If like me your go to colour is magnolia and your idea of creative flair is creating yet another blank (and rather boring!) canvas devoid of personality, then it might be worth either going on a course to master the art of home styling or alternatively you could consider hiring an interior designer.  I for one have had enough of studying so would rather hire in a professional than return to the textbooks.  Nineteen years in education was more than enough for me thank you very much!

I know I lack that eye for what would work in each room.  The overall effect is okay I guess.  It’s clean fresh and tidy but it’s not a room you walk into and go WOW!  I guess I would like an interior designer to work their magic and really transform our house into something incredible.  They have a way of knowing what really works.  I don’t even think if I passed the course I would have the required skills to dress a room imaginatively.  Established habits are hard to break!

Could your house benefit from an interior designer?

If you are going to invest serious money into your house, you might as well get the interiors right!  Hiring a professional will give you the guidance you need to plan the next project or get your house ready for a quick sale. They can suggest companies to use and get you in touch with the right contractors for the job.

We went in a bit gung-ho when we first bought our house.  Bashing down walls, basically making decisions about rooms on the spur of the moment without thinking it through.

Not many properties of this size come up on the market, so we probably should have lived in the house for a few months before making rash decisions.  We are so clueless when it comes to interiors that I really don’t know we have done our house justice.  We kind of fumble along with our faithful magnolia paint being the recurring theme.  I just can’t put it all together like an interior designer could.  They bring together the lighting, furniture and wall art together seamlessly.  Everything looks like it flows.   Reading the article, it sounds like they know the mixture of colours, patterns and textiles that magically work!

How much does an interior designer cost?

Some charge an hourly rate of £60 it might sound a lot but if it gives you the creative vision you need its money well invested.

An interior designer can stop you making mistakes

Naturally you will want to always look at ways to increase the value of your home.  Hiring an interior designer makes sure your design decisions are right first time!  Making mistakes is expensive, interior designers have the training and knowledge to make the right decisions.  We knocked out a lot of walls when we first moved in and I think we would really have benefitted from a bit of guidance.

Some things you can’t really go wrong with!  I quite like the thought of buying some Sloane and Sons Tub Chairs!  They are so stylish even an amateur like me can’t go wrong with them I am sure!  They have some real statement pieces that give any room a bit of character.  I would love to add more silver/grey tones to our house.

What is the next step

Calculate how much you can afford to spend on an interior designer.  Then build up a selection of photos that give them something to work with.  It is a sensible idea to find an interior designer with a design philosophy not to dissimilar to your own.  Otherwise you could hate the end result!