172,650 Interior Designers and Decorators

What does an interior designer do?

A good home design professional will hone your style down to its very essence and be able to choose a functional layout that feels natural to you. Interior design companies can be involved as much or as little as the client desires. Many clients who hire an interior decorator — particularly those who are remodeling — have a good sense of how the room should look and what products they should use. Often clients will insist that interior decorators use the products already present in the house. Other times a designer will need to start from scratch — especially if this is a newly purchased or just-built home. An interior design company will need to figure out exactly what the client needs, which includes organizing rooms, picking flooring and wall colors, and finding furniture to complement it all. Sometimes that means he or she will have to recruit help from other home professionals to help create the perfect look for your renovation. Here are some related professionals and vendors to complement the work of interior designers & decorators: Architects & Building Designers, General Contractors, Home Builders, Design-Build Firms, Photographers.

Do your research before meeting with an interior designer or home decorator. Ask yourself what you want your space to become and what it will be used for. Figure out the extent of what you need help with, what your must-haves are and what your budget is. Interior design services can add up fast, so be up front with a potential design firm or individual from the beginning. Also, pick an interior decorator that fits your style. Browse through the portfolios of different interior design firms and decide if you would live in those houses. Just because you like something doesn’t mean you could live in it. There's a big difference!

Questions to ask when you meet with local interior designers:

• Can you give me a referral? (It makes a big difference to talk with a client who's worked with the designer before.)
  
• Can I see your design portfolio?
  
• When will the home renovation be done?
  
• Do you charge an hourly rate or a flat rate, or use the cost-plus method or a mixed method?
  

Find an interior designer or home decorator on Houzz. Narrow your search in the Professionals section to find interior designers near you. You can also look through photos to find a room you like, then contact the design firm who designed it.