Earlier this month, we posted a quick guide to the questions you should ask when hiring your interior designer. Since then, we’ve received a lot of great feedback on the post and on social media. One topic, however, continues to linger in everyone’s minds: are interior design costs really worth it?

Laura’s answer to that is a resounding “yes!” And she says this not only as a designer, but as someone who has renovated several of her own homes. For most of us, we approach a home remodel for a few key reasons:

• Improved flow (e.g., an open-concept first floor)
• Upgraded function (e.g., a finished basement for the kids)
• Better aesthetics (e.g., installing custom woodwork or mosaic tile)
• Updated style (e.g., the curvy staircase is out!)

An interior designer will help you achieve all of these, while at the same time increasing your home’s resale value to its maximum. A true win/win.

While we focus on full-home projects at Laura U Design Collective, we believe interior design is worth the investment at any budget. With our expertise, trade network, access to savings, and budget knowledge, an interior designer will help you achieve your dream home goals.

What is the Cost of Hiring an Interior Designer?

The cost of hiring an interior designer varies and depends on where you are and what services you need. In the United States, you can estimate anywhere from $100-$200 per hour, with projects averaging $5,200 nationwide (not including furniture). As you’re evaluating interior design costs, consider whether you need an interior decorator or an interior designer for your project. While these terms are often used interchangeably, and we go by either one, many people in the industry make distinctions.

An interior decorator might be best for your project if you’re looking to make cosmetic updates (e.g., changing paint colors or updating window treatments). They may be more hands-on if you’re hoping to shop with your designer or if you’re looking to work on a more consulatative basis. If you want to make structural changes, customize millwork, move walls, and include custom furnishings in your design, you’ll want to work with an interior designer. Make sure to ask your designer if they are certified, what their specialties are, and what their favorite projects entail.

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Can working with an Interior Designer Actually save Money?

Many homeowners are flooded with DIY success stories and the fast turnarounds shown on HGTV. While small projects can be handled on your own, if you have the time and the motivation, designing your entire home takes the experts. You have to consider how much time it would take to select furniture, purchase it, track it, inspect it upon delivery, and then install it in just the right spot. And that’s just a small portion of what a full design project would entail!

A professional interior designer will save you time, money, and energy in the long run. And that’s at any budget.

1 – Budget Savings

With our experience in project management and knowledge of product costs, interior designers help you create the right budget from the very beginning. Setting clear expectations is the starting point to design success. You may find out that you were budgeting far too much or alternatively, far too little. That initial consultation may save you from heading toward a project you aren’t ready to approach. On the other hand, an interior designer will keep your actual costs from spiraling out of control. Being certain from the start is crucial.

If you are moving forward with a design, working with an interior designer can actually save you money. As our client, you will receive insider access to the interior design world. We have trade discounts, partners in moving and shipping, and the inside scoop on material costs that we share with you. With exclusive access to certain vendors, an interior designer will give you reduced pricing on items you won’t find in a retail environment.

In the luxury space, where we practice, we help our clients know when to splurge on that exceptional piece for the room. We bring these pieces to you and make recommendations.

If we’re out of budget, we know who to recommend you to that is IN your budget. This saves you money and ensures you’re working with the interior designer best suited to bring your interior design dreams to life.

2 – Time Savings

Time is a big factor in any interior design project. Depending on the size and scope, it can take anywhere from a few months to years to complete. Our projects can take 6 months (furnishings only) or they can take 2 years (new construction). Many homeowners cannot devote this much time to managing a project successfully. It’s a full-time job!

And our clients are busy. They own businesses, love to travel, have families, and desire some self-care in between. We handle the entire process for you, so you can focus on the other things happening in your life. Having a professional manage your interior design project saves you time because you’re not working on it. Imagine the effortlessness of having a talented team by your side every step of the way, managing every detail, big and small.

If you’re building a new, custom home, you can expect to spend over a year in construction. But if you know anything about building new or remodeling, these timelines are always subject to change. And that time usually equals to more money spent with check-ins and site visits. While we can’t always prevent every delay, we do work as efficiently as possible to keep your project on schedule. Many times throughout the project, we will pause our billing as we await next steps. However, we will continue to keep you updated, allowing you to be as hands-on or hands-off as you’d prefer.

Our procurement team may spend an entire week ordering items for the entire home. This happens after several weeks of iterative design development. Many more weeks are spent facilitating the custom furnishings receipt and delivery. If you love your life and hope to stay sane, it’s best to work with a design team.

3 – Sanity Savings

One of the biggest challenges of a new construction or renovation project is communication. If we’re working on a new construction or renovation, we liaise with the build team and architect for you. You don’t have to worry about things falling through the cracks or wonder if information is being communicated to the right people.

Having your interior designer be in control and be the “go-to” person allows problems to be caught before they turn into costly mistakes. We work to address any issues quickly and efficiently which helps to keep the project on track. Being able to cut down on labor costs and prevent mistakes saves money and ensures you don’t go over budget.

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How do Interior Designers Price their Services?

If you decide to hire an interior designer, it’s important to understand how they charge for their services. There are four common types of interior design cost structures designers use.

• Cost Plus – Designers use this structure when they’re purchasing products for their clients. The client’s bill includes the items purchased plus the designer’s service fee. This is also called Markup Pricing.
• Fixed Rate – This single amount charged to the client covers all the work, materials, and other expenses involved in completing the project. Fixed rates are often percentages of the total project cost. For example, let’s say you’re building and furnishing a new home. The value of the new home with furniture is estimated at $3million. A designer working on a fixed rate (or sometimes called, percentage of construction) may charge anywhere from 5-15% of the total cost, or in this case $150k-$450k.
• Hourly Rate – For simple, smaller projects, it’s common for designers to charge an hourly rate. Most interior designers will charge hourly for their time. You will receive a monthly invoice detailing how time was spent, giving you clarity on your investment.
• By the Square Foot – This cost structure charges clients a flat rate based on the size of the property. For example, you may find some designers who charge anywhere from $100-$400 per square foot of designed space.

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Working with a virtual interior design service

Online design services are great options for smaller projects and quick design help. Prior to the pandemic, homeowners had many options, from Decorist to Homepolish to Modsy. However, since then, all of these companies have either dissolved or been absorbed by a homebuilder, as in the case of Modsy.

Here’s what you need to know about the most popular online design services availble today:

DECORILLA

Decorilla is wonderful because this platform allows you to work with a real interior designer. In fact, you can receive multiple designs from different designers before selecting your favorite. Once you’ve submitted your feedback, they’ll send you the final design and a list of everything you need to bring your design to life. This way, you can purchase on your own, using Decorilla’s discounts with preferred vendors.

Pricing begins at $549 for designs, including 3D renderings. When compared to traditional design, this is a very affordable option!

HAVENLY

If you want a quick consultation or to design a room from scratch, Havenly can help. They offer three different services to give you the design assistance you need. You start the process by uploading photos of your room and completing a survey about your personal style. Then a designer will schedule a meeting to talk more about your style and what you’re looking for. Five business days later, you’ll be sent two design concepts. After revisions, the designer will send you the final design, and you can start shopping!

All the items in the design are put into your shopping cart, and then you decide which ones you want to buy. Once you make your decision, their team places the order and sets up the delivery. Having someone help coordinate the installation logistics is super helpful! I recommend this service for many of our potential clients with smaller projects.

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Interior Design Costs at Laura U Design Collective

We specialize in full-service, full-home interior design for new construction and large-scale renovation projects. The process starts with a discovery session to uncover and summarize your design needs. We’ll talk about all the details like:

• The size of your home
• The type of project
• Where the project is located
• Your preferred design style
• Project timing

Because we work on full homes, sometimes including administering construction for new builds and renovations, our typical hourly costs for interior design time ranges anywhere from $24,000 to $40,000, depending on your project scope. We do, however, take on smaller projects when we know additional rooms will follow.

Next, we offer up a furnishings budget. For renovation and construction assistance with furnishings, our projects are typically $125,000-$150,000 per 1,000 square feet of space. We typically recommend a minimum furnishings budget of $250,000 for at least 3 major rooms, like the living, formal dining, and primary ensuite. Remember, this is top-to-bottom design, from the custom drapery to the casegoods to the hand-woven fabrics to the accessories.

These costs usually amount to 30-35% more than what you would invest if you selected similar furnishings, but managed the project on your own. Yes, this may not be for everyone. But if you won’t settle for anything less than extraordinary and you’d much prefer to avoid the headache of dealing with contractors and mishandled deliveries, working with an interior designer is for you!

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Interior Designers ARE worth the Investment

Yes, there are interior design costs, but there is also great value in working with a designer.  We refine your vision, source all the furnishings and accessories, and manage all the details. Our insight into the construction process will help keep your project on time and on track. We streamline the process and allow you to make the most of your budget.

Interior design, as we practice it at Laura U, is a true luxury. We custom-design furnishings, assist with construction drawings, and handle the entire process from start to finish. The human hand is present throughout the process, creating a unique interior that reflects who you are and how you live.

While we work in the luxury residential space at Laura U, there are designers at EVERY budget. Whether you use an online design service or work one-on-one with a designer, the cost of hiring an interior designer is worth it.