How Much Does an Interior Decorator Cost?

If watching the home and garden shows have captured your interested and inspired you to hire an interior decorator, you may be wondering just how much it would cost to recreate those designer looks in your own home. While you can get a ballpark figure of around $50 to $250 per hour, there are many other considerations that go into the overall cost of hiring an interior decorator.

After watching several of the intriguing home makeover shows that seem to own the home and garden channels these days, you can't help but compare your own home to the designer model homes portrayed on television. While debating to remodel your home and redecorate, you may wonder what the overall cost to hire an interior decorator is. The cost of an interior decorator depends on several factors including the area of the country in which you live, the expertise and experience of the decorator you're working with and what type of needs you have for the decorator. Most decorators charge by the hour and the range begins at around $50 per hour and goes as high as $250 an hour or more.

Now, if that seems a bit high for your taste, consider some other options to get that decorator touch. In some cases, an interior decorator designer will take on a project for a set fee. This is a great option because it allows you to budget a set option and not worry that the clock is always ticking when you talk to your decorator. In other situations, the decorator will agree to work for a percentage of the total job cost, usually around 15 to 30 percent. This can be a tricky situation as the more expensive the items you choose for your home, the more money you're going to end up paying to your interior decorator.

Keep in mind when trying to save money on a decorator that often times you can find a young, beginner decorator to take on the task for a much lower price than that of a decorator in a well-known firm. While it can be risky going with a relative novice, if after looking at they're portfolio you like what you see, you can often get the quality work you want at a fraction of the cost of high end decorator.

It is always best to plan your budget ahead of time and then talk with the decorator you're most interested in working with. Be honest with them about what you can and are willing to spend on this project. In your mind, you may want to add some money to the budget, as incidentals always seem to pop up and increase the overall cost of hiring a decorator.