Just like surgeons have specialties, so do interior designers.

You wouldn’t go to a shoulder specialist for a heart bypass, and likewise you probably shouldn’t hire a paint color specialist to design your kitchen remodel.

Unfortunately, interior designers are not always great about helping you figure out if *they* are good at what *you* need. Getting clear on what you need for your project can help ensure you end up with the right kind of interior designer. Let’s chat about what skills and talents an interior designer *might* have, and how you can determine if a certain designer is the right fit for your project.

 

What do designers do?

At one end of the spectrum you have interior designers who can not only design a whole home remodel, but also manage the project from start to finish, even purchasing all the fixtures and furnishings and installing them in your home. This is the “HGTV” experience where your designer can provide that “Big Reveal” because you’ve paid the big bucks to have them take your remodel from start to finish.

At the other end of the spectrum you have interior designers who specialize on one product, like custom draperies, custom closets, or paint color.

I like to think of it like this:

👉 ArchitectS GIVE YOU GOOD bones. They make sure that your home has a beautiful shape, fits the landscape and neighborhood, takes advantage of the best views (and minimizes bad views), meets local code, and is structurally sound.

👉 Designers deal with the body AND THE CLOTHES. They help you establish a “look” that suits your lifestyle and personality. Some specialize in fixtures and finishes (from floors to faucets). Some specialize in “soft goods” (furnishings, lighting fixtures, and window treatments). If an architect gives you good bones, your designer gets you stylishly, comfortably, functionally dressed.

👉 Stylists deal with jewelry. Stagers and stylists are often undervalued, but these are the folks that layer in all the personal details that make a house a home. They are all about showcasing your collections, choosing just the right art, and styling your bookcases to tell a “story.”

 

There are no hard-and-fast rules about who does what (aside from the fact that no one can legally call themselves an architect without the proper formal education and state licenses). You might have an architect who also has a sure hand with color. You might have a stylist with a talent for choosing fixtures and finishes. The key is simply to figure out what *your* project needs, and align that with the skills and talents of your designer or design team.

Where does Seriously Happy Homes fit into these categories? We’re all about the body and the clothes. We help folks both with the big “hard” stuff (like kitchen and bath remodels) as well as the softer side (choosing new furnishings like sofas, rugs, tables, and light fixtures, or working with existing furnishings). And of course we always help with color, since paint is one of our favorite tools for transforming a room!

On the other hand, if someone is looking to add an addition to their home (or build a home from scratch) we usually recommend they hire an architect. We love collaborating with architects because we can build upon what they lay out and help turn your house into a home. How much each architect will do before the handoff will vary by person – so just be sure to let your architect know if you plan to use an interior designer. That way both the architect and designers coordinate — and not duplicate — their efforts.

Likewise, if someone is looking for someone to help source art or style their dining table, we recommend they seek out a stager or stylist. While we can virtually help folks take what they have and stage it beautifully on their bookcases during a Design Helpline, we aren’t suited to help with personal shopping. Better to work with a team that has those resources at their fingertips!

 

What about Kitchen & Bath Designers?

Some designers focus just on kitchen and bath design, and don’t offer help with furnishings, paint colors, etc.

These designers often love the technical details that come with designing a kitchen or bathroom (every inch *really* counts when it comes to installing a built-in set of cabinetry).

They also often enjoy the relative simplicity of kitchen and bath design. Designers who help with “soft goods” (like sofas, rugs, coffee tables, etc) are often thought of as less skilled than kitchen and bath designers but, in fact, “soft goods” rooms are often harder to design. Don’t like the kitchen backsplash? A hundred others will work with the counter you chose. Don’t like the sofa? Oh no! Finding just the right size, comfort, and color without going 100% custom (which has its own set of headaches) is a challenge. Don’t like the rug? That can affect Every Single Item in the room and may send your designer back to square one.

Kitchen and bath designers also (often) sell cabinets, having vetted a bunch of cabinet and counter lines and become a vendor for their favorites based on quality, price, and customer service.

Kitchen and bath designers are great! Just bear in mind that many really do focus on just the layout and the cabinet & counter selection. You may need more resources for choosing the sink, faucet, tile, lighting etc, and you will very likely need another resource for choosing furnishings, etc.

What about custom closets? Window treatments?

When clients ask us to design their custom closet we always redirect them to a custom closet designer. While we *could* help with that, our skills are really in shaping the spaces, planning out remodels, and curating paint color and furniture selection. We map out the area for hanging and an area for shelves, but a custom closet designer can then ask just exactly how many sweaters you have versus long dresses, and chat about how you want to feature your handbag and shoe collection, etc.

Likewise, when it comes to window treatments, we always help guide the color, style, and function, but rely on our colleagues to help navigate whether Hunter Douglas or Bali is a better choice, and to determine how to wrap your shades into a bay window.

Does that mean you can’t hire us if you have questions about your closet or window treatments? Of course not! Folks often hire us because they know we won’t sell them anything. They use our session to talk through what they want and need without feeling any sales pressure, leaving them able to make informed buying decisions that fit their budget and lifestyle.

How do you know who to hire?

Since not every interior designer will be able to articulate what they do (or don’t) do, how are you supposed to figure out if they are a fit for your project?

Don’t just look at your prospective designer’s portfolio. Instead, pull out a few of your favorite projects from the portfolio and ask them — specifically — what their involvement was in creating that space. Did they design the room layout? Did they choose the fixtures and finishes? Did they choose the furnishings? The art? Ask what they did (and didn’t) design for that room.

It’s especially important to ask about the lovely details. You may notice that many “afters” of rooms are filled with fresh flowers and charming tchotchkes, layers of blankets and pillows, and vignettes like a pair of reading glasses on the side table and slippers by the bed. It’s possible that what you love was actually brought in by a stylist just for the photoshoot. By asking these kinds of questions you might discover that you want to hire this designer for the remodel plans, but also hire the stylist to help with those tiny accessory details, too!

Remember: In many states (including Washington) there are no licensing or formal education requirements for interior designers. That makes it even more important to choose someone who has a portfolio of work that demonstrates they are a good fit for your project. Don’t just hire a designer because your friend had a great experience with them – make sure they are a fit for *you,* too!

Trying to figure out if you might also need an architect? Read this blog post next.

Hope this helps make choosing your interior designer a bit easier! Of course, we’d be tickled to help you with your home if *we* are a fit! Schedule a Design Helpline if you’re ready to chat about the dreams you have for your home.

May your home always be happy!