How to get the most out of working with an interior designer

From understanding what floorplan will best suit your family and lifestyle or making decisions throughout the build process, to sourcing one-of-a-kind furniture and fittings, there are many benefits of engaging an interior designer to bring your project vision to life.

Specialising in creative interiors for new-builds and major renovations, Hello Saturday’s mission is to support busy people through the building process to help them make the right decisions that will create their dream home.

We spoke with Mary-Ellen Hinton, Hello Saturday’s founder and lead interior designer, to learn her expert tips.

Mary-Ellen: No two projects are ever exactly the same. We always think about each project individually and have a holistic overview of what the homeowner wants to achieve, and how this works together with our ideas. It's very much a collaboration between the homeowners, the architect and interior designer to create something that's cohesive, practical and functional, as well as beautiful.

Mary-Ellen: I am inspired by nature. We are so lucky in New Zealand that we have everything from amazing beaches, the sea, rich forests and a clear blue sky, as well as mountains and lakes. You don’t have to go far in New Zealand to be inspired by nature. I use a lot of colour in my interior design and tend to use colours – including moody blues and moss greens – that you would see in nature.

Mary-Ellen: Anyone that’s thinking about building or renovating would be crazy not to engage with an interior designer.

You have probably spent a great deal of time finding the perfect architect and builder to create the dream home, so you should always consider using an interior designer. I see designers as essential to the process if you want a home that is cohesive and functional.

Plus, the time and stress you save by using an interior designer is priceless. Not only do you have someone by your side to support you through the entire build, but you’ll also end up with a beautiful, well-designed home.

Mary-Ellen: I like to use New Zealand-made and custom-made products where possible. If there’s an opportunity to support small businesses and products that are more sustainable, then I definitely want to encourage those businesses.

Mary-Ellen: As well as everything that’s fixed or fitted in the home – the kitchen, the bathrooms, paint colours and wallpapers – I usually work with all my clients to create and source the furniture and rugs and the lighting that goes within the home. When I’m sourcing furniture, 90% of the time I use custom-made sofas from New Zealand manufacturers that are made locally. This is not always as expensive as people might think because of the shipping costs of bringing imported products into New Zealand.

Having products custom-made in New Zealand is great for the economy and great if you want to support local. And, in the end, you get much nicer products. We also create custom-made cushions and headboards. Everything is personalised and tailor-made for my clients’ homes.

Mary-Ellen: The first part of the process is an initial consultation. During this we will read the architectural plans together. While it’s not essential, it is beneficial if the plans have not already been submitted to council as we can check that everything you really want is included. We always meet with the architect at this point, too.

Once we’re clear on the scope of work, Hello Saturday will create a fixed-fee package of hours for the interior design of the project. This is for hours used to design, source and procure products where required. Once the build is on site, we move to an hourly rate with time allocated for ensuring products are placed in the right location.

We aim to incorporate all of the fixtures and fittings into one design package. This is a huge task, but being able to bring all elements of the build together creates a more cohesive design.

Mary-Ellen: Don’t be afraid, we’re here to help. Your build should be a collaboration between you and the interior designer, architect and builder. You can be involved as much or as little as you wish. We will meet with the builders and other trades on site to check that what we have designed has been conveyed correctly. We’re there to iron out any problems and make sure you understand the outcome.

Hello Saturday’s mission is to support busy people through the building process to make the right decisions that will create their dream home. So it's definitely about collaboration, working together and making sure our clients feel supported along the way.

Mary-Ellen: I do recommend spending money on lighting. Lighting is like jewellery for your home. Again, where I can, I like to use New Zealand or international lighting that is made specifically for the project. It can seem expensive at the time, but once your home is completed it’s the one thing most people will notice and comment on.

At Hello Saturday we’re always looking for the best possible outcomes. We’re constantly reviewing new products, but we’re wary of jumping on trends. We take the time to understand our clients’ wants, needs and desires before we specify products.

Mary-Ellen: Add colour in areas of the home to create interest. Don’t be afraid to paint walls or use wallpaper, but make sure the colours are natural and not too intense. Once you place colour en masse in a room, it's magnified and the intensity increases. I like to use muted, dusty colours so they are softer and more relaxed, much like you would see in nature. You don’t need to use a lot of colour to create the illusion of colour.

Learn more about working with central Auckland-based interior design studio Hello Saturday.