There is value in using an interior designer

The American Society of Interior Designers is the oldest and largest professional organization of its kind. As president of the Central California/Nevada Chapter, I naturally have a vested interest in promoting the benefits derived from working with an ASID designer. Along with the many duties of my office, it’s also my own personal goal to educate the public as much as possible about why using a professional designer makes such good, practical economic and aesthetic sense.

Whether you’re someone who hasn’t a clue of where or how to begin to design your home, or whether you’ve got some kind of a plan but need a little help tying all the pieces of the puzzle together, or you just don’t have the time to do it all yourself, ASID designers hold the key to helping your vision come to life. There are so many misconceptions about what an interior designer does and how their expertise can benefit you, but designers truly do serve a purpose for everyone and this is what they can do for you:

n Money. While it’s true that there’s a fee involved when hiring a designer, doing so can often help you avoid costly mistakes while increasing the value of your home. Toss out the notion that designers are only for the rich and famous. In the long run, a well-chosen designer can and will actually save you money. Interior design is a skill and an art that will only serve to enhance your home and the quality of your life in that space.

n Professional experience. A designer will help you with a budget and help to spend your money more efficiently. Doing things in the right order for your design plan is often key to a successful outcome. Designers are schooled to know scale, proportion, color, size and texture, and are an extra set of eyes trained to see things that you may not.

A designer can tell you if something is wrong or right with your home from the get-go. Designers have the ability to make an immediate decision, which is the result of many years of experience. In a word, a designer will consider factors for maximizing your home’s potential that you probably never even thought about.

n Solutions. Each project, whether large or small, comes with its challenges such as a lack of storage, poor traffic flow, color scheme, unusual window sizes or a need to maximize light and space. There are countless facets of a project to work out, many of which designers have no doubt encountered and dealt with many times before.

It’s the designer’s job to see to it that every aspect of a project is completed to the client’s satisfaction. Most people underestimate how much time is actually involved when deciding upon a design vision, taking precise measurements, determining how to “work” the space, selecting and shopping for materials, coordinating with vendors and general contractors, and finally putting it all together.

n Budget. Staying on a budget will always save time and effort. Designers know the best and most trusted resources so that you won’t have to spend precious time researching brands and prices on your own. They’ll do that work for you and help allocate your money by setting priorities so that you spend some money now and maybe save future phases of your design project for later. A designer will know more or less what products or materials actually cost and so can help you to work out a clear item-by-item breakdown of projected expenses before any work begins.

n Connections. The designer will help to make that strong connection between you and your architect and contractor, plumbers and electricians from the conception of your project, helping to avoid design mistakes in your overall plan. Also, since they work with them on a regular basis, they’ve got more leverage to get things repaired or replaced when necessary and to ensure that prices match the quality.

Things like lighting and furniture needs should really be addressed before construction even begins. Everyone needs to be on the same page and the designer is usually the one who makes that happen.

n Resources. Often, things that are available to designers are not available to the general public. Trade-only resources are often deeply discounted from retail costs. Finding unusual fabrics, furniture and accessories are what helps to make your house a home.

I’d like to share with you the following comments of a professional designer when asked to share how she sees her role in the design process: “A good designer is like a best new friend. They will be both sympathetic to your vision and empathetic to bringing out all of the finest qualities of the property. Their experience of having designed many more homes than you are likely to inhabit in a whole lifetime ensures that you will not be making expensive mistakes and will not feel the potential impact and stress of the project — as they take the strain. They will challenge your habitual way of thinking about space, texture and color and will inspire your own thinking to create beautiful and life-enhancing design.”

NOTE: The ASID office is now located on the third floor of Building A (Suite A3304) at the World Market Center Las Vegas and is open to the public Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 916-200-3976 for further information.

Stephen Leon is a licensed interior designer and president of Soleil Design; he has been designing and manufacturing custom furniture and cabinetry for more than 25 years. He is president of the Central California/Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and is a certified professional in green residential design. Questions can be sent to soleildesign@cox.net.