You might be wondering exactly what an interior designer does, and you’re possibly confused about the different types of interior experts on offer too. Here’s a quick guide to help you determine what type of pro you need for your next home project.

SF Studio provides you with space plans, product lists, moodboards and technical drawings.

What does an interior designer do?

Clients usually partner with architects and builders to help develop floor plans, house plans, technical drawings, electrical and plumbing plans. But that still leaves the entire interior to contend with and anyone who has lived through a reno knows how many decisions are required to be made on the daily! Ideally, clients hire us at the beginning of a construction project. This is because we do space planning and floorplans, and choose all your cabinetry, flooring, moldings, lighting and benchtops. Architects, builders, plumbers and electricians need all this technical information early so they can prepare the spaces accordingly (imagine falling in love with your perfect tile only to find the thickness doesn’t work as your floor height has been set at a different level). So our favourite and most successful kinds of projects are when we can work closely with the building team from the beginning to get you the best result.

When should you hire an interior designer?

When you move in to a new home that needs updating
Moving house is stressful enough, let alone getting a handle on what to keep, improve or completely update. A designer will look at the home in a logical, practical way and suggest a big-picture plan you can execute immediately or work towards. They’ll give an overall recommendation on floorplan, colour scheme, elements to keep and change, as well as pieces to keep and others to buy.

When you’re renovating or building (big or small)
If you’ve renovated or built you know how many decisions need to be made daily — hello decision overload! Enlisting the help of a designer early means they can suggest functional changes like floorplan improvements and opportunities for built-in storage, but also ensure every decision along the way honours the final design aesthetic. They can work with trades along the way, saving you time, money and confusion (have you seen how many tile choices there are?).

If you want a whole new look
Ever looked around your home and decided you want to ditch the jumble of furniture styles, saggy cushions and eclectic art and start over? Many of us have been there, and while for some it’s a symptom of lockdown fatigue that passes, for others refurnishing is a dream come true. In this case a designer will plan an overall style and colour palette, then suggest window treatments, lighting, furniture, art and accessories that will make you feel like you’ve got a whole new home (minus the stressful reno).

If you’re short on time, patience and the ability to visualise
Designers have an innate sense of what will work for you and your home, know every product on the market, have the trade contacts to get work done right, and get discounts with suppliers. You’ll feel like you’ve found a Fairy Godmother for your home.

What will they do?

Most designers work in phases similar to the below:

Briefing: gathering information on you and the project.

Space planning: analyzing how space in structures and rooms will be used.

Concept design: developing and presenting overall design concepts.

Detail design: Selecting products, obtaining costs, confirming trades.

Documentation: Translating approved concepts into workable plans.

Construction: Overseeing any works required.

Execution: Final install and styling the final look.

How long will they take?

Time frames vary depending on the project, but a medium-sized home would take four to six months for briefing, concept and detail design and documentation phases, with construction and execution time varying depending on the scope.

What do they charge?

Interior designers most commonly charge in the following ways.

Package fees for set services like e-design and consultations: For example, they might charge $800 for a single-room design package including a mood board, layout and shopping list.
An hourly rate: This is usually around $80–$200 per hour and is the most commonly used fee structure.
A percentage of the entire interior design budget for the project: This fee is usually 10–15 per cent. This way of charging works well on large or commercial projects that can span years, making hours difficult to track.
A set fee mutually agreed between client and designer: This works well for jobs with a clear scope and timeframe, but can lose designers money if they’re not accurate at predicting hours.
A set fee for certain stages: like concept and detailed design, then an hourly rate for other phases like project management.

What other types of interior experts are there?

Interior architect
Provides concepts and architectural drawings for the overall building (you cannot use the term architect unless you have registration in New Zealand).

Interior decorator
Selects non-structural elements including paint colours, light fittings, window treatments, wall coverings, soft furnishings, furniture, art and objects.

Stylist
Works with the client’s existing pieces, editing them into beautiful arrangements and sometimes suggesting what to keep and buy.

If you’ve read over the above and decided an interior designer is the person for you then let’s talk! I love going on a collaborative journey with my clients to achieve their dream result, so if you have an upcoming project but don’t quite know where to start, get in touch today to discuss the best potential options for you.