10 Tips on How to Find An Interior Designer

You’ve decided you want to revamp the style of your home. Maybe you want to replace the furniture in a few rooms to make the environment more homey, or maybe you want to do a full-scale remodel to create a cohesive aesthetic. Either way, you’ve considered your options and know you want to hire an interior designer [link to “5 reasons” blog post]. Great! Now… how do you go about finding one?

Below are our 10 tips on how to find an interior designer.

1. Get Inspired

Before you start on your interior design search, take some time to think about what you are looking for. Are you interested in something traditional or modern? Do you need space to entertain guests or need child-proof furniture? Do you have more of a bohemian or farmhouse style? What colors do you like? What colors do you NOT like? These questions and more will be some of the first things you discuss with any prospective designer, and having an idea of what you want as you look at portfolios will make everything easier. We also love clients who bring inspiration pics - start that Pinterest board!

2. Google Search

Unsurprisingly, the most obvious answer is one of the most effective. A simple Google search with the keywords “interior designer” and your city or neighborhood will often yield a variety of results near you. Best of all, this will also provide you with reviews. Give them a read and peruse the websites of designers that pique your interest.

3. Instagram Hashtags

Instagram is a great photo-sharing site, and you can often find interior designers posting pictures of their recent projects and offering design tips. Search a few hashtags (such as #austininteriordesigner) and you can find plenty of interior designers, with the added bonus of getting a sense of their personality.

4. Facebook Groups

Another social media site you should take a look at is Facebook. If you are part of any neighborhood groups, you can look through past posts to see if there has been discussion about interior designers or post your own query. This is also a great way to get an idea of what styles are popular and what price levels are typical in your area. Also consider following design pages for more recommendations.

5. Read Magazines

For the more old-school among us, home and architecture magazines are also a great resource. They are often more specific and focused on design than a generalized Google search, and they can provide you not only with inspiration but also recommendations. For example, Austin Home puts out a Top Interior Designers list every year, which is a helpful place to start your search.

6. Ask Your Friends

There’s nothing like good old word-of-mouth. If you love the style of a friend’s living room, ask if they used an interior designer. They will give you the most honest recommendations you are likely to get, and you can pick their brain about the process. Some friendly advice from someone you trust can give you guidance and ease any concerns you have about getting started.

7. Ask Your Contractor

If you are doing a remodel or new build, definitely ask your contractor about local interior designers. We tend to work very closely with contractors and architects on these types of projects, and they can give you a professional recommendation based on what you are looking to have done and who they have had good experiences with.

8. First Phone Call

Once you’ve done some research, it’s time to reach out to designers. Most will offer a complimentary phone call consultation to get a grasp on the scope of your project and get to know you a little bit. This is as much for your benefit as for ours. You can ask any questions that have come up in your research and get a sense of if the designer is someone you may want to work with.

9. Compare Your Shortlist

After all your research and preliminary conversations, cut down the list of designers you have come up with to a manageable 3 or so. You can then get more in-depth with this handful of designers. For example, our next step is an in-home consultation where we can talk specifics and ultimately give you an estimate on your investment. Compare the services different designers offer, their experience, and your budget and make your final choice!

10. Go With Your Gut

Ultimately, our biggest piece of advice is to trust your instincts when choosing an interior designer. You will be working closely with this person for an extended period of time, so making sure your designer is someone you get along with is just as important as making sure they can deliver the style that you want. It’s easy to second guess yourself during a design project, so listen to your gut from the start and go with what feels right.