A brush with beauty can change your life but it always surprises me to learn that many people don’t think that hiring a designer is right for them. There are questions we get all the time from homeowners hesitant about working with a designer. I thought I would write a post about a few of them and clear things up.

Here goes…

Myths About Hiring a Designer

1. It’s too expensive

Well, let’s start here. If your budget is modest, can you really afford to make an expensive mistake?

Everyone’s budget is different. Not only that but everyone’s values around quality, longevity, and the goals they want to achieve are different. We get it! Many designers will offer a full ladder of service options (including us) ranging from full-service to one-time consultations, so there is one that is just right for you. Most homeowners find that hiring a designer actually SAVES them money because everything is done correctly, right from the start. Just the cost of one consultation often pays for itself when expensive mistakes are avoided. Have a peak at our different services to see what’s right for you. We always suggest you book a discovery call so we can guide you to the best value for your needs. The call is free, after all!

2. We Just Make Things Pretty

It’s all fluff! Anyone can make a room look pretty.

If that’s what you think then read on.

Designers are educated in everything from construction details (eg. how thick is a plumbing wall and what’s really holding the roof up) to how furniture is made and how to spot a piece that will last a lifetime, to space planning and how to fit the maximum number around the dinner table or kitchen island. Other fundamentals include lighting, textiles (manufacturing, testing and grading for different uses), colour specification, design history and understanding different styles (read: yours!). We make sure the undertones relate when you are selecting items for your home.

Designer's desktop with floor plan and measuring devices

3. We Design to Our Own Taste

Look, every designer has things they love and don’t care for. Having said that, the journey of exploring a new colour palette or style is what lights us up!

We love to help you define YOUR style. And when I say love, what I really mean is LOVE!! Sometimes I hear homeowners tell me that they are afraid their home has to look like photos you would find in a magazine or website. They may find them too formal or dressy, too traditional, too bold, not homey enough… the list goes on.

NOTHING could be farther from the truth. Every person’s taste is different. When I meet a homeowner whose taste is dramatically different than mine, or my past projects, that is super exciting for me. I love to work in a wide range of styles. That is the fun I signed up for in design school!

As my tagline says “we love art, colour, pattern, but most of all we love to be inspired by what YOU love!”

4. Anyone who is good with colour and knows what they like can do it!

We meet homeowners all the time who have a certain flare to achieve their own personal style – quite well. A natural talent for scale, balance, proportion, and colour sensibilities is a gift for some, an education for others. While you may know what you like, what we hear most often is that “we don’t know how to put it all together”. That knack takes experience.

Add to that our contacts, sources, and suppliers (many of them to-the-trade-only). They make it easy to set you on the right track for success. Our contacts can sometimes get your project in line ahead of many others and prioritize you over other homeowners. It’s simply a matter of having the right connections. When we work with our suppliers and loyally bring them repeat business, they have our backs when we need them the most for our full-service clients. Case in point, bathtubs are scarce right now (owing to the freeze in Texas and shut-down of the petrochemical refineries). My supplier got two bathtubs in and had hundreds of homeowners with outstanding orders. Guess who got a bathtub? My client!

5. We Make You Throw Everything Out and Start From Scratch

Gosh, nothing could be farther from the truth. Give me a homeowner with lots of “brown furniture” and legacy pieces and just watch my eyes light up! One of the first questions we ask when envisioning your new space is “what stays what goes?”. Your treasures lead the way, and we can work with what you’ve got if that is what you want. Often we can move things around and style a space differently and it makes a world of difference.

One of my favourite examples is the time a homeowner asked me if I could work her secretary desk (from her mother’s estate) into her modern/transitional home. Spoiler – there was a personal discovery, read on…

Hiring a designer is a great way to get professional input when you are making significant investments in your home. We think of it like insurance in a great outcome. Believe me, we have seen our fair share of projects where a designer was called in too late in the game. Finding the right person who fits well with you and offers a service that is right for your needs is easier to find now than ever.