9 Signs You Need an Interior Designer

In today’s hectic world it’s not uncommon that getting around to decorating sometimes falls to the bottom of the “to do” list. Decorating takes time and energy. Sometimes it feels like just too much work to take on. Help might be the answer. So, if you’re struggling with defining and executing your interior design vision, here are 9 indicators that it may be time for you to ask an Interior Designer to assist you. 
 
1. When you moved in, you accepted the previous owner’s paint colors that don’t quite go with your things, yet you’re reluctant to make a decision on new paint colors.  

• Perhaps you don’t want to expend the energy required, or you’re afraid of making a bad color decision…so you think it’s good enough. A designer can help you make it your own and make it worlds better than good enough.

2. The rooms in your home don’t flow…the living room is red and Tuscan. The library is 1920’s Craftsman in navy and green. The kitchen all white and slick modern. The family room is mid-century modern with teak wood.  Oh my!  It’s like you’re at a museum and each room is from a different decorating era.   

• Even though each room may be picture perfect, the whole ensemble doesn’t have continuity.  Sometimes a curated eclectic look can be terrific, but it needs to blend disparate things in the same room, and it all must flow together so that moving from room to room becomes an experience, a hunt for treasure, not a jarring set of transitions. You don’t want your guests to wonder as they go through the rooms, “Where are we now, Toto?”  A designer can help bring order and flow throughout your space.

 
3. There is no artwork on your walls because….you just don’t own any! 

• If you haven’t dedicated any time to buying art, or you don’t have a confident point-of-view on art style, or you are afraid to commit to liking something well enough to hang it on your wall - perhaps you need assistance. An interior designer can help you out of your art shell by taking you to an art museum to see what moves you, introducing you to galleries and artists, and generally help you find your inspiration.  Artwork is extremely important to interior design, but it’s personal, so you have to give your designer some clues.

4. You’re 35 and you don’t have a proper bed and headboard.   Your mattresses are on the floor, and frankly, it’s getting harder and harder on your knees to get out of bed.  

• This might indicate that you put your kids and/or job first and think of yourself last.  Your friends have beds, right?  A designer can help you create a bedroom retreat complete with an actual bedframe and headboard and it will enhance your life - better rest and better mindset!

5. You have totally bare windows in every room of your house…and/or your neighbors are making snarky remarks at the neighborhood holiday party about the “wink, wink” need for shades.  

• Perhaps you have put off window treatments to the last, because you perceive them as only functional.  Well, not every window needs a window treatment, but about half do, especially in rooms that feel cold, have a lot of hard surfaces, and need light control.  A designer can help show you how window treatments can enhance the décor, make it feel finished and fresh, introduce pattern and color, protect the wood and furniture, let you sleep at any time of the day, and make the neighbors talk about somebody else!

6. The pillows on your sofa all came with the sofa…years ago.  

• Maybe you haven’t felt bold enough to change out the pillows because you still think of the pillows and sofa as a “matched set.”  Please be bold!  It’s probably time to get new pillow inserts too, and you should probably get larger pillows than the itty bitty ones sofas usually come with.  At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical designer, pillows do pack a lot of design punch for a small price, so let your designer use this not-so-secret weapon!

7. You have a few “costly mistakes” around your house, probably ordered from a catalog company, and they are likely too big, too small, or too tall for your space.  

• Lots of people find that envisioning furniture from a showroom or catalog in their space is just plain old HARD. A designer can help set you on a path that avoids costly purchases that just don’t fit.

8. You and your partner can’t agree on anything, decorating-wise.  

• Perhaps you need a mediator…a designer who can be part magician and part psychologist.  Let’s face it, most couples don’t agree on everything to do with decorating.  A designer can listen and recommend options that reveal the common ground.   A designer wants both of you to love the space!

9. You need a wider reach than the same old stores and catalogs like Pottery Barn, Frontgate, West Elm, Serena and Lily, Crate and Barrel, Wisteria, Ballard, CB2, Rejuvenation, and Restoration Hardware.  

• You’ve searched well and deep on your own, but you’re not finding what you are looking for.  Yep, I get all those catalogs too. In fact I often order pieces from these mainstream sources because they are generally well made and reasonable in price. My clients like and know the brands, and the vendors frequently introduce new things.  Despite the fact that your browsing sessions on these furniture websites generate pop up ads that indicate you have searched literally everywhere, there are in fact OTHER furniture, lighting, and accessory sources out there that only your designer can get you access to.  Yes, your designer has lots of other “to-the-trade” vendors that you would never know about.  And some of these vendors have terrific websites that let everyone browse around (that’s the norm these days), so you can see what’s out there – even if you need a designer to actually purchase it for you.

It all sounds pretty bleak and time consuming – doesn’t it? Rest assured, in the larger scheme of things, the time that you spend decorating will pale in comparison to the time that your decorating results will last and the enjoyment that you will receive from them. So, all is not lost. To inspire you to reach for a beautiful coherent design for your home, here are some photos of period rooms from museums we have visited during our travels. They illustrate how some elements of design are timeless, no matter the era or style.

First, two photos I took at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, Sweden…land of Ikea and mid-century modern.  The photos show a 1974 living room in Sweden. (Gee, some of these design elements are still pretty popular.)  The second photo has a caption detailing the design elements for this 1970’s interior (thankfully in English on the bottom).

​Next, some Art Deco rooms at the Musee D’Orsay in Paris France:

​And some period French interiors (from the Louis XVI period) at the Louvre in Paris, France:

​And finally, a dining room from the summer palace of Catherine the Great outside Saint Petersburg, Russia.

We’ve completed our quick review of the 9 telltale signs that it’s time for you think about calling an Interior Designer and put your decorating project onto the front burner (with a little inspiration thrown in to keep you motivated).  

​So let me ask you, isn’t it time for you to get that decorating project that’s been on your list for a while done and get it done right?  If you are struggling with any of these issues, give me a call. I can help!