How to Choose an Interior Designer for Success

Interview with Tobias Trigg

Embarking on an interior design project is an exciting journey, transforming a space into a reflection of your personal style and needs. However, the cornerstone of any successful design venture is finding the right Interior Designer. This decision can make or break your project, turning a dream vision into reality or leading to costly and stressful mistakes.

In this guide, from our Managing Director, Tobias Trigg, we delve into the critical factors to consider when choosing an Interior Designer in the UK. From understanding your own style to navigating budgets, and from sifting through portfolios to establishing effective communication, we’ll provide you with essential insights and practical steps to ensure you partner with a designer who can beautifully and efficiently bring your interior dreams to life. Whether you’re refurbishing a cosy corner of your home or undertaking a large-scale renovation, this article is your first step towards a successful and fulfilling design journey.

1. Determine a Style

Some designers have an in-house style. If this is what you want then this will narrow down the designers in your selection. At Tobias Oliver Interiors we are unfettered by an in-house style, instead we work with our clients to achieve their personal design aspirations. Please see above examples of some projects photographed in 2023 with each having its own unique design language. Of course, as the professionals, we will guide you through the constellation of options available to avoid making costly mistakes.

2. Testimonials

Always check the interior designer’s testimonials and ask to cross reference these for complete transparency. Check these against their portfolio of work to make sure these meet the standards you should expect.

We have been fortunate enough to receive many testimonials from leading professionals in their respective fields.

3. Make sure the Interior Designer is qualified with the correct accreditations

It is imperative that the Interior Designer you choose is qualified and registered with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) and the Society of British Interior Design (SBID).

The BIID requires all members to go through a rigorous process of extensive checks on the Interior Designer’s business, experience and qualifications. Before consideration each applicant must have a qualification in Interior Design and at least six years experience. They also conduct interviews with the lead Interior Designers before they make a decision to allow designers to be on their register.

Once you have been accepted every interior designer must complete 20 hours of continued professional development per year. At Tobias Oliver Interiors, we are proud to provide each Interior Designer with 5 paid days of CPD per year (40 hours), which keeps us well ahead of the requirements and all the team in the best position to offer the professional services our clients deserve.

You can check the BIID website to see which Interior Designers have the correct industry qualifications and affiliations in your area.

4. Set a budget

Everyone has a budget! It is crucial to be transparent about your budget with your Interior Designer from the outset. It is often a misconception that by giving a budget you are exposing your financial scope, however the reason agreeing a budget is so important is for the designer to understand the value of the project so they can see how the budget can be utilised to provide maximum design impact for the client.

The budget is very important to align expectations and to ensure that both you and the Interior Designer are seeking the same end goal for your project. We work on projects of all sizes, but as a starting point we begin with budgets of £50k to make the project commercially viable for us as a business. We understand the goalposts may change throughout the life of a project and it is important to share these changes as they manifest.

5. Interview several Interior Designers

Discuss your project and ask any questions about the Interior Designer’s business and your project. Communication is key, so choose a designer you feel comfortable talking to – you will be spending a lot of time with them!

6. What’s the Interior Designer’s ethos?

Check to see if the designers business has shared company values, do these align with yours? Check to see if they have a manifesto – this will help you gain insight into their business and their design team. You can read more about our values and company manifesto by visiting our About Us Page by CLICKING HERE.

7. Fully understand the Contract

It is very important that the Design Fee Letter (DFL) and associated Contracts are fully understood. Be clear about timelines, payment schedules and how any unforeseen expenses are handled.

As Interior Design professionals, we work to the high standards set by the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) and The Society of British Interior Design (SBID). As such, we are subject to their Code of Conduct, in relation to complaints or unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence. Our contract for Interior Design Services serves as a contract between you (the ‘Client’) and Tobias Oliver Interiors (the ‘Designer’). Our contract has been specifically designed to enable the Client and the Designer to agree the terms and conditions of a contract between them for the provision of interior design services reflecting a reasonable balance of each party’s interest for a project.

A recently finished project where we won a National Design Award!

We are fortunate enough to have clients who believe in our design ethos and allow us to demonstrate our devotion to their projects. We won two national awards in 2023, and you can learn more about them by CLICKING HERE.

If you are seeking Interior Design services in 2024, please do contact us for an initial design consultation. We would be delighted to discuss your design aspirations!

Just email or call us with your initial brief on the contact details below: