Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing one or simply desire a style refresh, bringing all the elements together to create the perfect look can be overwhelming.

One way to streamline this process and ensure a show-stopping outcome is to engage an interior designer. Yet, while this is incredibly helpful, it does come with added costs.

In this guide, we’ll look at what an interior designer does, the advantages offered by investing in their services and what it may cost to hire one based on where you live.

What Is An Interior Designer?

Interior designers are specialist experts in reviewing and optimising layouts and floor plans, selection of colours and materials, creating detailed elevations, cabinetry plans, renders and more.

They work in commercial, retail, industrial and residential settings to produce tailored environments suited to your style, vision and budget.

Not only are they involved in the planning and design, but they also source the materials, supervise construction and oversee the completion of the interior styling.

Why Hire An Interior Designer?

No matter if you’re short on time, struggle with styling or simply prefer to let someone else handle the details, hiring an interior designer comes with several advantages. These include but are not limited to:

Saving you time and money by knowing how to get the best value out of your budget, helping to avoid costly mistakes and doing all the legwork for you

Minimising decision-making stress and keeping your project on track

Maximising your space and its functionality

Providing an opportunity to ‘see’ the finished project in advance through detailed renderings

Helping you find your ideal aesthetic, stretch your imagination and bring your vision to life

Supporting you to adhere to proper and realistic budgeting through detailed planning

Access to better resources and contacts which may help speed up your project and stretch your budget further

Having insights into up-and-coming trends and what to avoid

Being a qualified liaison on site that can help direct trades in your absence

All tedious tasks being managed for you such as comparing products, sourcing options, coordinating ordering, arranging deliveries and more

Ensuring your home has a genuine ‘wow’ factor

How Much Does An Interior Designer Cost?

The hourly cost to engage an interior designer can vary between Australian states and territories, below is a comparison of the average costs per hour.

¹Costs verified by Source: Zephyr + Stone, interior designers

Factors Influencing The Cost Of An Interior Designer

So what goes into determining these costs? There are several things an interior designer will look at when setting their rates such as:

Project Size

The bigger the project and the more rooms to cover, the longer the project will take and therefore the bigger the spend.

It pays to keep in mind, however, that investing in the professional support of an interior designer can help your project reach completion more quickly while also adding value to your home.

This helps to reduce costs in other areas while also ensuring a better return on this investment over time.

Experience

Just as with all professions, the more experienced the designer is the higher their fee is likely to be. It is always worthwhile working with someone who is experienced and reviewing their portfolio to see evidence of this.

The more experienced your chosen designer is, the better your experience and outcomes are likely to be.

Location

Your location will also play a role in how much you can expect an interior designer to cost. The higher cost of living associated with major cities will directly influence the price a designer will offer per hour.

Additional Factors To Consider

Initial Consultation Fees

In addition to ongoing hourly fees, you may also be charged for an initial consultation during which your budget, preferences and needs are discussed.

This consultation is essential and forms the foundation on which your designer will create your tailored interior design plan.

Travel Fees

If your project is located some distance from your interior designer’s offices, a travel fee may also be levied. For this reason, it is recommended as much as possible to work with a local designer.

Materials

While all material costs are separate from and in addition to your interior designer’s hourly rate, your choice of these will greatly influence the final costs associated with your project.

Most designers will make suggestions in line with your initial budget alongside a possible ‘splurge’ option. Be sure to advise if you are open to repurposing items where suited or the inclusion of second-hand items – this can help your budget to go further.

Do Your Research And Check Reviews

When selecting an interior designer, remember to take your time before making a decision.

Seeking out recommendations, reading online reviews and meeting with multiple designers can help you find the right fit for your needs and support better outcomes.

It is important to feel comfortable with a designer and that you can trust them to act on your behalf and make decisions when necessary.

Conversely, you should also feel that your ideas, input, requests or concerns are valued by the designer and considered when creating the design plan.

This facilitates a much smoother process from start to finish and can help to avoid conflicts or misunderstandings along the way.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to engage an interior designer is a very personal one and the cost versus the benefits should be carefully considered both in the shorter and longer term.