What Do Interior Designers Actually Do?
Many still associate interior designers exclusively with frivolous non-essential things like wallpaper, designer pillows, and extravagant artwork. But that stereotype is shifting thanks to the media, even if the media still contains major misconceptions. People are growing more aware that interior designers are not merely pillow fluffers, but visionaries who carry much more weight on a project than previously assumed. But what exactly do interior designers do in real life? What is it that HGTV is not capturing, that makes hiring an interior designer a wise investment? In this article, we will touch on six of the lesser recognized tasks that interior designers and their teams deal with, so clients don’t have to.
1. Construction Drawings & Space Planning
You don’t always need an architect for construction drawings, although for more involved renovations and new builds I do recommend either an architect or an engineer, which I usually connect my clients with through my builder. While it varies significantly in the design industry, many interior designers are actually formally trained in producing permit ready construction documents. This can account for anywhere from 10 to 60 hours on a project and is a huge part of what interior designers do and how they add value.
So why hire an interior designer when you could simply hire an architect or engineer? That's like buying a car with an engine but no transmission. They do different things. Both contribute to the functionality of the car. Apologies to those who were raised purely on electric vehicles.
An architect will account for the shell, general layout, flow, structural design elements (like staircases and windows) and exterior detailing. That is their bread and butter. An interior designer will ensure that the shell is designed and furnished in a way that allows you to live comfortably the way you want. A designer will create and review things such as cabinet layout, door opening width (which matters immensely) lighting design, and the big one that architects commonly miss: precise furniture layout. Without these critical details, the job is barely half done. Someone has to account for all of these eventually, and without the interior designer, it falls on the homeowner. Not the builder, the homeowner.
You might argue that it's easy enough to figure out furnishings and decor later. Possible, yes. But not easy and not cheap. There is usually at least one discrepancy that has a client wishing they had known better. I could give a million examples of why having a designer come in after the fact is costly and not ideal, but I want to keep your attention.
When a designer provides drawings, they are not just drawing walls. They are drawing the finished space that you will LIVE in--accounting for the nitty gritty details that will determine whether your new space is comfortable and functional or not. Whether you can walk by easily when your recliner is extended. Whether your kitchen can accommodate two cooks, or just one. Whether your closet can accommodate your massive collection of shoes, or if you'll be overflowing into two other guest bedrooms. Whether your TV is comfortable and easy to view from various vantage points, or exclusively enjoyable from the couch.
Architects generally obsess over the structure and exterior, and interior designers obsess over the comfort, functionality, and beauty of the finished interior. Both services have value, both are part of a successfully executed project. Most homeowners cannot be convinced of this, and that is why the population as a whole is so terrified of the remodel process. They've been doing it wrong.
2. Project management
A perfect set of construction drawings sadly is not enough to ensure a smoothly executed project. Depending on the builder/contractor, the drawings may be helpful and referenced daily during construction, or ignored entirely. And depending on which type they are, this will often mean regular calls/texts/questions during the construction phase to determine what goes where, how the tile is oriented, where the soffit terminates, the electrical layout, etc. Without a qualified design project manager on call, you end up getting the dozen calls a day, trying to answer questions virtually based on zero expertise or understanding, and wondering, "Isn't this person supposed to be the professional?"
Not all interior designers provide project management services, but I have been managing home renovations of various sizes for the past decade, and I can tell you it is a time suck, costing easily a dozen hours a week in the heaviest phases of construction. Do you have a dozen hours per week to spare? Our clients don’t.
3. Order management
This sounds like a quick and easy task, and while we agree that it is not rocket science, it is more time consuming than you might expect. For instance, for a small bathroom remodel that is non-complex, a designer (or client) will often be sourcing from at least four different vendors, each pertaining to different installers/subs. Let’s add that up in hours:
2 hours initial walk through and selection
1 hour in home sample review and debate
2 hours return trip, order review, and purchase
1 hour in tracking, receiving, and inspecting
1 hour in contractor questions regarding installation
1 hour in misc. (return of excess material, ordering additional material, etc.)
x 4 different vendors = 32 hours in order management time (minimum)
Realistically, 32 hours is probably half of what is required on a larger scale home remodel project. For retirees, handling orders for a remodel is a cinch. For commuters, it can be a nightmare. If time is a luxury you can’t afford, make sure you have a capable project manager lined up before you even get bids for a remodel. Inquire today for the Less Stress Package.
4. Order inspecting
We’ve all dealt with a delivery that arrived damaged. Now imagine dealing with several deliveries across multiple trades, and at least 10% of those deliveries arrive with some sort of issue, i.e. wrong size, wrong quantity, wrong color or color that was inconsistent with the catalog photo, and my least favorite, damages in transit. You then need to handle the documentation of the issue, and filing the necessary claims paperwork, and deal with claims correspondence (and hope that the supplier is responsive and accountable, and if not, find an alternative solution).
This takes an unpredictable number of hours on every project, but an experienced designer will know to expect these challenges and be ready to handle them as needed so the client can rest easy. I have worked with many homeowners who are extremely intelligent people, who assume that because they are organized, capable and intelligent that they should be able to handle something as simple as a home renovation by themselves. But it's really not a matter of intelligence. It's about being constantly available and on call to problem solve, navigating questions, hiccups, and crises (or what can seem like crises) for MONTHS.
5. Installation management
A designer’s job is not done when orders get pushed. It is not done when orders are delivered and inspected. It is done when everything has been fully installed. And that takes time, thought, and precision. When I am managing an installation (or more accurately several installations), I direct installers in completing details like millwork, flooring, painting, draperies, lighting, furniture, and artwork. Each of these facets (and more) come with several micro decisions, which take several hours to days to complete. In order to keep the project from falling behind schedule, an experienced designer arrives prepared, with answers and fall back options, anticipating most problems, and navigating the rest. Professionally designed spaces don’t happen by accident. They are the result of meticulous planning, artistic obsessing, thorough reasoning, and practical problem solving. A designer wears all these hats and works an untold number of hours to deliver premium finished results.
6. Returns
Last but not least, on quick turn-around projects especially, RETURNS. The faster the expected completion, the more likely your designer will need to source in stock product, and make expedited decisions, some of which are perfect, and others not so much. But a good designer will not task their clients with debating, deciding, and returning items that didn’t work for one reason or another. They show up, make decisions, and handle the return/exchange process on any necessary items, streamlining the process and delivering only the perfectly finished results.
Say goodbye to decision fatigue, standing in line, lugging bulky items, and rush hour traffic, and “Hello” to the convenience and comfort of full-service interior design.
People look at famous design personalities like Shea McGee and Joanna Gaines, and think, “Well, I can do what they do. I just need a Pottery Barn catalog, some extra cash and some time.” Even if it were as simple as some cash and a Pottery Barn catalog, the area most homeowners are falling short on is on TIME. They are lacking not only in spare hours, but the ability to accommodate someone else’s ever changing schedule.
My clients pay me to handle things in their absence so their project doesn’t fall behind schedule, and they trust me to ensure that despite any changes that need to be made in the thick of the project, that the overall design intent is preserved.
If you’re a busy professional in pursuit of a perfectly finished home, inquire today to discuss your project. We serve the Tri Valley Area and beyond.
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