There is a moment in almost every decorating project when you look around the room, stare at your paint samples and fabric swatches, and think:
“Do I actually know what I'm doing?”
The answer is probably yes. But that doesn't mean you have to do everything yourself.
An interior designer can be invaluable, particularly when you're tackling a whole house, a complicated renovation or simply don't have the time or confidence to make all the decisions yourself.
But you don't necessarily need one for every decorating project.
Sometimes all you need is a good idea, a little confidence and the willingness to make a few mistakes along the way.
So, when is it worth calling in the professionals?
Start by asking yourself what you're trying to achieve.
Before deciding whether you need an interior designer, think about the scale of the project.
Are you redecorating one bedroom, choosing curtains for the sitting room or trying to decide what colour to paint the hallway?
Or are you renovating an entire house, moving walls, choosing kitchens and bathrooms, coordinating builders and trying to make hundreds of decisions at once?
The bigger and more complicated the project, the more useful a designer can become.
An interior designer isn't simply someone who chooses pretty cushions. A good designer can help you develop a cohesive scheme, solve practical problems, manage budgets and coordinate all the different elements of a project.
For a larger renovation, that expertise can be worth its weight in gold.
You don't have to hand over the whole house
One of the biggest misconceptions about interior designers is that you have to give them complete control.
You don't.
Many designers offer different levels of service, from a full interior design scheme through to a consultation or help with one particular room.
Perhaps you've chosen the furniture but can't work out what to do with the windows. Or you've fallen in love with a wallpaper but aren't sure what to put alongside it.
A couple of hours with a designer can sometimes be enough to get you moving in the right direction.
And if you've already got a strong sense of your own style, you may simply need someone to sense-check your ideas.
When you probably don't need one
There are plenty of decorating jobs that you can absolutely tackle yourself.
If you're painting a room, replacing a lampshade, hanging curtains or adding cushions and artwork, there is no reason you can't make those decisions yourself.
In fact, we think there is something rather lovely about figuring out what you like through trial and error.
Your home should feel like your home, not a showroom.
You don't need to know all the rules. You just need to create a space that makes you happy.
But what if you have no idea where to start?
This is where a designer can be particularly helpful.
If you have a blank room and absolutely no idea what to do with it, a designer can help you establish a colour palette, furniture layout and overall direction before you spend a penny.
They can also see things that you might not.
Perhaps the sofa you've fallen in love with is too large for the room. Perhaps the curtains would work better mounted higher. Perhaps the colour you've chosen will look completely different once the afternoon sun hits it.
Having another pair of experienced eyes can save expensive mistakes.
Know when to call in the experts
There is a simple rule we like to apply to most things in life:
You can change your own lightbulb, but you probably shouldn't rewire the room.
We think the same logic applies to interior design.
There are plenty of decorating jobs you can happily tackle yourself. Choosing a paint colour, hanging pictures, buying cushions or deciding where to put your favourite chair are all part of the fun.
But when a project becomes more complicated, or you're simply out of your depth, bringing in someone who does this for a living can save you a lot of time, money and heartache.
Don't underestimate the practical stuff
A beautiful room still needs to work.
Where will everyone sit? Is there enough storage? Can the curtains actually open? Will the dining table fit six people comfortably? Where are the sockets? How will the lighting work in the evening?
These are the things that can easily get overlooked when you're concentrating on colour and pattern.
A good interior designer thinks about how a room will be lived in, not simply how it will look in a photograph.
And that, for us, is one of the most important parts of good design.
What about budget?
This is perhaps the biggest question of all.
Hiring an interior designer is an additional cost, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will make your project more expensive overall. It might sound counterintuitive, but hiring an interior designer can sometimes save you money.
Designers have years of experience, know which products work well and, importantly, often have access to trade pricing that isn't available to the general public. Many designers pass some or all of those savings on to their clients. So you could, in fact, be saving money.
They can also help you avoid the expensive (and irreversible) mistakes that are so easy to make when you're working things out as you go along: the sofa that's slightly too big, the curtains that don't quite work, the paint colour you end up repainting or the piece of furniture that doesn't actually fit through the door.
That said, you don't need to hire a designer simply because you think you should.
If your budget is limited and you enjoy making decisions yourself, spend the money where it will make the biggest difference.
Perhaps that's beautiful curtains. A really good sofa. Wallpaper that you absolutely love.
Good design isn't about how much you spend.
And what if I just need some inspiration?
This is where the internet, magazines, Pinterest and Instagram can be both wonderful and slightly dangerous.
It's easy to save hundreds of beautiful rooms and end up feeling that your own home is somehow falling short.
Instead, look for ideas rather than exact copies.
Notice the colours you keep coming back to. The shapes you like. Whether you are drawn to calm, neutral rooms or something much more colourful.
Then start building your own scheme.
The best interiors aren't usually copied from a single image. They're a collection of ideas, objects and influences that have gradually become your own.
Don't be afraid to trust yourself
Paint the room pink. Put the antique chair next to the modern sofa. Hang the patterned curtains. Mix the stripes with the florals.
Meredith House Tip
Don't make every decision at once. If you're decorating a room yourself, start with the things you absolutely love: a fabric, wallpaper, piece of furniture or artwork. And let those guide the rest of the scheme. A room tends to feel much more personal when it evolves rather than being chosen all in one go.
Your home doesn't have to follow a set of rules.
And if you get stuck, that's exactly when an interior designer can help: not to tell you what your home should look like, but to help you work out what you want it to be.
So if you need an interior designer, find a good one.
And if you don't?
Trust your instincts, have fun and start decorating.
IN A NUTSHELL
✦ Think about the scale of the project. One room is very different from renovating an entire house.
✦ You don't need to hand everything over. A designer can help with one room, a particular problem or simply bounce eas.
✦ Consider the practicalities. Good design isn't just about how a room looks, it's about how you live in it.
✦ Don't assume doing it yourself is always cheaper. Interior designers may have access to trade pricing, and their experience can help you avoid costly mistakes.
✦ Use inspiration wisely. Take ideas from rooms you love rather than trying to recreate them exactly.
✦ Trust yourself. You know what you like — and your home should reflect that.
Ready to start scheming?
Explore our Wallpapers and Fabrics →
We believe the most memorable homes aren't created overnight. They're collected slowly, layered thoughtfully and filled with pieces that mean something to the people who live there.
And if you do decide to go it alone, you might like to read our guide to How to Mix Florals and Stripes.
To help you make the right decision for you and your home, we regularly share decorating inspiration and ideas in The Journal.
