5 reasons to hire an interior designer - or, more importantly, why you should use Hannah Dean

Working with an interior designer can feel daunting; you might be worried about costs, or not sure how you will react if you don’t like the designs presented. I pride myself on providing a fun, enjoyable experience for us both. I believe in collaboration and open discussion; sharing my experience and expertise but not in a way that makes you feel not heard or patronised. Your ideas, desires and feelings are just as important as my own design knowledge and it’s this partnership approach which gets the best results.

5 reasons my clients work with me:

to save money

I make sure you don’t make expensive mistakes you later regret. For example, buying a sofa that’s too big for you room or a rug that’s too small. I get the proportions right so that your room feels well put together and works for everyone that uses it. ‘Buy well, buy once’ is my motto and I stick by this ethos with all my clients. On larger projects, such as an extension, I will advise on your architect’s plans, making sure everything that has been proposed, from layout to flooring to lighting, works for the way you want to run your life and making sure you don’t waste money creating something which isn’t right for you.

to make the most of the spaces you have, based on your specific needs and aspirations

Often when you live somewhere for a long time, it’s hard to see the potential in the rooms you have. All too often we put up with things not quite working, simply because we get used it and can’t see an obvious solution. I bring a fresh perspective to your home, working with you first to understand who lives in your house, how they use each area and what needs they have. Once I understand all this, then, and only then, do I start to create my designs, knowing instinctively what will work well.

to ensure the right decisions are made

Designing your home can be a bit of a minefield. There are so many areas to go for inspiration; Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, TV shows, that all of a sudden the idea of re-styling a room can become incredibly overwhelming. Take curtains for example, the sheer choice of fabrics, styles, fittings, colours is enough to push anyone over the edge, making it incredibly difficult to make a decision. On bigger projects it’s even harder, especially if you don’t know what type of questions you should be asking. All too often architects or kitchen designers pressurise people into making really important decisions that will affect how a room can be used in the future, like the layout in a new extension, or what flooring to use. By instinctively knowing what is right or wrong for your home, I can quickly cut down the number of options you are faced with and help you make the right decisions faster. By reviewing plans, I can support you in knowing what you should be asking of your architect and recommend the right way to do things, without you having to worry about it.

to save you time and hassle

The reason people outsource any type of job is typically because they don’t have the time to do it themselves. It’s the same with interior design. Understanding what styles and colours work for different types of properties, how best to optimise spaces or where to go for the best furniture and accessories that offer both cool design and value for money, takes a long time. I’ve already got all that knowledge and experience, so it’s easy for me to visit your home and make suggestions straight away which I know instinctively will work. As I manage the whole process, from creating the mood boards to providing a full list of products to buy, and even hiring decorators, curtain fitters etc, I take all the hassle away from you, helping you get the rooms you deserve a lot quicker and freeing you up to focus on what matters most.

to create beautiful, fun, practical spaces that you absolutely love and can’t wait to show off!

I believe in creating rooms you are really proud of, combining style and practicality in equal measure with a good dose of fun and playfulness. If you’ve lived in a sea of beige or grey for the last few years, constantly stepping over children’s toys and not having enough room for a space you can call your own, you’ll understand that it doesn’t always feel great when inviting people into your home. I can switch that right up, transforming rooms 1 by 1 that you feel good about living in and want to show off. After all, we all deserve to live in a home we love.

My Interior Design Studio is in Henley on Thames. If you have an Interior Design project in Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Buckinghamshire I'd love to talk to you.

To view my portfolio click here.

To read more about my services and costs click here.