How to Choose the Right Interior Design Service for You
Online Interior Design Vs. Traditional Interior Design
With technology so popular, is e-design aka online interior design or is traditional design the best choice for you?
Perhaps many interior designers offer e-design without properly explaining “What exactly is eDesign?” Hopefully I can clarify this issue, as well as outline whether you should hire an e-designer or a traditional designer as I present the ultimate cheat sheet on e-design vs. traditional interior design. Be sure the check out the nifty infographic at the end of the article. You may have heard other terms for this design service such as “online interior design,” “virtual interior design,” “edesign interior design,” “edesign full service,” “interior design online service,” or “e design online services.” This article will help you decide if you need edesign services or in-person traditional design services.
Sections
Tip #1: Location
Tip #2: Convenient Communication
Tip #3: Savings
Ways to Know If You Should Hire a Traditional Designer
Ways to know if you should hire an e-designer
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Ultimate Cheat Sheet On E-design Vs. Traditional Interior Design Tip #1: Location
In this day and age of technology, almost all interior designers that I have researched offer a virtual interior design package, whether or not they specialize in e interior design services, as I do. This goes to say that it is a recognized way of reaching clientele that previously we were unable to, due to geographic limitations. This is a huge bonus to both client and designer to not be limited to a 60-mile wide or so radius, as now you the client can focus on finding a designer that fits your style and your personality.
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Ultimate Cheat Sheet on E-Design Vs. Traditional Interior Design Tip #2: Convenient Communication with Interior Design Online Services
One of the biggest differences with an e-designer is that they never step foot in your home, unlike a traditional residential designer who usually begins with a home consultation to view your space. Sometimes a traditional designer consultional is a free visit, sometimes this starts at $150/hour. This first consultation with an e-designer is either with an convenient, online design questionnaire or a hello telephone consultation, for me this is free. I believe it is wonderful to talk with clients to say hello, and get to know one another a bit, and answer any questions before beginning. Then the convenience of communicating through email, direct messaging, video and phone chats is easier than the hassle of having to make an appointment with a traditional interior designer whenever you want to communicate.
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3D Render of Family Room by Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors LLC
Ultimate Cheat Sheet on E-design Vs. Traditional Interior Design Tip #3: Savings with E Interior Design Services
Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay
Another huge difference between the different services is cost. Let's break down the costs of a residential interior designer. First you have the design fees. Most traditional designers charge an hourly fee that starts at around $150/hour, minimum. However, they usually require you to purchase at least 10 design hours, so that is $1500 you spend whether you need it or not. On top of that, they prefer to work with clients that can afford their custom trade resources, which means a minimum furnishings/materials budget of $10,000 if you seek out a solopreneur, or at least $100,000 if you are looking at a larger interior design firm. If you can afford to hire a gardener, and a private cook - then you can afford to spend at least $100,000 for interior design. I know personally I only wish I had have that kind of money just sitting around, don't you? That was always one of the ways I felt disconnected from interior design when I began my career, and why e-design is so exciting to me. I can now offer design to everyone.
You save so much money with e-design, and the reason is there is less time investment with the designer. Okay, first let's break down the costs. Instead of hourly design fees, the e-designers I know, including myself, offer various tiered packages at a flat-fee, which means totally transparent, up-front pricing for you.
How much does an online virtual edesigner cost?
My lowest edesign package is $125/room for Accessories and Art shopping list, in case you don't need a full-room design.
My premiere edesign package, my most best value package, you get a full design of three rooms for one price of $4800 total (excluding tax). Not $4800 per room, $4800 total for three rooms, that's half of what a traditional interior designer is going to charge you for her minimum fee.
My standard package for one room edesign is $2000/room.
How much does a traditional designer cost?
An in-home 2-hour design consultation is $300, with $100 to go towards future design services if you hire me.
Full-service design for local clients starts at $5,000 per room. You can contact me for a personalized custom estimate.
"You don't have to have a $100,000 or even a $10,000 budget to hire an e-designer. I am comfortable working with all types of budgets, within reason." - Julie Ann Shahin, Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors LLC
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View this 3D Rendering in My Portfolio
“If I could sum up the main difference between traditional interior design and e-design, I’d say that e-design has a DIY approach, whereas traditional interior design is more like white-glove service… and this is why the price differs so much.” - Terra, The Savvy Heart design studio
You set your own budget for your room. You don't have to have $100,000 or even $10,000 to hire an e-designer. We are comfortable working with all types of budgets, within reason. I know...budget is a sticky, uncomfortable subject. It's my job to ask these tough questions, and it will be confidential just between us. I do my best to stay within your budget, yet you have to be specific with me so I am able to do my job to your satisfaction. I also work with the pieces that are your favorites that you are going to be keeping in your home. I don't ask you to start from scratch.
What is the Edesign Interior Design Online Process?
These are the steps for prepping yourself to work with an eDesigner and what to expect. You might enjoy also reading my article “What is the Design Process for Working with a (Local) Traditional Designer?”
Photo: Unsplash | Brooke Lark
Set a budget
First step to setting a budget, take a look at the stores you like to shop at. If you love Pottery Barn, you just have to have Pottery Barn - and you wish for me to design a Master Bedroom for you...set your expectations accordingly, and realize I won't be able to create a Pottery Barn style room under $1,000.00, as some of their beds cost $1,800.
Set your own timeline
With e-design you can implement your design in phases as your budget allows. You might have to get creative if the product I specify gets sold out before you are ready to buy it, you'll have to look for a look-alike item. I'll give you tips on how to do this if you are going to be doing your design in phases, just let me know.
Communicate with your partner
Talk to your partner, and look at your finances. Know what you are comfortable spending and what you can afford. Read about how to handle design dilemmas with your partner in my article, “4 Decorating Dilemma Hacks You Need to Know Now”
"You are capable of doing DIY with my online interior design services help!" - Julie Ann Rachelle, Julie Ann Rachelle Interiors LLC
DIY
Less time investment from the designer saves you money because you are capable of doing a few things yourself. I mentioned above that this is a big reason you save money and here's why. You are a capable being! What? Huh? Did I just say confess that? Yes, I believe you are more than capable.
Hand it off
You might be capable of designing beautiful room after beautiful room, but there are reasons you can't do it right now. You might be too busy. You might be too overwhelmed with choices. You might want a new style and don't know where to begin. You might just want a little help. It's okay to ask for help, it's healthy.
Measure your space and take photos
You are capable of measuring your own space, right? Why pay a designer to come to your house to do this? Just be sure to have a great tape measure, follow my instructions that I send you for what I need, and be precise.
You are capable of taking photos of your own room, right? Again, why pay a designer an hourly fee to do this? They are not measuring and taking photos on the initial, free home visit. They will be doing this when you are paying out cold, hard cash. I want to save you money wherever I can.
Less time is invested also as all the work is done online, thus you are no longer paying an hourly fee for a designer or her assistant to run from vendor to vendor gathering tile samples, paint samples, fabric samples, etc. You are not paying an hourly fee for her to oversee contractors, to negotiate bids, or to go to other meetings regarding your design. You are not paying an hourly fee for someone to schedule deliveries, and to install your design. This includes all the time is takes to unwrap and unbox each product ordered. It was my job as an interior design assistant at the beginning of my career to take care of all the deliveries we received, and I had to get out the utility knife to open the box, and then carefully take whatever item out of all the styrofoam or packing peanuts it was packed in. Back then, in the nineties, there were so many packing peanuts! Oh the horrror.
Edesign is for you if: “You can articulate what you want your design to look/feel like. You already have inspiration and just need someone to put it together in a way the makes sense, but is still unique.” - Kayla, Kayla Simone Home
Ways To Know If You Should Hire A Traditional Interior Designer
You want the all-inclusive luxury design experience
You want a designer to make in-home visits
You want a designer to take you shopping
You want a designer to take photographs of your space, and to make meticulous measurements
You want a designer to haul over a bunch of wallpaper, textile, fabric books as well as counter, tile, and flooring samples
You want for a designer to create detailed construction documents
You want a designer to create documents for custom cabinetry
You want a designer to oversee contractors
You want a designer to arrange for all your furniture and products to be delivered on the same day
You are okay with the design taking at least 3 months to one year
You have a large budget at least $10,000 to $100,000 minimum, depending on the size of the firm
You are willing to pay a minimum design fee of about $1500
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View this 3D Render Project in My Portfolio
Ways to Know If You Should Hire An E-designer
You do not need a designer to come to your home.
You are able to measure your own space.
You are able to photograph your own space.
You are able to communicate with skill via email, telephone, and video chat.
You want to save a buttload of cash by cutting out all the time you'd be billed for a designer driving around collecting samples, connecting with contractors, and handling bids. Design fees for E-design average $500/room flat fee.
You want transparent, flat fee pricing. (See my packages overview here.)
You want your design plan within 2-4 weeks instead of months to a year.
You are able to order products, and you are able to handle returns/exchanges.
You are able to DIY or you are able to hire tradesmen such as installers, painters, plumbers, etc.
You are able to style the products you ordered (with or without provided instructions).
You want to finish the design in phases
You want a package that starts at less than $300 (less time investment for designer)
You want the same quality design without paying for the busy work
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