Welcome to our HABITATIOUS blog series! It's been a while, but I'm excited for us to get back into the swing of sharing trends, tips, and unique design perspectives from me and my team at ULAH Interiors + Design. We thought it'd be good to kick things off discussing "The Value of Hiring an Interior Designer". We hope you'll follow along with us this year as we continue to discover and share new ways to Dress Your Habitat! - Buck Wimberly
While interior design services are an added expense to your home renovation project, hiring a skilled designer can actually save you money and headaches in the long run. The price of hiring an interior designer or a design firm will usually cost less than the cost to correct design mistakes. Our team at ULAH Interiors + Design is made up of "dot connectors" who tap into of our wealth of knowledge and relationships — across different platforms and disciplines — to create a vision and bring it to life. In this blog post, we will go over the benefits of hiring a designer for your interior design and home improvement projects.
EMPATHY DRIVEN DESIGN
I consider myself a "Highly Empathetic Person". When working on my MA in Design Management, this is something I learned to really tap into after discovering its power. Designers who use empathy in their problem solving with clients are able to build a deeper sense of trust with their clients, and are solving for needs that go much deeper than just form or function. When we go deeper than the esthetics and really pay attention to the dynamics of the household, we find that we can help create really meaningful solutions. We love hearing back from clients how much they enjoy their space — because we helped create the stage for more positive family interactions by understanding the needs of each individual as well as the whole group.
INCREASED RESALE VALUE OF HOME
If you are looking to increase the resale value of your home, hiring an interior designer can be a great way to go. Great and ethical designers will help guide you by pointing out the places where — and not where — to spend money based on the value that you'd get back when selling the home. Many designers can also provide guidance on how best to use the space in your home so it looks and functions at its best for the types of potential buyers who will be looking at your home. At ULAH Interiors + Design, we often partner with real estate agents — through our own connections or through the clients — to design a home that potential buyers will find appealing and worth investing in.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH CONTRACTOR
Interior designers can act as advocates to your contractor. Many homeowners don't feel comfortable bringing up concerns to contractors, or may be intimidated by the language and the process. At ULAH Interiors + Design, we aim to make sure everything is being built according to plan, while communicating your needs and preferences. We approach the project with a more holistic perspective, often foreseeing potential construction or fabrication limitations —designing spaces with the spatial needs of potential furniture pieces, or custom design elements. For example, the average homeowner may not think about where overhead lighting or outlets should be placed relative to their furniture. We think through all of the visual and functional fine details in our planning process.
ACCESS TO A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
By leveraging the knowledge and expertise in their vast network of professional contacts, interior designers can provide clients with access to resources that they may not have otherwise. From fabric suppliers to furniture makers, ULAH Interiors + Design's network of resources contributes to bringing our clients' spaces to life. We gravitate towards the partners who keep the process as seamless and positive as possible for our clients. When clients are happy, we're happy!
How are you feeling about your habitat? Is the flow just not working? Do you need more spaces to congregate — or a retreat to be alone — or both? Are you and a partner merging households? Do you want to feel more at peace in your space? Let's chat!
Stay tuned for more blog posts, where we'll dive deeper into each of these topics and more!
