How to work with an Interior Designer and a budget

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
House Cunningham, Spegash Interiors Spegash Interiors Modern dining room
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Envisioning how a renovation or spruce-up project can change your home is always exciting. It allows you to appreciate the splendid design results without having to sneeze through an actual construction project in your home. But today we want to focus less on how a professional’s crew can disrupt your lifestyle and more about how to plan a decent budget before you hire the services of an Interior Designer – and we have the perfect one in mind to use as example.

Spegash Interiors, located in Johannesburg, is one of South Africa’s most esteemed and professional interior-design companies. With a broad range of residential-, commercial-, and retail projects in its ever-growing portfolio, Spegash Interiors has assisted on projects throughout South Africa and in Europe. The firm was founded by interior designer Sharon Nicolaci. In her own words: “To me a home is not a showpiece. It’s a luxurious, glamorous, many-layered space that invites you to live in it. Comfort is key, and in each of my projects, whether in Europe or South Africa, I source the finest furniture and fabrics available. In our preliminary meetings I encourage my clients to show me their favourite décor images; allowing us to begin with a shared goal in mind. I’m delighted to say that I am now doing residential projects for my longstanding clients’ adult children.”

Let’s see how you can start setting up a budget before you make use of interior design services…  

1. Create your own mood board

Collect samples, photos and ideas of design pieces like fabrics, furnishings and decorations that you have in mind for your design project. This is not to be used for every single detail of your project, but rather to give you an idea of what direction (in terms of style, colour… ) you want to go in.  

Also, take into consideration the scope of your project while busy with your mood board. Is your aim to redecorate just one room, tear down a wall, or add something new? An effective mood board will give you (and later, your Interior Designer) a better understanding of your goal. +-

2. Set up your budget (and its limit)

Having an idea of what sort of project you need, and also what type of furnishings and décor you’re going to want, sets you on the path to your budget amount. When planning your investment, it’s important to take into consideration the materials, labour, unexpected expenses (trust us, they’re somewhere), plus the design services. 

homify hint: Whether it’s for a particular permit, repairing costs, shipping expenses, or the unexpectedly higher price of a piece of furniture, you need to be prepared for unforeseen costs. That’s why it’s always recommended to set aside at least 10% of your overall project budget. This is the number you will present to your potential designer upon your first meeting. 

3. Monitor and balance all expenses

In-between chatting to your designer about wallpaper designs and scoping out possible sofa options, some focus needs to be kept for your spending. This is as easy as creating a checklist with budget values in one column and the real expenses in another. 

Commit to balancing your costs as you and your designer proceed with your project. And be open and honest with one another in this business relationship. For instance, if you budget R1000 for chairs and only spend R900, you can spend that extra R100 on accessories (just be sure to communicate this to your designer). 

4. Look for discounts

Your designer may be the professional in this project, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye out for a bargain or two along the way. Discount suppliers and thrift shops can also offer some charming choices. But be sure to make it an excursion with your designer to have a pair of professional eyes scoping out those furniture- and décor options – you might just end up coming in way under your budget.  

5. Consider alternatives

When trying to complete a project on (or under) budget, it’s important to stay flexible. For instance, classic travertine flooring (budgeted at R600 per tile) might easily be exchanged for a high-quality ceramic alternative with a similar texture, somewhat better colour, and almost half the price. 

Fortunately, your designer will bring a considerable dose of product knowledge, industry tactics and supplier information to the table. That’s why you have the peace of mind of knowing a professional interior designer aboard your project is half the design battle won. 

Let’s delve deeper into one of Spegash Interiors’ projects! How about The perfect interior design for low-budget, 1st-time homeowners?   

What interior design project will you budget for?

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