Home Q&A: Is it always advisable to consult an interior designer?

Should you hire an interior designer if you know what you want? We talk to pros and homeowners

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025 - 18:54

Carol O’Callaghan

Imagine being in that happy situation of having bought your own home, or just about to start building, and thinking you know exactly what you want, you can’t wait to start buying for the interior with gusto.

It’s possible you’re suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect that frequently afflicts new homeowners who have absolutely no interior design training. “People often know what they’re aiming for but don’t understand how to achieve it,” says Jackie Carton, interior design architect at Carton Interiors and president of the Interiors Association, an Irish membership organisation for qualified interior designers and interior architects.

“A look appeals to them; for example, a modern, minimalist look, but they don’t know what to buy and the balance of elements to achieve it. When they get it wrong, that’s often where they call us in, and it’s more costly for them.”

Colour lovers might benefit from an interior designer's advice on applying colour so it flows cohesively from space to space. Picture: Anjela Mujica for Carton Interiors

These days, most designers, like Jackie, offer one-off consultations, but the nature of every home and problem being different means there’s no set price.

“From €200-€500 for two hours is a general guideline,” she says. “Focus on one room that’s going to cost you the most; the kitchen or an open-plan area.

Balancing elements in a space, such as colour and materials, makes it inviting, comfortable and finished. Picture: Carton Interiors

"Designers have great contacts, a little black book of contacts for tradespeople and suppliers and you can get the benefit. We’re good at mediation too when a couple have different ideas, and when you have decision paralysis. An interior designer’s momentum gets it over the finishing line.”

Someone who brought in a designer in the middle of her renovation project is Aileen Hurley. Aileen and her husband Brian Flynn bought an old rectory near Midleton, Co Cork, in 2023 and after attending an event about renovating a period property with Ciara O’Brien of Barnahown House in Mitchelstown, she knew she needed professional guidance. “I’m mad about colour but my husband said we can’t just put colour everywhere, so we went on an afternoon interiors immersion,” she says.

“What I noticed is that Ciara used colour, but it flowed from room to room, and it convinced me we should get someone in.”

In the process, Aileen also realised she needed help with lighting, often a topic of regret for homeowners who find themselves in a new state-of-the-art kitchen but food prepping in the shadows because of incorrectly placed overhead lights. “It was going to cost me €250 for a light plan, and paying a bit more, someone could give me a colour consultation.”

Kitchen and light planning are two of the most important areas of interiors to get professional input. Picture: Alex Urdaneta/Carton Interiors

In the end, she paid €690 for four vision boards, a site visit, advice on lighting, and a cohesive design throughout the house from Sarah Keane of Skeane Interiors. “The vision board options had links and prices for everything on the boards,” says Aileen.

“It meant not walking around a tile shop aimlessly, and it lightens the load of decision-making. I think I would have ended up throwing things up and making hasty decisions.

"We did have to change some light fittings we had already put in, so my advice is get the designer in as early as you can after buying the house.”

A lighting plan means you can position lights correctly, whether it's for illuminating general tasks, food preparation or ambience. Picture: Anna Bougharbel

Ann Bougharbel, owner of Iaorana House in Blarney, Co Cork, discovered the value of an interiors professional after she moved into her self-build house, which is one of the most popular Irish home development accounts on Instagram. “For me, there was a specific area where I regret — [and that's] not involving a lighting pro,” she says.

“I relied on the electrician. You need someone who knows the options for things like ambient lighting and specific areas. In hindsight, I would have revised the budget to allow for a light planner.”

Large, floor-to-ceiling windows in Anna Bougharbel's home allow natural light to flood into the interior.

In the era of bi-fold doors and massive floor-to-ceiling windows, overspending here is another problem Anna flags up for new builds and renovations. “We spent money on windows that didn’t need to open. You can have some plain,” she says. “I also see people spending too much money on finishes like door handles and floor choices.

"The important thing is that your shell is right. I thought I would move in, everything would be done, and I’d put down my bags and live my life, but my advice is, live in the house first and then see what’s right for your interior. If you don’t have a vision, getting a designer is money well spent. If budget is tight, hire someone for one room or to answer a specific question.”