Working with an Interior designer
At Alexandra Young, we take great pride in the strong relationships we build with our clients, which often lead to repeat business and referrals. We believe that a successful, stress-free project hinges on a solid partnership between the designer and the client. This collaboration ultimately results in the best possible outcome for your project and your home.
Alex says “We want our clients to enjoy the design process. Understanding their interests, hobbies, and how they want to use their space is essential to creating a home that brings them years of enjoyment and truly supports their lifestyle.”
Choosing a professional interior design studio offers significant advantages over hiring an individual who excels at styling. With their training and experience, designers are experts in space planning and creative design along with speaking the language of the rest of the team involved. They not only skilfully combine colours, textures, and lighting, they also create and share technical drawings with architects, joiners, plumbers, electricians. By considering your entire home, they ensure a cohesive look and a seamless flow between different areas.
An established interior designer will have valuable trade relationships with a wide network of suppliers, artisans, and tradespeople, which can result in cost savings for clients. With access to a broad range of samples, they’ll save you time and money by streamlining the selection process. Designers will manage project timelines and budgets, liaising with contractors and suppliers to ensure everything runs smoothly. They know when to invest in standout pieces and where to economize, helping you stay within your budget without compromising on style.
Key Considerations When Working with an Interior Designer
Engage Early
The sooner you involve an interior designer in your project, the better. Working with an architect or builder early on and considering any limitations of the building, as well as being able to plan the fundamentals early is hugely beneficial and saves time and avoids expensive mistakes later in the project. An Interior Designer will consider how you’ll use the space on a daily basis and will think about the basics that aren’t necessarily visible. Being able to plan for this with the architect and to build the right team in the early stages will ultimately make for a smoother project.
Understand the Terms
It’s crucial to discuss your designer’s process and terms upfront. Make sure you understand their fee structure, communication methods, and how they will interact with third parties like builders and tradespeople. Clarity about both parties' responsibilities before signing a contract will set the stage for a successful collaboration.
As Alex notes, “We’ve had clients who want to be involved in every minute detail and those who prefer to hand over the keys and see the end result. Both approaches are valid, but it’s essential to agree expectations from the outset.”
Define the Brief
This phase includes discussing your vision, needs, likes, and dislikes, as well as how your family intends to use the space. Collecting images, inspiration, and ideas to help guide your designer in understanding how you want your home to feel can be beneficial but be mindful you’ll be wasting your money if you just expect your designer to carbon copy an image seen on Pinterest. Be transparent about your budget, timeline, and any potential challenges.
Alex emphasizes, “The brief is one of the most crucial stages of the project. We really want to understand our clients and how they live, along with what matters most to them. Allowing time to get to know one another from the outset will reap rewards. And being aware of the budget is key —we want to deliver a result that you love and can comfortably afford.”
Communicate Openly
Effective communication is key. Knowing who your main point of contact is and how they will communicate with you is essential. If multiple people from your side are involved, clarify who will make the key decisions and how best to issue instructions. Expect a mix of site meetings, calls, emails, and supplier visits, and agree on your level of involvement. Don’t hesitate to share new ideas or concerns but be prepared for discussions about how these may affect costs or timescales. The design process may evolve, so honesty and communication are key.
As Alex puts it, “It’s vital for us to know if you truly dislike a proposed idea, but it’s also exciting to discover we’ve exceeded your expectations and introduced you to new and exciting ideas that may be a little out of your comfort zone!”
Keep up Momentum
Timely responses to your interior designer are crucial to keeping the project on track. With long lead times for custom items and high demand for skilled tradespeople, it’s important to avoid too much procrastination. Make decisions promptly and stick to them, respond to emails, and ensure bills are paid on time to prevent disruptions in delivery and work schedules.
Trust the professionals
Your designer brings years of training and experience to your project. While sharing your opinions is important, trust them to carry out the design effectively. A clear brief and open communication will allow your designer to run a smooth project, allowing their creativity to shine. Be open to new ideas; designers often see solutions for making the most of a space that you may not have considered.
As Alex concludes, “Clients sometimes struggle to visualise the final design, but they are thrilled with the result. One of the key reasons to hire an interior designer is their ability to see the project as a whole, rather than just individual elements.”
Alexandra Young are members of The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), the only professional institute for interior designers in the UK. Along with rigorous entry requirements which assess training, experience and professionalism, we are required to continue our professional development to ensure our continued expertise in design process, practice and regulatory matters.