Interior designer - would you, (have you) employ(ed) one?

My friend’s S and his wife used JL to furnish their new home with ,among other things, carpets and curtains.
They put up beautiful curtains with fancy pelmets in the sitting room, then someone realised the french doors opened into the room...

Maybe its just me,but when my ex& i considered buying many years ago,i preferred viewing the houses that were already vacated& completely empty,so i could see first glance exactly how big they were,how much space for things,& not be misled by other folks 'fancying up' of a room!?

I think i would if money were no object( i need to actually do lottery though,to win ?) but id not agree with everything they suggested probably,just some.The 'cushion chuckers' really made me chortle??

Don’t need an interior designer to increase the value, because my home (emphasis on Home) is not for sale, and when it is, I will be leaving my home in a box.

I think individual older houses are now sometimes “dressed” for selling. A bit like show houses on new estates. It is possible to hire furniture for this purpose. I have looked at some houses like this but I noticed there are often no wardrobes and things like that. Of course it makes the house look bigger. You have to imagine the detritus of normal life. People with a good eye can make a place look better but some people make no effort when selling their homes. I have looked at houses covered in smelly cat poo.

My husband has had dealings with kitchen designers they are a nightmare wanting things that are not practical plus the amount of money they add on to the price for the item, this is on top of their fee!!

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I am creative as a gardener less so with interior design. We used the John Lewis design service twice and had fantastic ideas and service with no pressure at all to buy.
We paid £250 which was refunded when we spent £1500. You probably pay more at John Lewis for products but for us it was worth it.

We had a designer for our kitchen. We told her what was important eg floor to ceiling fridge and floor to ceiling freezer and an eating area. The result was far better than we could have thought up.

imo you only have to look at the tv programmes... I occasionally comment, what will these people do, the ones who want a house all nicely , pristine... what will they do when the time comes to renew.. re decorate.... seems the lst time buyers are being wooed to only want a property that is already done for them,,

life has changed so much.. of course there are still some people prepared to buy a run down, or a property in need of some tlc... but ....

According a survey I read, interior design did not figure in the things you can do to increase the value of your house. Number one is a loft conversion, followed by new kitchen and bathroom. An extension does not apparently increase the value as much as some might believe.

If selling your house it is important to show it as blank canvas that prospective purchasers can imagine their own things in. So yes I can see why a well presented house can sell for more. If you are thinking of selling your house you should remove as much 'stuff' as possible before the valuation...especially walls of family pictures. People have to be able to imagine themselves in the house...

I don’t think I’d be asking Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen for a quote though, thinking back to those Changing Rooms days.

I certainly would, given the wherewithal! There are good and bad designers, as in all walks of life, and I’d love to see what some of them would come up with.

I would not use an interior decorator, my house is my house and has to adapt to my use of it, have my choice of furniture and my choice of colours.

However, I some times think I would like a stylist to walk round the house and tweak it a bit. When I was selling a relative's house, I did a thorough House Doctor job on it, reducing contents and ornaments, moving things around. The Estate Agent was approving and it helped sell the house and a lot of the feedback was complimentary.

However I am too close to my own house but I am sure that there are small tweaks here and there that if made, would make me feel even more comfortable in my own home. My immediate surroundings bathe my peace of mine.

My GS, a decorator is often contracted to work with interior designers by his customers he says they are a nightmare to work with. They persuade customers to use materials that aren’t suitable and the times he’s had to completely redo rooms where the designers ‘plan’ simply doesn’t work, the designer then trying to put the blame for their poor choice onto the decorator who is carrying out instructions often at huge cost to the customer.
Sorry I’ve gone off on a tangent ? I wouldn’t use one.

Sounds like a home Chewbacca! Much nicer than a place put together by a paid outsider.

I'd be delighted if someone could come in and help to coordinate all the mismatched furniture, blinds and rugs and make them look like they belonged to each other. As it is, my house is just a hotch potch of things I've bought or acquired and it never looks like it was "meant".

I think I would have one, if I ever had any money fall out of the sky.

Hopefully, they'd design something even more 'me' than I would.

I think a good designer works with their client to really understand their likes.

While I haven't ever used a designer, I would really value the experience, especially if I was doing a major makeover. As it is, we tend to just do small things. A new couch one year, new lamps the next, etc. Never all at once!

We purchased a condo in another area of the province, currently rented out but hope to spend retirement there. I think I could splurge on a designer/decorator since I think it would be a bit overwhelming to go in and buy everything all at once.

Oh no. I like our house to look like us, to reflect our likes and interests and personalities. I want mmmm factor not wow factor.

I would, although I quite like my home as it is. I think interior designers have a good eye for what would make a room or a house beautiful. I’d love someone to redesign my one big room and create more storage space in the kitchen area, for instance. A good interior designer will have trained in design, and will also know where to source materials, furniture and lighting as well as soft furnishings. I’d love to work with one!

Why would I do that - I have a very opinionated daughter who performs that purpose!!

A friend of mine is an interior designer in a very posh city.

She has people who move into a house ,with a fabulous new kitchen, which they rip out because they didn't choose it. She also says that it can take an hour to discuss which shade of white is more appropriate to their house. I can't help but think that some people inhabit a very different world to mine.

I love all aspects of design including theatre. Interior design of my home would be so.ething I would love to do. Maybe not the actual painting building g works now!
But the planning and choosing colours style and fabrics.
I'm getting excited just thi king about it!