I kind of have 2 -

The first is the KD at no charge - and she does more true design of things - all cabinetry, built-ins - making sure the design itself is functional, meets our needs, etc. But, we also hired an interior decorator/designer for our new build to help me select lighting, flooring, counters, hardware, colors - anything that makes it 'look good', and it's the best $ we're spending :) (I will say, I'm not the best at making sure everything coordinates - so what takes her minutes would take me weeks to decide!) She charges $50/hour and anticpated the whole house would take her 24-40 hours to do. I actually talked to several in our area, and they ranged from 50-125/hour. I didn't select ours based on cost though. It just happened that she/I have the same taste (more rustic/farmhouse style) then the other 3 that were more expensive (and could only show me examples of more formal work they've done)

Thanks Andi. I'm still debating if I should hire one or not.

I'm meeting a KD at a kitchen place in 2 weeks. Maybe I'll feel better after meeting with her. Right now, I feel overwhelmed. :(

We used an interior designer for ONE thing- to get help picking paint colors. She came highly recommended by our builder. We ended up repainting almost every color she picked. It's not that her choices were bad, but they were much more conventional than we want for our house and our vision and in the end, we were much happier doing things ourselves to get exactly what WE want. I designed the kitchen and the trim plan and tiles and things for every single room w/o any help and I love the way it is coming out, although it might not be for everyone.

If you are the kind of person who wants to be in control of every little detail, who will notice every little detail and who will take the time to make sure the details are right, don't hire a designer. If you don't want to take the time or aren't that kind of person, hire a designer. But make sure he/she understands your vision and won't make your house just look like every one of his/her standard designs (or any standard designs).

I completely agree with beagles re: wanting control or wanting someone else to take care of it. I told my interior designer to give me three options...and then tell me which option to pick...lol!!! It's very overwhelming for me bc I just can't visualize what the end will look like....so, I just give her pics of various spaces and say "make my house look like this". :)

But, definitely see what the KD can do, too. I had a different KD before my current one - and it was a nightmare, which is why I hired the designer. If I had the current KD I have now in the very beginning, I could have her do everything (just like musings does) because she also offers the complete service options. Fortunately, all three of us have the same vision/style for everything and just keep feeding off each other so it's working out great.

When we contracted with our builder, in the contract we included provisions for a KD, an interior designer, and a landscape designer. I have met with all but the landscape designer. I really liked how the KD handled the layout of our kitchen, laundry and baths keeping in mind the bells and whistles we could afford in our budget. I wasn't very impressed with my interior designer. My agents and several other people on our building team say that I do very well on my own without the help of the interior designer. So that is money that could have gone into more bells and whistles. I have made selections based on what I like, I love traditional style with a touch of modern and/or transitional, so I don't really worry about the things I select becoming outdated. I'm firm in the color choices I like, and I've made sure that certain elements like flooring, countertops, stonework, and cabinetry are neutral enough to stand the test of time. I use other elements that are easier to change like pillows, curtains, vases, pictures, home decor, etc to add interest to the design. I am also comfortable with yard design, but our new home is on almost 4 acres, so I really need help. What you are feeling regarding making choices is normal. Everything can be so overwhelming that I even second guess my builder, agents, husband, designers, and myself!

I think having an interior designer works well for some and certainly at times I wish I had one but there are also pitfalls. Like some have said before, having a designer that gets your style is very important. Some will get it immediately, some will catch on very quickly, and some never will :). Looking at a designer's past projects can be instructive. Do you generally like their style? Although portfolios can vary, there is usually a common theme - ornate/simple, cluttered/streamlined, traditional/modern, etc.

The one other pitfall I have heard of is a budgetary one. It is not too difficult to find a great looking 1200.00 lamp. Finding a great looking inexpensive lamp is much harder ;). Finding a designer that can get you the look you want within your budget, and who is able to combine less and more expensive things is the challenge for me (using a great lampshade on an inexpensive lamp, for example, or mixing new items with antiques or flea market finds).

I am planning on pulling the interior design together myself for the most part, although I may get some advice in a couple of areas for furniture placement, etc. Although definitely not a professional, it is something that I enjoy and help friends with occasionally. If this is not something you enjoy, or something you are comfortable with, hiring the right professional is money well spent I think.

musings... Thank you for sharing what you actually do for a customer. I honestly have no idea what an interior designer can do for me. It sounds great. But I'm hesitant to spend the $$.

beaglesdoitbetter... Very good point! I think that's another reason I'm hesistant hiring a designer. The house may come out great using a designer, but the outcome may not be what I really want. I'm very very detail oriented and likes to control things. My main problem though is that I don't feel like I have a lot of time to do research on details, etc. But now that I have found this forum, maybe the research will be easier.

Pcandlyte... I would prefer to spend the $$ on more bells and whistles. Also, I feel like I know more of what I want than a designer. But then I'm worried that combining my "likes" results to a mishmash and look like a carnival.

athensmomof3... The reason I'm considering an interior designer is to get help on selecting permanent things or things that can not be easily/inexpensively changed after the house is done.

Talked to my GC. He recommended to see the KD first and see how I feel after.

We had 25 hours of interior design, as well as a landscape designer in our contract. Our builder also uses a KD for the cabinetry lay out. While I love interior design and had a definite vision...I LOVED having my designer to hold my hand throughout the process! She had me feel so much more confident about the end result. Plus...she was invaluable when those pesky "on the fly" questions would come up...often, I'd be like "uhhhh, uhhh,I don't know" and she'd say, " oh, you definitely want it to be like this, or that." It was worth it to me, mostly because of my insecurities! :)

I completely agree with athensmomof3. we didn't have a designer for the construction of our home and generally I'm very happy with the results. i did agonize over alot of decisions and if i could have found a designer who got our vision, i think it would have been worth it.

the kitchen cabinet store had a "kitchen designer" and he was very knowledgeable about the different cabinet lines and what was available in each but honestly he didnt have a great design sense, but we pretty much knew what we wanted. Both our builder and KD were resistent to our design b/c it's pretty unusual for the Midwest. In the end it's one of our favorite rooms.

we've decorated our home with mainly antique/ salvage, craigslist pieces with some crate and barrel, west elm, pottery barn and restoration hardware mixed in. We did get a designer for our family room but as stated, she suggested many things that were more expensive that we wanted and I wanted to incorporate vintage pieces. but she did give me a few great ideas and set me straight on a few things ie. don't buy 44" unlined west end panels for you 10' tall ceiling and big windows. it won't look good. I did make a few mistakes along the way that may have been avoided if I had a designer, but I also worry we would lost some of the uniqueness as well.