I paid an interior designer $500 to tell me how to decorate my home. It was very helpful, but it wasn't a magic fix.

Katherine FiorilloApr 3, 2023, 21:24 IST

I paid for an interior designer to look at some rooms in my home and provide me with suggestions on how to improve them.Katherine Fiorillo

I paid $500 for an interior designer to tell me how to improve three rooms in my home.
She had great tips for improving my bedroom, but I'm not sure about her vision for my basement.

I've never had a great eye for decorating.

I own my home, so I feel empowered to make big changes.Katherine Fiorillo

There are a few spaces in my house I adore and didn't want to change, like my front reading room, but others that fall flat.

The space may not be perfect, but I love it and don't want to change it.Katherine Fiorillo

I found an interior designer who offered the specific and budget-friendly design services I was looking for.

I could picture myself in the spaces she decorated.Alisa Cristine Interiors

We didn't need help choosing a color palette or paint colors.

The cool tones make even small spaces feel bright.Katherine Fiorillo

A lot of my furniture is also pretty new, so I wanted to reimagine the space rather than replace pricey items.

My dogs also love these couches.Katherine Fiorillo

She said our bedroom layout was mostly right, but needed to be brightened up with lighter accessories.

Our bedroom felt heavy, overcrowded, and forgotten.Katherine Fiorillo

She said the space needed more balance.

Her design guide included inspiration photos with links to purchase.Courtesy of Alisa Cristine Interiors

She was right — adding a big piece of art above the bed was a game changer.

I chose one large piece of art that matched the wall paint.Katherine Fiorillo

Our living room's elongated shape has always stumped me.

The fireplace and big windows are cool but they actually made the room harder to style.Katherine Fiorillo

Her main suggestion for this space surprised me.

I like that she leaned into our color palette.Alisa Cristine Interiors

She also suggested we replace the entertainment center with something that would sit closer to the wall.

We chose this spot for the TV based on where the last owners had theirs.Katherine Fiorillo

The finished basement was our biggest conundrum, and the interior designer agreed.

We haven't tried very hard to make our basement feel cozy.Katherine Fiorillo

The interior designer's recommendations were helpful, but we haven't bought into this vision yet.

I like the lounge chair suggestions, but the console display isn't as elegant as I'd like.Alisa Cristine Interiors

I loved that the designer sent me a document laying out what we covered in our meeting and some suggestions for what to look for.

I'm able to reference the design guide while shopping online or in stores.Alisa Cristine Interiors

Overall, the consultation was extremely helpful but I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up that this would be a magic fix.

Even small changes are making a big difference.Katherine Fiorillo

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