Does interior design really make a huge impact for your house? How many of you hire interior designer to design your house interior, your thoughts please.

Better stick to own design instead of hire someone design for u. It will be costly and result might not meet your requirements.

Yea, my current house with parents, they do not hire any interior designer. But I just wanna know, if interior designer will make a huge change of your house. Maybe we will be staying more comfortable which provided by their professional services.

Interior designers mostly copy design from magazines. During design also many house owners are the one that tell what they want and the designer just put the ideas together

No, my house just basically the same. The renovation is just back extension and relocate the main door.

Thanks for your input. What's the reason on relocation of main door? Due to fengshui? My current house also extended back, for 1 room and bigger kitchen.

The TV designated location was on the West wall. So, the main sofa would be close to opposite wall (East) and the door was on the right (North). Once you open the door, you are exposed to outside world That's the main reason.

I see, I am on the direction of getting myself a house, undercon though, estimated to finish on 2020, thus I am doing research on what should be done after construction is done.

Sometimes it is hard to imagine before hand what you want to add and which is better and practical. The contractor of my previous house was good. During wiring stage, they asked me if I wanted to add more power socket or switch. The for has house drawing sketch so I could mark the point. The charge is much cheaper that adding point after the house was completed.

For my current house, I laid big 60A power cable before the extension work took place so that I have another separate DB box at the kitchen. Serve as distribution point for air-con power point for other rooms at the back and also for the kitchen. The house developer only provided the power point for master bedroom. I did the wiring with my friend and costed my 1k+. I think the contractor would have cost me about 6k

Nice, you saved alot of money. You bought your house during undercon too? But how do you approach to the developer on additional power socket? Or you just walk in to your house, and ask the workers to do for you?

No. The house was bought before development. It was just that during each construction stage the developer sent letter to ask if you want to add power point and additional wiring. Most developers won't do this. When installing the sliding door and windows, they asked if I wanted a dark tinted glass (not film tinted). I declined, but when I got the house the glass was tinted. Get it for free

Cool, hopefully my developer will mail us on enquiry if we need additional power point or etc. The house is still yet started to build, only building showroom now.

nowadays renovation costs so much.. save up the ID money to do more nice things for ur house. just need to go thru more show units and magazines to get the ideas

Good idea:P thanks.

I last renovated my condo was 5 years back, I did not engage any ID services, just my bro in law introduce this contractor to me, in the end the contractor said what most forummer suggested, which is buy some ID mags and get some ideas or walk around furniture fair get some idea take pictures and show the contractor then he will draft a 3D floor plan with all furniture inside. TBH, the end result is so so only, after putting all furniture eg sofas coffee table dining table etc into the house I feel my condo abit weird, cause do not have the designer feel or atas feel despite spending so much. Everything is like so rojak.

If you have the budget and if you want your house to look good I'd suggest you to hire ID, casue they will design everything accordingly and even go shop furniture with you which matches your theme. That is if you have extra budget, nowadays ID easily cost 6-10k

I see, thanks for your input

go google app download 'houzz' can make reference to whatever designs you like. they even have links to the designers if you want (in uk tho). if you no budget just copy paste and compile yourself. im doing the same

Downloaded, will explore the apps further. Thanks for your recommendation.

no prob. just for a start. figure what you want your house to be? scandinavian style minimalist or how? and work towards that. search more ideas like that. houzz app quite comprehensive. do share with us your designs and wip if can.

I refer Pinterest for wall paint color.

Houzz for the minimalist/scandinavian design example.

Based on my experience VS a friend of mine who engage interior designer,

My experience:

I've copied design all over magazine, internet and given the measurements for my contractor with samples to work on it. The problems that I'm facing:

1. Contractor unable to source the materials, colors or patterns that I'm intrested
2. They unable to execute the aesthetic that you looking for
3. Going through many round of proposal changes

With all the excuses above, due to time constraints Iv'e ended up going with simple design

My friend's experience

The price he paid is 3 times more than my budget, he's not only get what he wants but the interior deisgner + contractor manage to deliver more than he's expected in terms finishing and timeline.