What are the main functions of an interior designer?
An interior designer is a professional who is dedicated to studying spaces in
order to make interventions that make the most of the floor space. That is, the
main objective of this professional is to make a space as functional as
possible, increasing the quality of life of the family that inhabits it. To do
so, idealises, plans and executes projects that will achieve their goal.
The main features you can find in an interior designer are:
- creativity;
- organisation;
- responsibility;
- easy reading of the spaces;
- interest in architecture and lighting projects;
- technical knowledge;
- aesthetic sensitivity.
What about a decorator?
If, on the one hand, the interior designer is able to make structural
interventions of a property, the decorator focuses on the aesthetic only,
combining objects, colours and textures to achieve a warm and harmonious
environment, which pleases the view. from your customer. Basically, a
decorator's area of intervention is much narrower than that of an interior
designer, as it will not alter the structure of the property. This professional
will articulate the knowledge of their training and experience with the
identification and analysis of the client's ideas, especially with regard to
their interests and ultimate goals.
Which of the professionals should I hire?
The answer to this question is: it depends. And it really depends, because it
will always depend on what you want to do in your home.
- Structural intervention: Imagine that what you want to do
is join the living room with the kitchen, creating a single social space. Here
the idea will be to tear down at least one wall, with the need to rearrange both
divisions so that they can integrate in the best way and with maximum space
optimisation. In this particular case, you will need an interior designer to
create, execute and supervise the entire project, as we are talking about a
structural intervention.
- Decorative intervention: Here's another case: Now what you
want to do is give your room a new look. When you moved into this house, you
took advantage of some furniture in the house of family or friends that would no
longer be used, but what you really want is to have a space that suits you and
with your face. Here, it is best to hire a decorator, who will help you
understand which objects, textures and colours best fit your tastes and the
useful area you have.
How much does each of these professionals cost in the Wigan
area?
Project budgets for both an interior designer and a decorator will always depend
on a number of aspects, such as:
- professional recognition in the market;
- the complexity of the project;
- customer requirements;
- deadlines to meet.
As such, any average values can quickly become invalid depending on what your
specific project requires. However, for interior design projects, the values
are between £500 and £1500, while a decoration may require a different
investment.
Again, these figures are purely indicative, so that you can get a general idea
of the investment you may have to make. What we also suggest is that you
choose three or four professionals and ask them for budgets with the same
briefing. Then you will have to compare everyone's values and figure out which
one best suits your needs, taking into account their requirements and the budget
you want to allocate to the project.
What should I consider before hiring one of these professionals in
Wigan?
Before hiring any of these professionals, you should consider some aspects. In
fact, you should consider them whenever you want to do any kind of intervention
in your home, as this will make it much easier when the intervention is
completed.
- Strong idea of what you want to do : Being sure of what
you want and how you want to accomplish is the starting point for a successful
project. This is just as important as the decision to hire a professional to
help you bring your ideas into practice, so before you move on, ask yourself:
what do you want to do? Why do you want to do it? How do you want to do it? And
when do you want everything to go back to normal? To help with the process,
collect images that illustrate your ideas and shape the future project. These
images may be worked by the professional (s) you hire later;
- Deadline for project implementation: here we are moving
with each other's expectations, so it will be a very personal opinion. If for
your neighbour, one month is the time you are waiting to invest in a total
refurbishment of your apartment, the maximum time for you may only be two weeks.
This is a point to discuss with the chosen professionals in order to adjust
their expectations to the reality of the project;
- Average or maximum budget you want to invest: The money we
have available is not always suitable for the project of our dreams. If this is
the case, you have two chances: either you move forward with part of the project
or wait a little longer before you can reach the full budget;
- Alternatives to your day-to-day life: If your home becomes
unusable, it is important to understand what alternatives you might consider and
what impact this plan B will have on your life and family dynamics. We often do
not anticipate this, which can cause a lot of frustration and increase stress
levels in your household.
