Interior designers; a need or a want? As you’ve just got the keys to your new home, it’s time to start thinking about the renovation of the house. But hold on to your horses! Before we get to renovating, make sure that your home’s defects have been rectified by the developer, because otherwise the Defect Liability Period would be void – read more about it here! Now, that I’ve reminded you about that- let’s carry on! So, what do interior designers even do and why should you consider getting one?

Interior designers are in charge of designing the interior of your home based on your objective of renovation, lifestyle. and design preferences – so if there’s a specific style you really wanna go for, such as a Scandinavian, or perhaps you want a ‘Green home’, then you could let your interior designer know, and they will plan accordingly! 

The way an interior designer works is that they will use sketches, mood boards, along with 3D renders to provide you with the full visual of the end product for your home. Their expertise lies in improving both the aesthetics and functionality of your home.

When you get an interior designer, they will advise you on the materials that should be used, and even source these materials, be it lights, paint, wood, different types of quartz, and even the proper color scheme that should be used for different areas of the home, along with the furniture and decorations that best suit your home.

On top of that, interior designers will also be helping you manage the entire process of your home renovation by getting in touch with the contractors that are in charge, communicating with and providing them with the proper construction timeline, to ensure that everything is kept on track. If any problems were to appear anytime during the construction period, then your interior designer would help manage and resolve the issues, while constantly keeping you up-to-date on the progress.

A Splurge! $$

When you hire an interior designer, be prepared to pay significantly more than you would if you were to just hire a regular contractor. This is because interior designers are in charge of everything from pre-construction, and they will help you manage everything all the way until the completion of the renovation.

Some of the things you may be charged for includes :

• Consultation fees
• 3D sketches
• Sourcing of materials
• Managing all parties involved

The cost for an interior designer to work on your home will depend on 2 things;

1. The size of your house

2. The type of work you’re looking for them to accomplish

Myra did a little case study based on a 732 sqft apartment home right here in Malaysia and got quotations! But keep in mind that these figures will differ and depend on the size of your home, and the type of design you’re looking for. 

• Just for a design: estimated RM5000
• Renovation and Design: estimated RM190-300 per sqft

(Note: these quotes were inquired end year of 2021)

Usually, interior designers’ work will include items that need to be built into your home and will exclude any loose furniture or appliances. Here’s the list of what the charges will include!

• Carpentry Work (Built-In Cabinets)
• Wiring Work
• Painting
• General Lighting
• Ceiling Modification (Plaster Ceiling)
• Curtains
• Full Design Consultation (including 3D renders, moodboards, design drafts, etc.)

Who should hire an interior designer?

If you’re still on the fence about hiring an interior designer, there are multiple things you should consider first. First you should consider whether you have the budget to hire an interior designer. You might want to dip into your savings for this, or if you have some cashback from the developer, you can utilize that pool of money too after subtracting the costs of your renovation and everything else that you would need to pay for. 

Second, figure out your working style for the construction – are you the kind of person who prefers to oversee everything themselves, or are you more of a hands-off kind of individual who would love to have an extra pair of eyes to help you properly oversee all the details. 

 Third, ask yourself how much knowledge you have in designing your own home? And if the answer you come up with is – not much! Then, you probably need a more experienced individual to consult about how to properly utilize the space, the proper materials needed and they will also take correct measurements for you.

But remember, having an interior designer should not be your main priority, so don’t force yourself to a life of skimping, just so you’ll be able to afford an interior designer!

5 Local Interior Designers 

If you’ve decided to get an interior designer, here are some local companies that you could check out!

1. ATAP - They have a wide range of interior designers to choose from, providing minimalistic, classic, contemporary, and modern styles!

2. IQI Concept - They have experience making ready-to-move-in projects look trendy while providing quality, with a strong suit in modern and contemporary styles!

3. Apieceofart -They mix creativity and innovation by combining both art and functionality into their designs

4. Line2pixels - Simple, minimalistic, and Scandinavian designs are their specialties while focusing on the quality of the materials

5. Luxe Interior - Provides affordable interior design services, specializing in modern and contemporary designs

 5 Best Interior Designing Apps and Softwares

If you want to have a go at interior designing a layout yourself first, then these are some of the hottest apps and softwares that you could try out!

1. Floorplanner - Allows you to easily design 2D and 3D floor plans and home layouts + decorate it with tons of different things! There are different project levels available, and the higher of a level you unlock, the more realistic the floor plan visuals will be.

2. Roomstyler - An interactive app that allows you to design your interior from scratch, with a playlist of tutorial videos available to guide you through. You also get to see designs that others came up with, and even view the specific products they used.

3. Room Planner : Home Design - Provides you with a quick way to curate a professional interior design, with floor plans, VR tours, architect statistics, etc. provided. And you can just create one using their ready themes, with tons of brands available to include in your design.

4. Roomeon - A 3D drag-and-drop room planner software, where you can easily decorate and furnish the room to whatever your heart desires, with furniture from countless brands made available!

5. Planner 5D - This easy-to-use app looks kind of like a Sims game, and allows you to make a quick floor plan, with views from different angles! You can also get a virtual tour of the rooms.

And that’s about it for this blogpost! Before you decide to jump the gun and splurge on an interior designer, or go the other direction and take all the responsibilities of renovating and redecorating yourself, consider all of the things mentioned above, and choose the one that you feel is best for you and your home!