Why hire an interior designer? What's the cost?

Hint: the cost to hire and interior designer is generally more than this.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

When do most people think about when hiring an interior designer? Aesthetic choices: paint colors for the wall; curtains, blinds, or shutters; a new sofa and rug; fabric patterns for pillows; and so on. But there's a lot more that a designer can add to a home. A professional designer can go beyond mere cosmetics to ensure that the whole room feels harmonious through and through, from the space plan (floor plan) to the finishing details to yes, fabric and wall color choices. The designer also deals with a whole host of stores, vendors, contractors, electricians, painters, other artists, and more depending upon the project.

A good interior designer will take your needs, personality, tastes, and lifestyle into account, not just thrust their own style upon you and assume your needs for the project. A good interior designer will also take the time to build relationships and listen to you so that the designer can provide the personalized design solution that is wanted and needed for the particular project.

Aesthetic and material choices: wall colors, modern textured wallpaper, and furniture.
Photo from OVOLO's Contemporary Spa-Like Master Bedroom Makeover

Great! So what does it all cost? Interior designers generally charge an hourly rate that could cost anywhere between $50 to $500 per hour. Be sure that you know about your budget before you begin since the hours spent working on the project can add up quickly. Note that this hourly rate does not include any of your materials like tile, paint, or wood floors, nor does it include those aesthetic choices such as window treatments, furniture, rugs, art, and accessories. The hourly rate is purely the cost-per-hour for the designer’s work which could include a designer's travel time, meetings with you and suppliers, shopping time, email or phone conversations, or other hours indirectly spent on your space. Typically, a good interior designer will spend much more time before a client meeting to draw up designs, prepare for any questions, and/or to know exactly where the materials will be in a store to show the clients so that the designer will not waste the time of the clients.

OVOLO Interiors is San Jose and Silicon Valley's affordable decorating, design, styling, and staging services company. We can help you to choose a design solution that is right for you. From decorating to remodeling to custom fine art photography, we can help you with almost any budget. No budget is too small! Our hourly rate is at the low end of the hourly rate scale that most other interior designers, decorators, and stylists would charge you. We have worked on bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, and even outdoor rooms so all room types are welcome. We work not only with homeowners, but renters as well.

Attention to detail is important to ensure that the whole room feels harmonious.

Photo from OVOLO's Contemporary French Country Kitchen

But it's not just us saying that. See our projects and read our reviews: "Ovolo Interiors is professional and attentive to details. They listened to our needs and found us exactly what we were looking for within our budget and specifications." - Houzz Review by Diana M. Here's another: "Greg understood exactly what we needed. He came up with a fantastic plan and then helped us to execute... He was always on time and he came in under budget. He takes his work very seriously." - Houzz Review By Cliff K.

Want to get started on your next project? Contact us today.