Why You Should Hire an Interior Designer

Most people know what they like when it comes to home furnishings, but picking out suitable items for a certain room and making it look right may not be so easy.

That’s where sales manager and designer Arianna Brock of Fairfield Galleries, US 33 North, Fort Wayne, can lend a helping hand.

“You want a particular space to work for your own life, and that’s different for everyone,” she says. “You may love a certain look, but the space you have won’t allow it to happen.

“Many people don’t understand the value of an interior designer unless they hire one, or do it themselves and find their plans didn’t work out. We are another set of eyes and don’t have the emotional attachment to the house, so we can look at it like a blank canvas and visualize changes.”

Brock recalls one client who had a long, narrow living room with dark colors of red, orange and brown with a sofa and loveseat facing a fireplace.

“We got rid of the loveseat, put in a recliner, added two swivel chairs and put the sofa against the wall,” she says. “We went to more updated neutral colors, and as a result, the room was more open and easier to move around in, and yet there were more places to sit. The clients were thrilled.”

The biggest mistake people often make when trying to be their own designer is not knowing when to stop, Brock adds. An overcrowded room is one of the most common problems she has to solve.

“Someone may love a certain sofa, but it doesn’t work in the space you want to put it in, and the color might not be right for the room.”

Store lighting and home lighting can be very different, Brock adds.

“Plus, you have to work around doors, windows, fireplaces and more, and people don’t always take that into consideration.”

It’s not only about how the room will look, but also how the room will be used by the family, Brock says. Oftentimes, a homeowner needs professional advice when transitioning to a new stage in life. Some of those scenarios include parents who become empty nesters and want to repurpose a space, or parents who become grandparents and want to have a fun space for grandchildren when they visit. Two single parents meet and get married, and suddenly have twice as many children all living together. A person living in a large family goes off on their own and needs to adapt to a single lifestyle for the first time ever and feels at a loss on what to do.

“You want a certain look, but it has to be functional,” Brock says. “We can give suggestions on fabric selections, furniture and design so families can get the most use out of any room.”

For more information or to make an appointment for a home analysis, call (260) 489-5526. ❚