Working With Pros: When to Choose Full Design Services

Decorating a house can be a daunting project, even for devout DIYers. Most homeowners would love the help of a skilled professional, but many misconceptions about what interior designers do — and what they cost — prevent people from seeking guidance. It shouldn’t be this way!

Most homeowners don’t know that there are three basic ways decorators and interior designers work with clients: full design services, design plans and design consultations. Because there’s a lot to go over, let’s take a look at each of these categories one at a time, then tackle the rest in forthcoming ideabooks.

First up: full design services.

Full design services happen when you hire a designer to provide a complete turnkey solution. This is the maximum service level and leaves all the work to the pro. It’s ideal for busy people who don’t have the time to run around town looking for a bargain or a one-of-kind piece to complete their project.

Typically this level is chosen for a full house renovation, or a targeted project such as kitchen design, or furniture and furnishing for a specific room, like a living room, dining room or bedroom. If you have a low tolerance for frustration, full design services might be perfect for you, because there are many suppliers and moving pieces that need to be managed for a project to run smoothly, which means on time and on budget.

When you hire a designer at this level, you are hiring a project manager to oversee everything, including sourcing, ordering, inspecting, managing installation and dealing with the inevitable problems that crop up.

Find an interior designer or decorator on Houzz


A designer can develop a vision for what your home could be. With style cues from you, he or she will complete all the steps required from initial requirements to fulfilling orders and overseeing installation. The designer will prepare concepts, floor plans and elevations (drawings of upright walls useful for built-ins and cabinetry), furniture specifications, lighting plans, millwork designs — the whole deal from concept to completion.


Are you having a hard time finding qualified and dependable tradespeople? With full design services, tradespeople to complete the work are part of the package. You get peace of mind when your designer brings in a team of people he or she has worked with before.

Is your day filled with chores, work and kids’ activities, with no time left for you? Design takes time and a quiet space where myriad decisions can be sorted out. If your days are already chock-full, you may want to leave the running around to someone else.


Are you out of your element when coordinating fabrics and paint colors? Trained pros are educated in color theory, art history, furniture construction, textile manufacturing, rating and grading. They will make sure your money is well spent.


What to expect: A project requiring full design services may take place over several months or up to a year or more for an entire home. You will attend regular meetings where you can get project status updates, review design work and gather further information as your requirements are honed in on.

How to Work With an Interior Designer


Cost: A designer is compensated for experience, education and expertise. The fees are typically quantified in an hourly rate for work completed. Most designers work on a retainer basis, and monthly invoices are submitted for the design fees.

Some designers prefer to work on a fixed-price basis, determined by the amount of work estimated, by a calculation of square footage or by a percentage of the project’s overall budget. You can expect to pay anywhere from $75 per hour to $450 per hour and up for a very senior designer.

Keep in mind that fees vary depending on experience and vary regionally. Speak to a professional in your area for a specific quote. Also know that the best purchasing leverage is available with this level of service, because the designer can work with wholesale vendors and manufacturers to design custom pieces. This may offset the cost of the design fees.

Coming next: Design plans

More:
Find a designer near you
6 Reasons to Hire a Home Design Professional
8 Things Interior Designers Want You to Know

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