If you’re planning a home renovation or building from the ground up, you may have come across the term full service interior design. But what does that really mean—and is it worth the investment?
In this post, we’ll define what full service interior design entails, how it works, and the key benefits it offers to homeowners looking for a seamless, turn-key design experience.
What Is Full Service Interior Design?
Full service interior design is a comprehensive, start-to-finish approach to home design and renovation. It goes far beyond decoration or basic consultations. Full Service Interior Design encompasses everything that is needed to take your project to the “finished” line.
Typical Deliverables:
1- Concept Development and Design Boards
2 – Selection of all Finishes – items attached to the building such as flooring, paint, tile, lighting, hardware, millwork.
3- 3D Visuals of proposed design so you understand how the selections will look
4 – Drawings and Specifications for all selections and design features. (This is what all construction professionals will need to price and implement the design)
5- Sourcing and procurement of non-fixed items going into the room(s): decorative lighting, furniture, rugs, art, and accessories. Window Treatments also often fall under this non-construction category even though many window treatment types are technically attached to walls or windows.
6- Interface with Contractor and trades throughout construction to ensure design is implemented as planned.
7 – Delivery, installation, and final styling of all the procured items into a beautiful, finished space!
This concierge approach means the designer handles every detail so that you don’t have to!
Benefits of Full Service Interior Design
1. Save Time and Avoid Stress
One of the biggest benefits of hiring a full service interior designer is the time and energy it saves you. Designers manage schedules, vendors, deliveries, and site visits, so you don’t have to juggle emails, timelines, or supply chain issues. From interfacing with contractors to tracking shipments and staying on top of budgets, full service designers act as project managers throughout the process. They troubleshoot issues, handle delays, and work to keep everything on schedule—so you don’t have to.
If you’ve ever talked to anyone building or renovating a home on their own, you’ve likely heard that projects of this size are almost always all-consuming and can greatly strain marriages and families. If you already have a busy, stressful life, handing over the heavy lifting to a professional is going to make the process of seeing your dreams come to life so much more enjoyable!
2. Better Finished Results
Once you’ve invested in a designer to create the vision and provide the 100’s of selections your project needs, your interior designer will follow your project through construction to ensure the final result is all that you had envisioned. There is always a myriad of issues that come up during construction and your interior designer is there to navigate those along with your contractor, providing answers and trouble-shooting issues that come up. The client is pulled in only when there may be some departure from the design required and in those instances, I like to recommend a best-case scenario solution for you.
When clients implement on their own without their designer, there’s a high probability they will be talked out of design features or talked into less-than ideal detailing. This is unfortunate because clients have already made an investment in the design and they often just don’t have the know-how to work through the issues or suggest viable alternatives. When you take your designer through construction, we can come up with creative ways to respect the design AND come up with a construction method that is more agreeable for the contractor. (Beauty never comes easily or without effort but it’s always worth it!) Bonus tip: hire an interior designer who understands construction and can communicate how they envision their design coming to life!
3. Personalized to you
With years of training and real-world experience, interior designers bring a unique skill set to your project. They’re trained in space planning, color theory, design history, lighting design, and material selection. Interior designers are equipped with the ability to create original design solutions. A good designer will be listening intently (often reading between the lines!) to come up with a highly personalized design plan that will help you create a home that reflects your taste, lifestyle, and needs—not just replicating current trends. Interior Designers help you nail the details and create something special that your neighbors don’t have!
4. Elevated, Cohesive Design
Full service interior design creates a cohesive, well-executed look across your entire home. Rather than piecing together furniture and finishes over time, you’ll have a unified design plan where everything fits together beautifully. All furniture, rugs, and more are collected in one location from all of the vendors and installed in one shot. There are no lingering worries about finding the perfect barstool (5 years later!) Life is busy. It feels great to get things off your to-do list and get on with the important part – enjoying your beautiful home!
Is Full Service Interior Design Right for You?
Full Service interior design is a great fit if:
1- You’re building a new home or planning a full home renovation
2- Don’t have time to manage all the moving parts yourself
3- Value professional project oversight and design expertise
4 – You want an original design that will stand the test of time
Full Service Interior Design is an investment that not only makes your home beautiful, it also provides peace of mind throughout the process — and an end result that would be difficult to achieve on your own!
If you’re ready to elevate your space and want a design experience that’s as seamless as it is stunning, full service interior design may be the right fit. With a professional at the helm, you can enjoy the transformation of your home without the stress and headaches—and with results that truly reflect what’s important to you!
