Is E-Design Right for You?

What is E-Design?
 
E-Design is exactly what it sounds like… providing interior design services online. It is an affordable alternative to hiring an interior designer for full-service.
 
E-Designers never actually come to your home they meet with your virtually. Instead, e-designers are decorators, stylists, and interior designers who create a beautiful and functional custom design plan for your space based on the information you provide.
 
E-Design is a great way for you to get design expertise and design direction for your home that you can later DIY (do-it-yourself) or hire a local contractor to implement. It is a collaboration between designer and client where both of them work to create a perfect interior layout for a client’s space.
 
How E-Design Works
 
The process of working with an E-Designer is simple:
 

• You contact an E-Designer online through their website or social media channel.
• An E-Designer sends you a questionnaire to figure out your style and how you want to use a particular room.
• Once the E-Designer knows your requirements, he/she asks you to send the exact measurements and good-quality photographs of your space.
• You select a package depending on your budget and sign an agreement so that the E-Designer can start working on your project.
• E-Designers use all the information that you provide about your space to decide color pallets, create space plans, and select furniture that can fit the aesthetic as well as functional needs of your home.
• Lastly, they organize everything into a detailed design plan with step-by-step instructions that serve as your DIY guide to implement the design yourself.

Is E-Design Right for Kitchen and Bath Remodel Services
 
Let’s be honest! Getting an E-Design service is not for everyone. It requires some work on the homeowner's end and some people are not willing to put in that effort. From the designer's perspective it requires them to ensure they have all the right technology in order to make the process efficient. Both the home owner and the designer need to determine if this service is right for them. 
 
When to Hire an E-Designer
 
If you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen and bath, hire an E-Design service only if:
 

• You are good at DIY projects.
• You can take good photographs and measurements of your space.
• You are able to explain what kind of products and designs you are looking for.
• You can hire a tradesman like technicians, installers, and painters, etc.
• You want a perfectly-designed kitchen at a lower cost as compared to full-service kitchen and bath remodeling contractors.

 
When to Hire a Local Contractor
 
Hire local kitchen and bath remodeling contractor if:
 

• You want all the things to be handled by the contractors.
• You want in-home consultations.
• You want all the measurements and photographs done for you.
• You want multiple types of flooring, cabinets, countertops, vanity, or custom design for your kitchen or bathroom.
• You prefer a turnkey process where the designer is there to hold your hand and assist you in every decision during design, construction and close out. 

​Now many of the eDesign services have evolved and with the current situation are improving since meeting in person may take some months before people are comfortable again. As the designer you must decide if this process is right for you and how to best implement it to augment what you are already doing.

To learn more about eDesign listen to the webinar the NKBA  (National Kitchen and Bath Association) did on Harnessing the Potential of E-Design.