Interior Stylist vs. Contractor

October 20, 2021

Whether you’re building a house, renovating a home or restyling a room, you’ll likely need the help of both an interior stylist and a contractor. Joining these two professional services creates a dream team, so you’ll be sure to love the look of your new space.

Sometimes, the lines between these professions seem to blur and it can be hard to decide if you need a general contractor, an interior stylist, or both. Keep reading to learn about what differentiates stylists and contractors, and when you should hire both to get the best result possible.

What Is an Interior Stylist?

Interior stylists are generally thought of as the people that ‘put the icing on the cake’, add the finishing touches, and make a space look good after a lot of the major construction/renovation has been completed. While interior stylists do excel in decorating and creating an aesthetically pleasing space, they can do so much more.

When you hire an interior stylist to help you from the very beginning of your project, they can provide input about things like:

Interior stylists are especially helpful in the initial design stage because they can help you make decisions about wall and door placement, materials, room layout, and more. Having this kind of specialist by your side in the beginning stages of a project ensures that you’re wowed by the end result.

What Is a Contractor?

Where an interior stylist might be able to provide great advice on the theme or atmosphere of the space you’re renovating or building, contractors are the authority on the physical work that needs to be done to achieve it. They will be the ones cutting boards, taking down walls, and adding all of the practical amenities such as electricity and plumbing.

Contractors are good at drawing up designs and creating a plan for the space you are trying to renovate, though they often focus more on function rather than aesthetics or beauty. Contractors are also usually responsible for hiring their own subcontractors to complete specialized tasks such as wiring and drywall.

Why You Should Have Both

Hiring both an interior stylist and a contractor is essential if you want your project to be a complete success. The stylist can provide vision and help you decide on designs, materials, and unique features, whereas contractors (and the subcontractors they hire) will bring the design to life with carpentry, glasswork, plumbing, etc.

It is often prudent to look for an interior stylist with experience in project management, as they can help manage the contractors and the individual projects to ensure that things are coming together as they should. These services of coordination and guidance are why interior stylists often come at a higher price. Stylists that work on project design and management will generally cost a good deal more than those that just add finishing touches after the fact.

Hiring a contractor without an interior stylist to help direct them can save you money but may cost you in the long run. Because you miss the opportunity to add beauty and functionality to a space during the renovation process.

The Importance of Communication Between Stylists & Contractors 

To achieve the finished product that you want when remodeling, your stylist and contractor should be in close contact and should have trust and respect between them. The best projects are created when these two professionals get along well and have an open line of communication.

When your interior stylist and your contractor work closely together, there is a lower chance of rogue design decisions being made by contractors and subcontractors that don’t know the plans. Overall, easy communication between the two sides means that your space will end up exactly how you envisioned it, which is the ultimate goal for any project.

Building, remodeling, and renovation are incredibly exciting projects to undertake. You get to see a space be completely transformed into the image that was in your mind’s eye. The best way to ensure that things go smoothly is by hiring both an interior stylist and contractor that communicate often and work well together.

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