When Should You Hire an Interior Designer for a Los Angeles Remodel?

I've always felt that when you're planning a remodel, especially in a city like Los Angeles with so many design options, project hurdles, and protracted timelines, one of the most important decisions may happen long before you choose a sofa, select a stone slab, or start thinking about paint colors.  You certainly want to have a vision for your remodel, but how you execute on that vision is a key piece of the project.  Deciding when to hire your interior designer rings at the top of the list. And this isn't simply because it's self-serving because of what I do.  Rather, it's because I've worked in this industry and hear it from clients over and over again: "I wish I would've engaged you earlier." 

For a substantial Los Angeles renovation, the answer is usually earlier than homeowners expect. Ideally, an interior designer should be involved before architectural plans are finalized and well before construction begins.  Why? Because the best interiors think through early on the architecture, the interior layout of the space, the furniture, and the lighting.  So many details go into the final product, but if the prep work isn't done to accommodate those finishes, it all simply falls apart.   

When I started my interior design studio, I wanted to be able to collaborate with clients from the very early stages.  As such, that is why I built my studio with a full-service approach that considers the complete environment—from spatial planning and architectural details to custom furnishings, art, accessories, and the final installation. Bringing the design team into a project early allows those decisions to inform the renovation itself rather than requiring compromises later.

Below are my thoughts on when to hire an interior designer for a Los Angeles remodel—and why timing matters.

For a major remodel, the ideal time to engage an interior designer is often during the earliest planning stages, alongside your architect and contractor.  If you are considering purchasing a property specifically to renovate, it can even make sense to involve a designer before the purchase is complete.  I do this quite a bit, actually.  We've done it for clients across the country in their vacation homes or investment properties.  Clients will reach out to get an idea of what the remodel of the home would cost for finishes, etc.  They'll often share their vision for moving walls or reconfiguring rooms. Though I'm not an architect or general contractor, I can give them examples of how we've worked with the trades on previous projects to achieve that end result.  

Early involvement gives me and my team an opportunity to think beyond how a room will look and consider how it will actually function once the project is complete.

Questions such as these can influence architectural decisions:

• Where should furniture ultimately sit?
• Are rooms appropriately proportioned for how they will be used?
• Where should lighting, outlets, switches, and controls be located?
• Will doors interfere with furniture placement?
• Does a kitchen layout support the way the homeowner entertains?
• Where will art be installed?
• Does the architecture accommodate window treatments?
• Are there opportunities for custom millwork or built-ins?
• Are sightlines through the house being considered?
• Will the finished rooms have the right balance and scale?

Addressing these questions while plans are still evolving is considerably easier than addressing them once walls have been framed.

Many homeowners understandably think of an interior designer as someone who enters the project after the architect and contractor have established the house. By the time construction is underway, so many decisions may already have been made regarding room dimensions, ceiling conditions, electrical locations, plumbing, doors, windows, cabinetry, and architectural details.

And all of these are decisions that directly affect the eventual interior.  Imagine discovering that the ideal location for a large work of art has a thermostat in the middle of it. (It happens a lot!). Or that for your 4,000-square-foot home, the only size table that fits in your formal Dining Room seats 6 people...snugly?  (That was a fun conversation.)  Or that recessed lighting was positioned without considering the dining table below it.

None of these problems is necessarily catastrophic. But collectively, they add time to the project, not to mention additional costs.  

For most substantial Los Angeles renovations, I prefer the architect and interior designer to become involved at roughly the same early stage whenever possible. The architect leads the architectural scope, while the interior designer helps ensure that space planning, furnishings, lighting, millwork and the eventual experience of the rooms inform those plans from the beginning.

Hiring an interior designer early does not mean replacing the role of an architect. Quite the opposite.  I would never displace the skill set of an architect.  They are invaluable to the process.  Some of the strongest residential projects I've worked on happen when the homeowner, architect, interior designer, contractor, and other specialists collaborate from the beginning.  Think of it like you're putting together a team.  A team that has to work together and collaborate toward an end goal.  Each discipline approaches the house from a different perspective.  The architect may be considering structure, massing, circulation, code, and the relationship between the building and its site. The contractor is thinking about constructability, scheduling, sequencing, and cost.

The interior designer brings another critical perspective: How will the homeowner actually experience and live in these spaces?  For me, that conversation extends from architectural finishes and material selections all the way through furnishings, lighting, art, and accessories.

Ahhh Kitchens!  Admittedly, one of the rooms in the house that requires the most significant amount of planning and design time, as far as I'm concerned.  My general tip here when you're planning on remodeling your Kitchen is to hire your designer before the cabinetry and electrical plans are finalized.  I think it's perfectly okay for the homeowner to visit kitchen showrooms and get an idea of what they want/expect.  There are a lot of decisions and details in a kitchen, and the sooner the clients think about them, the better.  

If your renovation includes moving walls, changing openings, adding an island, relocating appliances, or substantially rethinking the kitchen layout, early design involvement becomes particularly valuable.

These are quite possibly my favorite kinds of projects.   You're creating a vision with a client and seeing it come to life.  It's exciting, stressful, and challenging.  But gosh, is it rewarding!  I think the interior designer should ideally be part of the initial project team.

This is particularly important when the project includes:

• Significant architectural changes
• New kitchens and bathrooms
• Custom cabinetry and millwork
• Lighting design
• Flooring and stone selections
• New doors or windows
• Custom furniture
• Art placement
• Window treatments
• Extensive furnishing and accessorizing

A whole-home remodel involves thousands of interconnected decisions. Making them within one overarching design vision can create a far more cohesive result.  It also helps create a consistent design.  

There is another practical reason to engage an interior designer early: remodeling decisions have a domino effect.

A stone selection may influence cabinetry. Cabinetry may influence hardware. Furniture placement may influence lighting. Lighting may influence electrical plans. Window treatments may require blocking or recessed pockets. A large artwork may influence the dimensions of a wall.

The earlier these relationships are identified, the more intentionally they can be incorporated into the construction documents. This is particularly important in luxury residential projects, where many elements may be custom fabricated and require substantial lead times.

images

dining room:  juan pablo castro

kitchen:  venjhamin reyes