How to Know If Your Interior Designer Is Scamming You

Interior design is a complex task. If you’re not sure how to do it yourself, it’s often best to seek help from a professional, to ensure you get the results you’re looking for. However, not all professional interior designers are quite as knowledgeable as they might seem on paper. It’s important to be able to recognize the tell-tale signs that your interior designer is scamming you.

We don’t need to tell you that having a degree in a subject doesn’t necessarily make you an expert. To achieve this coveted title, you need official recognition and experience. More importantly, you need to be able to guarantee high-quality results every time.

While it’s often tempting to go for the cheapest option, this decision can often end up costing more in the long run. It’s important to remember that, in the world of interior design, many so-called professionals lack the necessary qualifications. As a result, their work often leaves a lot to be desired.

Finding the right interior designer

Any interior designer worth their salt must be able to demonstrate their professional qualities and expertise. Avoid hiring designers who simply copy existing formulas they’ve seen elsewhere, or rely on personal instinct alone. At the end of the day, their ideas and designs simply don’t work.

If you’re going to request help from a professional, it’s important to do some background research into the company they work for. You should also find out information such as whether they have their own brand, whether they’re a licensed architect, or whether they work exclusively as an interior designer.

To find out more about their style and professional experience, ask them about other projects they’ve worked on in the past. Requesting graphic illustrations is a great way to see what they can do. You can also do a quick search online to look for any information on them. Once you’ve done all these checks, you’ll be in a much better position to choose the right designer for your project.

Before you hire, you need to ask, assess and decide.

How to know when you’re being scammed

If you want to know if your interior designer is scamming you, or perhaps not being entirely truthful about their qualifications, you need to pay close attention to the way they work. To do this, we recommend that you do your research into the world of interior decor. Get to know the different styles that are on-trend at the moment, and learn how to combine colors.

1. Every professional will know how to identify the areas of your home that need the most attention. They’ll also know exactly what equipment and materials they’ll need, and how they can design unique and original interiors that will allow you to make the most of your space. Their goal is to create a look you’ll love while avoiding any aesthetic tension.

2. Their design should establish a sense of harmony throughout your home. There should be no discordance, imbalances, or clashing elements that create visual discomfort. You will quickly notice any elements that don’t work well together.

3. Shapes and styles shouldn’t simply be thrown together at random. For example, if you tend towards straight lines and a more formal style, the design shouldn’t include nineteenth-century or baroque furniture. There should be a sense of coherence and unity throughout.

4. A quick look at their work should tell you whether your interior designer is working on their instinct or a solid foundation of knowledge and experience. Poor ratios, imbalances between the different elements, and awkward layouts can instantly spoil the look of your home.

Color clashes

How a designer uses color can tell you a lot about their level of skill and experience, and is often a tell-tale sign that they might be scamming you. There should be no visual tension between the colors. Instead, they should be in perfect harmony with one another.

If you ask them to create a warm and inviting environment, they shouldn’t be using cool tones. Similarly, if you want to increase the amount of light in your home, they shouldn’t then be using dark colors.

All this would only create feelings of tension and unease, causing you unnecessary stress and anxiety. Clashing colors are a clear sign that your interior hasn’t done a good job. If they don’t know what they’re doing, it’s all too easy for inexperienced designers to include colors that don’t work. It’s important to ensure there are methods and planning behind every stylistic decision they make.

For us to feel comfortable in our homes, the colors must be perfectly in harmony with one another.

Your interior designer should be an expert on style

If you’ve asked your designer to create a specific style, they should have in-depth knowledge of the qualities and characteristics that define that style. If you have any doubts, we recommend asking as many questions as possible and seek their expert opinion on the style that will work best in your home.

So, if you want to know if your interior designer is scamming you, it’s worth remembering that they should know: the materials they’ll need to create a specific design, how to use color, and how best to organize and decorate each room. In short, their skill and professionalism should shine through in every aspect of their work.