It's true! This is the era of DIY, and there are SO many resources out there to help you create a beautifully designed home without the help of an interior designer, from free retail design consultations, to VERY affordable e-design, to Pinterest, to youtube.
So why make the investment (because, let's be real, working with our firm is a financial investment) in working with a designer? This week we're talking about five VALUES that a luxury interior design firm will bring to your project. Let's get get at it!
1) Save Precious Time
A lot of people, when they think "interior design", picture shopping dates with their interior designer, looking through piles of fabrics, spending hours looking at samples, maybe over a glass of wine...the reality is, the people who hire us don't have time for that!
If you've ever tried to purchase just a sofa, you know how much time and effort went into researching a quality product, picking out the fabric, finding one that fits the space, finding a style you like. You can put hours into that!
At our firm, there's an extensive effort on the front end to understand a client's needs and style, but once we have a firm grasp on the goal, we do the all heavy lifting behind the scenes, from layout to fabrics, furniture, pieces, etc. We use a detailed and efficient 10-step design process that allows our clients to do life while we design.
Another huge convenience is that all your furniture is delivered, installed, and styled at one time. All items are delivered to our receiving warehouse where they are assembled, checked for damages, and stored until all your items have arrived.
There's no assembly required, no waiting around in that pesky 4-hour window for a delivery truck to arrive, and no finding a package on the porch soaked from a rainstorm. For installation, you get to go away for the day and come home to a newly transformed space. It really is like a scene from HGTV.
2) Eliminate the Guesswork
How many times have you been in a store staring at a piece of furniture wondering whether it will fit, will the colors work, will it function with the rest of my pieces? With a designer, you pull a space together all at once and do all that planing ahead of time, so there’s no question on fit.
Each piece is selected with the design as a whole in mind---there's no piecing things together. In fact, we bring all our fabric samples, paint colors, finishes, and tear sheets of every single item to our client's home at the time of the presentation, as well as a to-scale layout that maps out the size of every piece and how it will flow with the space. This allows you to see the colors and fabrics in your space and understand how it all works together before you ever spend a dime on product.
3) Save Money in the Long Run
Yes, it is more of an investment on the front end to work with a designer, but long term, working with a luxury firm will actually save you money. When you piece together a space over time, you end up with things that don't work out, or pieces that don't last, and (lets not forget, time is money) the project never seems to have an end date. The pieces a designer recommends will always be of great quality, and you get the satisfaction of a fully completely space. In addition, designers will often---as in our firm---share a portion of their discount with you, which underwrites a significant portion of the cost of working with them.
4) Access To Trade Manufacturers & Custom Pieces
A designer has the inside scoop on the furniture industry and will give you access to manufactures, products, and fabrics, that you would never have found otherwise. And let's not forget custom! With retail, what you see is what you get, but you hire a designer not only to carry your project in a streamlined, efficient, and enjoyable way, but to bring you a unique space that no one else in the world has. You could buy that Pottery Barn sofa that 10 of your friends already have, OR you could get a completely unique piece that was designed with you and your space in mind.
5) Peace of Mind
Decision fatigue is a real thing, and there can literally be hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions on any given project. A designer will narrow down the millions of options for you, giving you confidence in spending what truly is an investment in you, your home, and your family. This allows you to come out on the other end of your project with a space you love that didn't completely stress you out in the process.
Work with Lauren Figueroa Interior Design
LFID is a full-service interior design firm serving West and Southeast Michigan. We work with clients from Detroit, to Grand Rapids, to Holland, to Traverse City, and anywhere in between, and we pride ourselves on creating bespoke, people-centered spaces—because after all, people are what this life is all about!
If you have a project on the horizon, get started by telling us a little about your vision here, and you can view past projects here. Thanks for stopping by!
