Why Hire an Interior Designer for Your NYC Home Renovation
In this article, we will go over the advantages of hiring an interior designer or interior design firm. We will cover:
If you are planning the renovation of a New York City apartment, you need to decide whether you need the help of an interior designer. With today’s do-it-yourself mindset, many New York City condo and co-op owners believe they can accomplish what needs to be done on their own. In this article, we explain the benefits of hiring a professional New York interior designer and how it will help take the stress out of your interior design projects.
Why Hire an Interior Designer?
Interior design combines creativity with business skills to create beautiful spaces that are safe and functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. You may be hesitant to a hire a design firm for your apartment upgrade because you believe it is too expensive, or fear you might lose control of your project. However, there are many good reasons to enlist the services of an interior designer.
An interior design firm can help you with just a single room, such as creating a home office, or guide you through a full-scale project, whether it’s a remodel or a move to a new space. The services that will help you through your project range from decorating, and renovation or remodeling, to the design of custom built-ins tailored exactly to your space.
A Designer Will Save You Money
An interior design firm can help you avoid costly mistakes and make decisions that can increase the value of your home. Your interior design service will make sure you stay within your budget and help you manage how your money is being spent, and will ensure that your project stays on schedule, avoiding expensive delays. A designer’s knowledge is invaluable, such as helping you choose the materials that are a good investment, knowing where to find the best discounts, or understanding when to cut corners and when it makes sense to spend a little extra.
A Designer Will Save You Time
If your project is a new build or renovation, an interior designer will work alongside your architecture firms and contractor, and navigate the construction process as your advocate, sparing you the time and stress of trying to manage the project yourself. The design studio will also narrow down the overwhelming choices among thousands of items, from furniture, art and accessories to colors, fabrics and finishes for your living room, bedroom or kitchen, making it easier to make selections.
A Designer Has Contacts and Sources
A good New York interior design studio has great connections to reliable local architecture firms and contractors. They also have long-standing relationships with sources and vendors, many of whom who carry products that are not available to the general public.
Your Designer is an Expert as Well as Your Advocate
It is common to have difficulty communicating your needs and desires to an architect or contractor. Your designer is your advocate, working alongside the other professionals on the project every step of the way, ensuring that the final result is exactly the one you are looking for.
A design company also understand the pros and cons as well as the possibilities and limitations of the thousands of items that are available, and can visualize how they can best be used in your space. They inspect all items after delivery to make sure they are up to industry standards, and if something arrives damaged or doesn’t function properly, they are responsible for its return or exchange.
Interior Designer Services to Help with Your Project
Once you’ve decided to hire a New York interior designer, the next step is exactly which services you need. Whether you’re looking for decor aid, doing a single room or complete renovation, or need custom cabinetry to make more room in your kitchen or living room for storage, interior designers offer a wide array of services to choose from.
Interior Decorating
Extraordinary design involves a lot more than selecting pretty furniture. Here are some of the items an interior decorator can help you with:
Furniture, fabric and accessories selections
Furniture layout and space planning
Finish selections and specifications
Procurement of all interior selections
Budgeting
Project coordination and integration with contractors and subcontractors
Color and paint selection
Window treatments
Storage, delivery and installation
If the design work you are undertaking is decorative, you do not need approval from New York’s Department of Buildings or your building’s co-op or condo board. However, for some services, an interior designer will be responsible for all application, approval and permitting processes, while navigating New York City’s and your boards complex codes.
Renovating/Remodeling
Beyond being artistic and selecting home furnishings and decorative items, interior designers also possess a multitude of skills, including being able to read and draw blueprints, and understanding building codes, construction documents, inspection regulations and other details. An New York interior design studio can help you with a single room, such as creating a home office, or guide you through a full-scale project. If your project involves changes to a floor plan, your interior designer will have the necessary experience to work directly with New York architecture firms and contractors.
Interior designers typically offer “full service” interior design, so they are involved in the entire residential design process, from initial concept, through construction, ordering and installation, to the final accessorizing and styling stage. With a focus on function as well as on aesthetics, they offer a comprehensive range of technical solutions and services, including project management, measuring and evaluating a site, material and furnishings selections, autoCAD drafting, and interior design plans for items such as tiles, flooring, custom furniture, and window treatments. They also know how to navigate building codes and co-op rules.
It is daunting to try to undertake any of these functions and skills yourself. The services of an interior designer will make you project that much easier.
Custom Millwork
Contemporary design isn’t just about home decor or upgrading a kitchen or bathroom. An interior design firm can help you make better use of your sometimes-limited New York spaces by creating shelves and storage, while making your house beautiful by artfully merging form and function.
Innovative design can define and elevate your space by adding architectural interest by way of details. This can be accomplished through millwork, also referred to as woodwork, architectural millwork, finish carpentry and sometimes cabinetry, all of which is custom made and built in. Examples include baseboards, built-in cabinetry, ceiling trim, columns, door casings, fireplace mantels and wainscoting. This is usually not a job for the average DIY’er. Well-designed and executed custom finishes, whether fine wood or rustic metal, can enhance the atmosphere and fluidity of your space.
We’re a New York City design studio specializing in residential and commercial interior renovations. We offer both interior design and architectural services for any kind of project, from home decor to kitchen and bathroom remodels, to custom built-ins and complete renovations. If you’d like to connect with us, please give us a call or book a complimentary consultation here.