Before It Begins Vol. 3 | Not All Designers Are The Same

So, you’ve decided you need a designer. You have a rough idea of what you want to spend.

But do you actually know who you need?

This is where things can get a little confusing. Because, not all designers do the same thing, and choosing the wrong fit early on can shape the entire direction of your project.

Let’s break it down.

Colour Consultants

Often one of the first touchpoints when people start thinking about their space.

A colour consultant will typically help you select paint colours, and sometimes finishes like flooring or exterior palettes. It’s usually a shorter engagement, focused on creating a cohesive look rather than resolving the space itself.

They’re a great option if your layout is already set and you just need help pulling everything together visually.

Interior Decorators / Stylists

This is where things shift more into the aesthetic side of a space.

Interior decorators or stylists focus on how a space looks and feels once the core elements are in place. Furniture, soft furnishings, lighting, artwork, styling. It’s about layering and bringing personality into a space.

They’re not typically involved in layout planning or construction-level detailing, but they play a strong role in how a space comes together at the end.

Kitchen Designers vs Kitchen Manufacturers

This is where a lot of people get caught out.

In kitchen design specifically, you’ll generally find two routes. You can work with an independent designer who isn’t tied to any one cabinetmaker (although they will usually have preferred ones they work with), or you can go directly through a kitchen manufacturer or cabinet company who offers design as part of their service. I’m not going to tell you there’s a right or wrong way to go about it. But there are some key differences that are worth understanding.

Kitchen manufacturers are often very skilled at what they do, and their design process is usually geared around the cabinetry they’re supplying. The design is typically included in the overall package, but it’s tied to their systems, materials, and way of building.

Independent designers tend to approach things a little differently. The focus is on resolving the layout, function, and how the kitchen works within the wider home, not just the cabinetry itself.

One of the biggest differences comes down to how the design is charged and what you actually receive. Independent designers will charge for their time to design the space, and you’ll usually receive plans, documentation, and visuals that you can take away and use. This isn't always the case so be prepared that your designer will want to remain in control of who you use to build your cabinetry, or even supply it to you themselves.

With kitchen manufacturers, the cost of design is often built into the cabinetry, and in most cases you won’t receive drawings or renders until you’ve committed and paid a deposit.

Depending on how an independent designer works, you may be able to engage them purely for the design, and then take that to multiple cabinetmakers to compare pricing.

That said, if you are engaging a designer, it’s worth trusting that they’re already working with great cabinetmakers. We’re in it every day, and we know who can actually deliver.

Interior Designers / Interior Architects

This is where everything starts to come together.

Interior designers and interior architects are typically involved from early planning stages through to detailed documentation. This includes layout planning, spatial flow, cabinetry design, material selections, and producing drawings that allow a project to be priced and built accurately.

At this level, the focus isn’t just on how something looks, but how it works, how it’s built, and how everything connects across the space.

So, who do you actually need?

That depends on your project.

Some projects only need help refining finishes.

Others need full spatial planning and detailed design from the outset.

Understanding the difference early allows you to engage the right person at the right time, rather than trying to retrofit decisions later on.