The Millennial generation is evolving as their salaries increase as well as their age. As they enter into their late 20’s and early 30’s, many are in a financial situation to begin making big-ticket purchases. What can an Interior Designer do to help this minimalistic generation who are research savvy and are more interested (finally) in not what everyone else has, but how to express their unique identity in their home? It’s all about making the right investment.
Research, research, research. With every home decor, interior design blog, social media site, and search engine out there, Millennials are used to having access to any and all information. When was the last time you did a random search for example, for a table lamp, and thousands of images of the same lamp shows up? Who do you buy it from? They know how to navigate social media sites much better than their parents do. Now that they have their own money, they tend to have much more information on what they want to buy, without even venturing in to a retail shop. But, not everything can be found on the internet. Here are some questions you can’t really get an answer for online:
Millennials use social media to research any and everything; much more so than their parents’ generation.
What is the reputation of the company?
Sure, you can read the reviews to get an idea of the quality of a product. But what about the reputation of the manufacturer? An Interior Designer can answer that. We work closely with our vendors and we know which products are worth every penny, and what product is what we call “disposable” because it only lasts for a short period. Kind of the equivalent of buying a blouse at Nieman Marcus versus buying one at Forever 21. Not that there’s anything wrong with either store, but one is probably going to have a longer life span than the other. When we talk about an “investment piece”, we mean an item that you can keep forever, and even pass it down to your kids or grandkids. I have a beautiful desk chair that is a quality piece, that I know will last forever and I change the upholstery to keep it updated. Millennials are now coming of age where they ready to make these purchases.
We painted and changed the upholstery of these two quality Bergere Chairs that a client had in his family for years.
How do I know an $8,000 sofa is worth it?
Once again, it’s about relationships. You can go into any retail shop and spend $8,000 on a sofa. While the sales staff is knowledgeable of their own product, they are limited in their selections. We have access to Trade Only vendors who have been around for a century. What about the style? Designers can help determine what type of sofa has the lines that are timeless and the frame and cushions are of impeccable quality. We can help determine what fabric will work best for this stage of your life. If you have cats, we would not recommend a loosely woven fabric that can snag easily. Also, we have access to fabric lines that are truly indestructible- you can literally pour bleach on some of them and it wont change the color!
These custom club chairs were quite an investment for our favorite Addison client. The quality in their construction will last for years.
Why should I pay a designer when everything is available online?
Good point. Furnishing an entire room, or even part of a room, can be very expensive. You can copy rooms on Pinterest or Houzz and buy everything yourself, but will it work in your space? Once again, it’s about making an investment. All the research for the best price on every item does not mean it’s going to be the right scale and proportion for your home. I can cut and color my own hair, too. But I go to an expert to make sure it is done professionally and that the shape and color is flattering to my skin tone and shape of my face. Hiring a professional to do it right the first time, actually costs less than doing it over and over yourself. No amount of research can beat the experience of a professional designer. Oh, and I have tried to color my hair myself, way back in college. Remember “Sun- In”? Yeah, my hair turned a lovely shade of tangerine. Read more about working with an Interior Designer HERE.
How can I be sure my home will be a unique expression of my personality?
Stay out of big box stores with mass-produced merchandise, for starters. A good Interior Designer will do extensive research on what you want and who you are. Access to truly custom furnishings that are not available at a retail location, can give you the exact piece you are looking for. Plus, we can make sure that your investment pieces will work for you in this house, and the homes after that. We recently completed a project where we used the same custom swivel chair in the Family Room and the Game Room. They are covered in different fabrics now, but when our clients move, they can put all four chairs in one room and we can get the fabric changed in the future. We also used the same bar stools, so if the next house has a huge bar, they will have 6 bar stools in the same finish, just change the upholstery. Top quality custom pieces are what you get from a designer.
This Frisco Game Room includes a Gallery Wall that represents the unique interests of this fun family.
As the Millennials are about to hit their 30’s, they are ready to invest in quality furnishings. As they do their research all over the web, discovering the advantage of hiring an Interior Designer to help navigate these expensive purchases is key. If you are a member of the Millennial Generation, be smart. Do the research on the Interior Designer, and let their experience and education guide you to make the right decisions when it comes to your home.
Michelle Lynne