How much does an interior designer cost in 2022?
When thinking about your interior being designed by a professional, it instantly directs you to the thought that you have to spend a considerable amount of money. At some level, it is true. Still, it depends on a large number of factors, and opting for an interior designer will show itself as a good decision in the long run – the interior will look just like you want without unexpected turns.
If you plan on collaborating with an interior designer in 2022 or simply researching the subject, this article will come in handy and open new horizons for you. Going through some basic aspects, we will try to answer the question as clearly as possible.
What is the role of an interior designer?
Before getting to the cost part, you should ensure you really need an interior designer. It is easy to find out by knowing what an interior designer does. They consult you on various subjects regarding your future interior and try to bring your preferences, vision, and style together for a complete design.
Keeping in mind your budget, the rules of arranging the space, the trends, and your personality, designers come up with design concepts shaped like drafts, which are adjusted according to your feedback, reaching the final products, which can either be 3D renderings or any kind of presentations. Designers can also take care of furniture, lighting, and textiles and their delivery, sometimes even with discounts. One should note that an interior designer can play many roles, which directly affects the cost.
Interior Designer or Interior Decorator?
Since we speak on the subject, it is worth mentioning the difference between those two terms that are often used interchangeably.
Shortly, it is all about the credentials that allow or ban particular activities. Both are involved in enhancing the interior. Nevertheless, designers are encouraged to go through formal training, which allows them to change the physical and aesthetic appearance of the interior, even during the architectural part, while decorators can be involved only during the aesthetic part. In a few words, a designer has the skill to determine whether a wall should be eliminated or added to enhance functionality, while a decorator’s power is limited to deciding, for instance, whether to decorate this wall with eclectic wallpaper or paint it in a neutral color.
Factors to consider
Besides the current standards and the price set by each designer or company in part, there are a few factors that always affect the final cost of an interior designer’s service. These are the aspects one should pay attention to:
Interior designer cost
Although the price is influenced by a range of factors, there are a few estimations that can help you have a clear image. Designers have different ways of setting their costs. However, on average, a client spends from $1,500 to $12,000 on the designer, excluding furniture, which makes about $5,000 the average for a house (source: Forbes Advisor). Now, let’s dive deeper!
Flat rate
Usually, larger companies charge a flat rate per room, yet it depends on how large the room is. Speaking in numbers, the average price for a room worked on by a designer, including furniture, will make you pay about $2,000 to $12,000. If going with the design work only, it will cost you about $450 to $1,500 per room.
Hour rate
This is the most common way of charging, and it is peculiar to smaller companies or independent designers. Usually, smaller projects are considered in this sense. It fully depends on the designer’s experience. Thus, the lowest cost you can possibly encounter is $50 per hour, the highest – $500 per hour, and the average – $100 per hour.
Commissions
Separate from the main cost, designers can charge you commissions on purchases that they coordinate themselves. This usually happens when the designer has discounts at particular stores and charges you the retail cost. Still, if we speak about a company, it may charge higher commissions, ending up with 10% to 30% above the retail cost.
Percentage out of the cost
This applies to indeed large design projects, when the designer charges a sum of money out of the total cost, which may reach 10% to 30%, or above the final cost, with 10% to 45% above the price.
Online interior designer cost
In 2022 online interior design services are as successful and even more efficient in terms of money, effort, and time. You can visualize your future design for a considerably smaller price and reach a perfect result, all due to online platforms that cut the cost considerably. In this case, the rate is usually flat, and the client will spend about $200 to $1,000 on such services. In case such an option interests you, considering the additional virtual tour of your future interior and a personalized shopping list, all this via a friendly online collaboration, don’t hesitate to start your dream project.
Why hire an interior designer?
If you still wonder whether hiring an interior designer is worth the cost, think in perspective. The designer doesn’t only arrange your space in a trendy and aesthetically pleasing way. A professional makes the most of the room’s functionality based on technical knowledge and personal connections with contractors.
You can have as many ideas, inspiration, and preferences as you want. Still, only a trained professional knows how to put them together in a practical, stylish, and personal way. Particularly now, when it is possible to design your interior online by visualizing the future room for adjustments, collaborating with professionals, and making your dream design come true up to the smallest detail at an affordable price.
What to do before hiring an interior designer
The more things you will narrow down yourself, the less you will spend on the designer. Take it step by step, and be ready to meet a professional with your homework done.
