how can working with an interior designer actually save you money?

The common perception is that working with an interior designer is a luxury expense, reserved only for those with unlimited disposable income. But the truth is, working with a designer can actually save you time, effort, and most importantly, money. How does that work? Because interior designers can take advantage of trade discounts and wholesaler relationships that you can’t access on your own, and might not even have been aware existed!

The value of trade accounts

Most of the furniture you see in stores like West Elm, Restoration Hardware, and even across Wayfair or Amazon isn’t manufactured by those companies. It’s designed and built by furniture wholesalers, who then sell it to those brands under a different name than you eventually see on the site. Those furniture wholesalers serve as trade vendors to licensed interior designers, and they offer steep discounts to us as professionals—discounts that we can pass along to our customers. The discount varies by vendor, but is typically betwee 30% - 60% off retail price.

In addition to a price discount, wholesalers often offer a wider variety of options to interior designers. If you love that Anthropologie sectional, but wish it came in a dusty blue shade, consider reaching out to a local interior designer! They may be able to find you the piece you’re looking for, or to work with their vendors to develop a custom piece that meets your exact needs. For instance, you may want a fabric that coordinates with the paint, flooring, trim, and other colors and patterns in the room. This piece might require custom measurements, as well as customized finishes.

A designer has the experience and education to make these decisions quickly and efficiently, which is why vendors or showrooms prefer to deal only with “the trade”. By working with a professional, you’ll have access to items you’d never be able to find on your own.

Finally, furniture and materials bought through a trade vendor can be delivered directly to the designer, saving you time and effort. Designers handle your whole order from start to finish—you won’t have to worry about the logistics of shipping and handling, arranging delivery of bulky furniture to your doorstep or into your home, or any of the other “less fun” aspects of designing your room. Let your designer handle it all, and you can sit back and enjoy!

Contractor relationships

Similarly to furnishings and decor, interior designers develop working relationships with local contractors that can benefit you as the consumer. If your designer has an established partnership with the contractor they recommend to you, you could be receiving their services at a lower fee than they’d charge a standard consumer. One of the biggest fears in a renovation project is the quality and trustworthiness of the contractor, as well as project management of the relationship. When you hire a designer who has already established rapport with the tradespeople, none of that stress falls to you.

By streamlining and discounting materials sourcing and subcontracting, interior designers can provide a literally valuable service to you as a consumer! No longer relegated to the realm of the rich and famous, interior design should be an accessible option that can benefit anyone who wants to feel happy in their home.

Thinking about hiring a designer? Contact us at colleenberes@storiainteriors.com for more information on how we can best work together.