Interior designer: When to hire and how expensive? Regular architect?

HelloHello,

we are building our single-family house in 2014, the plot is now available, the first conversation about costs with the architect (with whom I have already built my company) was last week....

He estimates the construction volume at 530,000 euros, plus kitchen. Now we want it... well... a bit more exclusive, I THINK it will be about 600,000 euros.... great bathroom, great kitchen, etc.! The budget is a good 650,000 euros, so there is still some leeway....

We have roughly figured out the floor plan, also roughly approved by the architect!

But now we have a problem: We actually know what we want, but whether it harmonizes from room to room, that’s the question! Tiles in the hallway, parquet in the living room, but: which color, what appearance, shape, etc.? Which wall color? In the living room one wall as a natural stone wall, but which stones? Many things come together here when I think about it....

Now my question: When does an interior designer come into play? Or can that be after the architect? Or maybe a space planner? If interior designer, what does that cost?

Many thanks for any information!!!

Armin

Has really no one here hired an interior designer yet??

Hello construction expert,

Thank you very much!!

Question: The house costs 600,000 Euros.... but the work of an interior designer is limited to the "interior furnishings" of the house, the rest is done by the architect! Does the interior designer then take, for example, 10-15% of the costs of the interior finishing, such as the costs of the bathroom or the kitchen? For example kitchen plus bathroom plus other: 150,000 Euros, of which 10-15%?

We are not the type to want it super modern, rather elegant and cozy! That is more timeless....

Thank you,


Armin

Hello Armin,
I am an interior architect and hopefully can encourage you to seek professional help. Clients who build with a developer or architect and hire me for interior design often complain: "We should have brought you in earlier!" Because you have to understand: We don’t try to “…adapt your taste to current fashion trends;”. That might be something an interior decorator would do. What distinguishes an interior architect from an architect is this: We plan a house from the inside out and ask the following questions: How do the residents live? Where do I need storage space instead of windows? Where is a door useful? Does the laundry room always have to be in the basement, when the laundry mostly accumulates on the upper floor? Etc. An architect plans from the outside in: the integration of neighboring buildings, the facade play a role… Both are important, but only if both are given equal weight. I have often visited new buildings where it was all about the great facade with large windows and no one gave any thought to the residents and their needs! And therefore my advice: Get an interior architect involved as early as possible, preferably one who gets along with the architect so that no turf wars are fought! As far as costs go: Of course good planning costs money. But: if the interior architect plans the interior construction, then you don’t have to pay the architect for that. Also, you can, for example, commission only the floor plan planning, only the bathroom planning; that is then manageable. And: you have a professional at your side ensuring that you make the right decisions! Good luck!

Hello Armin, I am also an interior architect working in planning and consulting for both private and commercial spaces. I find it very important to address the special needs of the client and develop tailored concepts. Which colors, shapes, and materials fit together to create a harmonious and aesthetically high-quality space is one question, another is which of these characteristics specifically suit the person or people who want to live or work there. That was also my question, and that is why I expanded my expertise a few years ago with a Feng Shui training in order to plan appropriately. The question: Which color, which appearance, shape, etc.? Which wall color? In the living room, one wall as a natural stone wall, but which stones? Many things come together there when I think about it... I am happy to provide consulting on this. Best regards Rolf

Hello and thank you very much for the answers....something is coming after all

In the meantime, we were with another architect, he builds very beautiful houses, I have already seen several (good 10) from driving by, only high-quality single-family houses.

Now the budget for this house size and with THIS architect is once again a notch higher, 950,000-1 million euros instead of the targeted 650,000 from the architect with whom I already built my company...he is rather down-to-earth, the good Mr. Sulzmann is quite exclusive...but also very beautiful, so we're going with him! I don’t know if I still need an interior designer for that, because I THINK he already has a very good sense for beautiful things...hmm..

Regards,

Armin