It's true: there are people out there who were born to DIY just about anything you can think of. They're super handy, they have a great eye, they can cook, they're extremely motivated—and somehow they manage to find the time to do all this DIYing while still wowing their boss at their full time jobs.
I'd say, that's not the story for the majority of us!
I like to tell clients that when you hire our team to carry out your project, you're paying for a design, yes, but more importantly, you're investing in an experience. For convenience. To eliminate the headaches that come with managing a project.
It is true that you will save money whenever you choose to DIY. I explored this, for example, when I was planning our wedding. I thought I could save money by doing a tent wedding in my aunt's yard, planning the food ourselves, getting friends and family to help out - and you know what, I definitely could have saved money going that route.
What I quickly realized was that there were about a million things I'd end up having to coordinate, plan, hire, and think about that I wouldn't have to deal with if I hired a hall (setup, tear down, catering, electricity, serving the food, who would do it, bathrooms...THE LIST WENT ON). It wasn't the FOOD I was paying for—it was the process, the experience, the convenience, and the EASE of working with their team—not to mention the time I'd save by not having to think about those things. Needless to say I did not do a tent wedding.
*Insert excuse to share some photos from our wedding!*
Notice how NOT stressed out we look.
When you work with a design firm like LFID, not only do you hire a team of people who have great design ideas and experience, but you hire a team of people who are organized and great at coordinating, who think about all the little things that go into making your installation day go off without a hitch—so that you don't have to.
We take the time to understand the look and style you're hoping for in the space, as well as the functionality needs of each room, but then we do all the heavy lifting behind the scenes so you can do what you're good at and bring home that bacon!
Other things to think about before DIYing:
When you order things online through Wayfair, Havenly, One Kings Lane—you know the big online spots—you'll be shipping all those things directly to your house. That mean's boxes, and styrofoam, and packing paper...EVERYWHERE.
You'll most likely have to build these items, which is time and energy and sometimes extremely FRUSTRATING. And, if something arrives damaged, you're the one who'll be spending the time trying to figure out where the heck the company return policy is and how to ship it back and maybe even having to lug it to a UPS drop spot who-knows-where.
When you work with a team like LFID, we order, track, and receive all your items at our warehouse, where they're checked for damages, assembled, and stored until everything has arrived. No boxes piling up on your steps. No spending 3 hours building a bookshelf.
This way, we can plan for one big installation (during which we send you away to do your thang so you skip the stress of installation day), and you get to come home, pop a bottle of bubbly, and see your space completely transformed.
What If I Fall Somewhere In Between?
Of course, not every project is large enough to require a fully managed design service. Sometimes you just need to replace a sofa or chair, get the finishing touches in place, or sometimes, you just need help creating a plan that you can execute on your own.
At LFID, we offer both Designed in a Day sessions and 1-Hour Virtual Sessions to assist with smaller projects like this. These options are great for single room projects, space planning, furniture selection, and even pulling together selections for a kitchen or bath design.
AND - what's great about these options is that we connect you with our favorite local vendors and trades people whenever possible, and, you get access to our trade-exclusive online portal where we provide you with a one-click check out on designer pieces that will ship directly to your door.
There's even a white glove delivery service available so you don't have to deal with assembly!
Just a little pitch for shopping local—when you buy things via your local vendors (like us!), 63% of that money stays local and goes into building up your local economy.
So take some time to think about whether DIYing a design project is right for you. If planning, managing, and executing a large project like refurnishing your home or cottage is going to take your attention away from your work or your family, cause you added stress, or simply make you pull your hair out, hiring a designer might be right for you!
Work With Us
We're happy to be a resource for people just looking for inspiration or design tips, and that's one of the reasons this blog exists, but if you get excited about the idea of working with a firm that literally allows you NOT TO LIFT A FINGER, then we're your team.
We want to hear from you! Tell us about your project here to find out if we're a good fit for your project.
