Save Time. A designer can save you valuable time by knowing the best places to shop and knowing exactly what to look for. What may take a homeowner several weekends can take a skilled professional just a couple of hours to locate and acquire.

Save money. A designer can save you money. Their knowledge, expertise and guidance can help prevent costly mistakes. In most cases, significant designer discounts are received and the designer may even share these with their client.

Bring out your best. A designer can make the most of what you already have. They can incorporate and enhance family heirlooms and other important items.

Define and enhance your style. A designer can help you define and enhance your own style. They work with you to create a home that reflects your personal taste, meets your changing needs and brings out the best features of your home.

Problem-solving. Whether you’re plagued by a lack of storage, a featureless room or poor traffic flow, designers are experts in understanding color, scale, light and space – and can utilize these skills to solve your problems.

Access to a wider range of resources. There’s a world of fabrics, furnishings and other materials that are exclusively available to professional designers.

Quality control. Any design is only as good as its execution, and designers know the best workrooms, carpenters and painters, so they have the connections – and the clout – to make sure the job will be top-notch.

Guidance through decision-making. Perhaps the toughest aspect of decorating is selecting from the multitude of choices available. Designers know their sources enough to edit the options and offer advice to steer you through the process.

A discerning eye. Instead of relying on ‘stock’ items, designers will also add custom details and paint finishes that will make your home an individual masterpiece.

Priorities. Designers give you advice on how best to spend your money now – and plan for future phases of the decorating process. If you’re on a budget, you need a designer to help allocate your dollars to get the most bang for your buck.

Negotiate with your significant other. If there is a disagreement about an approach, designers can offer objective solutions that work for both people.

Connections. Designers set a high standard and because they work with professional resources regularly, they have more leverage to get things repaired or replaced quickly. Long standing business relationships help resolve disputes in a professional manner, too.