional design and delivery services if you would like ongoing support.
Space Planning and Layout
Image Source: Contemporist
Space planning and layout services involve analysing and optimising the arrangement of furniture, fixtures, and other elements within a space to ensure efficient and functional use of the available area. A professional interior designer assesses the room dimensions, traffic flow, and specific requirements to create a well-designed layout that maximises space and enhances usability.
Colour Consultation
Image Credit: Architect Bogdan Ciocodeica in Bucharest via Azure Magazine
A colour consultation service helps clients select the right color schemes for their interior spaces. An interior designer considers factors such as room size, lighting, existing décor, and client preferences to recommend appropriate color palettes. This service ensures that the chosen colors harmonise with the overall design concept and create the desired atmosphere. From here, clients can take the advice and use it as a reference when sourcing their own paint, finishings and furniture, or they can appoint the Interior Designer to help with this as well.
Material and Finish Selection
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Material and finish selection services involve assisting clients in choosing suitable materials, textures, finishes, and surfaces for their interior design project. An interior designer considers factors like durability, functionality, aesthetics, and budget to provide recommendations on materials such as flooring, wall coverings, countertops, cabinetry, and more. This service helps clients achieve a cohesive and visually appealing look. To give you an example, different materials have different ratings in terms of their durability. It’s called the ‘Martindale score’ and tests the amount of literal rubbing each fabric can endure. The score helps to ascertain which fabrics are suitable for commercial use, regular domestic use (such as sofas or dining chairs) and which fabrics might only suitable for light interaction such as throw pillows and other soft furnishings. When hiring an interior designer for Material and Finish selection, a similar approach is applied to selecting counter tops, splashbacks, tiles and cabinetry.
Furniture and Décor Selection
Image Credit: Ruggable via Pop Sugar
Furniture and décor selection services focus on helping clients choose the right furniture pieces, accessories, and decorative items that align with their design style and preferences. An interior designer assists in sourcing and selecting furniture, lighting fixtures, artwork, rugs, and other décor elements to create a cohesive and visually pleasing space.
Lighting Design
Image Credit: The Somerset House
Lighting design services involve planning and selecting appropriate lighting fixtures and techniques to enhance the ambiance, functionality, and aesthetics of a space. An interior designer considers factors like natural light, artificial lighting needs, energy efficiency, and lighting control systems to create a well-balanced and visually appealing lighting scheme.
Custom Millwork and Cabinetry
Image Credit: Clapham Manor via West and Reid
Custom millwork and cabinetry services involve designing and creating bespoke storage solutions, built-in shelving, cabinetry, and other custom woodwork. An interior designer collaborates with skilled craftsmen to bring unique and functional design elements to life, tailored to the client's specific requirements and design vision.
Project Management
Image Credit: Bunker Interiors
Project management services are comprehensive solutions that oversee and coordinate all aspects of an interior design project. This includes budget management, sourcing contractors and suppliers, overseeing construction or installation, ensuring quality control, and handling timelines and deadlines. An interior designer acts as the point of contact, streamlining the project to ensure a smooth and successful outcome.
Still have questions?
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are unsure about what you need or how to go about carrying out your project goals!
