Did anyone use an interior decorator?

DH and I decided to use an interior decorator because this is our first house, and we are so excited to finally stop renting! Anyhow, I thought the best way to go about this would be to use the free interior design services from a large chain furniture store whose furniture we liked. However, now that we've met with the decorator, I'm not so sure that this was the right approach.

To me, the idea of furnishing an entire house, and also changing the wall-color, choosing fabrics and window treatments, etc. was daunting, which is why we thought of working with a decorator--to make the process easier, because there are so many options. We decided to sell all our shabby, cheap furniture that we'd had from years of renting and get all new furniture. But now I'm wondering if just doing it myself would be easier.

I'm interested to hear whether others have used an interior decorator? Or, if you did it all yourself, how did you make it less overwhelming?

[mommax3]

We used one to furnish the house we built. We were referred to her by our builder. I like what we ended up with....but we only did our living room/dining area (which are sort of one room). We may do our basement at a later date. She helped us find our furniture (couches, chair, a couple of occasional tables, dining room table/chairs) and our rugs. She also helped us pick paint colors. The stuff we got was WAY more $$$$ than we would have looked at on our own, but so far (we've had it all for about nine months) it is holding up well.

I have a friend that used the interior decorator associated with a furniture store to buy new furniture for her house and she was happy with how things turned out.

Good luck.....it is time consuming!

I've never done it, and I don't think I would. I enjoy the process and the control way too much. I've been used by friends to "do" their finished basement, so I guess I've done an okay job (if your taste is similar to mine, that is). One of my good friends used a decorator for her home in Chicago -- and ended up with a lot of stuff that was really, really high end and not at all appropriate for a house with little ones. I think she bought into the bill of "oh my - this is lovely" and at the time only had one, very small, immobile child and was still under that first time parent assumption that 'MY kid won't make messes'. When she moved, she was able to move the decorator stuff into the formal living room, and get more family appropriate stuff for the family room and finished basement. I will say the decorator did a great job with the window treatments (in both her homes), and I stole the idea of one for one in mine.

I do like the idea of being presented with ideas to go on .... but I don't know that I'd be willing to shell out the $$.

[mommax3]

I was worried about some of the things mentioned above.....that the furniture, etc. wouldn't be "us" or be suitable for house full of boys and animals. I didn't ever feel like I clicked with the decorator, but she was very professional and I really am pleased with the end result. There is NO WAY I would have come up with the stuff we got on our own. It looks sophisticated as well as laid back, which I wasn't sure was possible. It was a lot of money, but we have been married almost 20 years and had never bought furniture. We are done with babies, toddlers, preschoolers, AND moving. We don't expect to buy furniture again for years. I especially enjoyed picking the upholstery fabrics. The decorator just brought books full of swatches to our house and when I said I liked one, she pulled it out and put it in a pile, then worked with the swatches in the pile to come up with some complementary choices. For our rugs, she tagged some in a store and we went up and okayed them.....we liked one, but not another, and were able to pick an alternate one while at the store.

I feel like she saved me a TON of time. Between my job and the kids, I am lucky to get to go to Target most weeks. There is no way I could have shopped enough to educate myself on my own, especially because we live an hour from the places I would have needed to go. I also don't really have an interest in decorating, although I know what I like. I think you need to know yourself and your preferences pretty well to go to a decorator, and just remember, if you don't feel like you can say no, you are working with the wrong person!

I've never done it, and I don't think I would. I enjoy the process and the control way too much. I've been used by friends to "do" their finished basement, so I guess I've done an okay job (if your taste is similar to mine, that is). One of my good friends used a decorator for her home in Chicago -- and ended up with a lot of stuff that was really, really high end and not at all appropriate for a house with little ones. I think she bought into the bill of "oh my - this is lovely" and at the time only had one, very small, immobile child and was still under that first time parent assumption that 'MY kid won't make messes'. When she moved, she was able to move the decorator stuff into the formal living room, and get more family appropriate stuff for the family room and finished basement. I will say the decorator did a great job with the window treatments (in both her homes), and I stole the idea of one for one in mine.

Great points. I agree with you--I am finding that the control issue is the main problem when working with the decorator. I think it's a clash in expectations of how the process should be. She seems to have the attitude that she presents me with just one option for each thing (one couch, one fabric, one accent fabric) and that I should love what she chose. My perspective is that she should present several options for each item (several main fabric colors, several accent colors, etc.) I haven't decided whether to keep working with her or do it on my own.

You made another good point about the items being appropriate for kids. My hubby and I don't have kids yet, and I hadn't even thought along those lines about the things we choose being "kid-friendly." Definitely something to think about! When you talk about family appropriate furniture, beyond darker colors (to hide stains) and more relaxed styles, are there any other factors to consider? We have a red couch in our family room currently, which has been fabulous for pets, because the color hides every stain!

[SoonerTexan]

When you talk about family appropriate furniture, beyond darker colors (to hide stains) and more relaxed styles, are there any other factors to consider? We have a red couch in our family room currently, which has been fabulous for pets, because the color hides every stain!

My in-laws have a leather/wood ottoman that worked great when they had two toddlers spilling milk and coloring all over the place. My parents had a large ottoman covered with sturdy fabric instead of a coffee table too. We liked the idea so much that we bought a (faux) leather one for our first place. It also has hidden drawers--big win! It's the best of both worlds in coffee table/ottoman land.

And while I'm nowhere near having the money or house for an interior designer, I don't think I ever would hire one. It's too much fun to go TJMaxxing and Hobby Lobbying and find (cheap!) stuff that you like. I'd be bored if I had everything done at one time, though I can see the attraction of it.

You made another good point about the items being appropriate for kids. My hubby and I don't have kids yet, and I hadn't even thought along those lines about the things we choose being "kid-friendly." Definitely something to think about! When you talk about family appropriate furniture, beyond darker colors (to hide stains) and more relaxed styles, are there any other factors to consider? We have a red couch in our family room currently, which has been fabulous for pets, because the color hides every stain!

Anything that is pet friendly will likely be kid friendly. The stuff I was talking about were like $8,000 custom couches, $4,000 area rugs ... stuff that you would DIE if it got vomited on. Or at least I would. We're 5 years out of training, and while we're past the IKEA stage, we still won't pony up big $ on furniture b/c we've got two boys (7 and 9) and a 21 month old girl. Not to mention my husband ...

I'd be bored if I had everything done at one time, though I can see the attraction of it.

I totally agree. We're doing just a few rooms at a time. I guess the main attraction of it for me is to get a pulled-together, coordinated look, the kind of look that I don't think I could pull off on my own--i.e. coordinating fabrics, throw pillows, window treatments, rugs. Matching a color in one room's window treatments and carrying it through in the rug to the next room's seat cushions--that kind of thing. Though I'm learning a lot of design tips by reading decorating web sites and looking at catalogs.

The main issue of decorating, as we're learning, is the cost. I cannot believe how much decorating just 4 rooms to start is going to cost. The cost of furniture is mind-boggling. Not to mention the cost of paint, painters, changing flooring, window treatments, and accessorizing. The thing is that our furniture is all Ikea, and we have sold most of it already. We never had "nicer" furniture because we moved a lot and lived in rentals. We decided to hold off buying anything nice until we got our first house. We also don't really have many "accessories." So we basically have to furnish and accessorize an entire house from square one, which is costing a lot more than we anticipated. It's getting over the sticker shock that will take some work.

[SoonerTexan]

Have any design--saavy friends? Especially one whose home you love? I once was a nanny for a woman who would take a day off every once and awhile and go shopping with a friend that was into decorating while I watched their kids. They came back with an incredible amount of GOOD stuff after just one day.

I feel like most people would be flattered if you asked, and a friend is less likely to push expensive or not-your-taste stuff on you.

Have any design--saavy friends? Especially one whose home you love? I once was a nanny for a woman who would take a day off every once and awhile and go shopping with a friend that was into decorating while I watched their kids. They came back with an incredible amount of GOOD stuff after just one day.

I feel like most people would be flattered if you asked, and a friend is less likely to push expensive or not-your-taste stuff on you.

We haven't lived here that long so I don't know that many people. The ones I do know rent.