A LE 100,000 for Your Interior Design Thoughts

It all started with my two-years flat hunt. Yes, that’s right, it took me two whole years to find a flat I actually liked. Given I got married over a year and a half ago, that means that I have been looking at furniture and interior designs for over two years now. So two years, dozens of stores and interior exhibitions and about a hundred websites, books and magazines later, I actually came up with a clear idea of how I want my home to look like. But I did the mistake of thinking that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to get an expert to help out. It turns out it will cost me a small fortune just to get someone as young as I am to give me a few design tips and ideas. I met the first designer, a young girl in her twenties with a nice office in Korba and a friendly attitude. I explained I only needed her to help out with furniture layout, bathrooms design and walls and flooring designs. I already had most of my furniture, I already had the flat’s layout and wasn’t changing any of its interior’s divisions. I also had neat folders of what is called a “mood board,” or a board, or in my case a digital one, of little clippings, pictures and articles that I think might inspire me for the design of the room. I had neat folders for each and every room — yes, I am a neat freak like that. So I was pretty decisive and had a lot of work already done, this wasn’t going to be a core and shell project at all. So the nice, young and hip designer told me she will send me a quotation. I waited anxiously and got all excited looking at previous work her company has done. I receive a quotation for the design of the house, meaning how it will look like aesthetically, not architecturally or technically, or LE 50,000 — and that excludes any execution. So I politely thanked her and told her this was more than I was looking to pay — about LE 35,000 more than I was looking to pay to be honest. But a quick market poll from newly weds and friends told me this was actually a very normal package for a designer who works under the umbrella of this company, which was a big name in furniture. So a friend told me her relative is a young designer and she can help me out. My hopes sparked again and I headed out to Zamalek armed with pictures and designs on my phone. This time, we instantly clicked, she showed me lighting fixtures and furniture she designed and it was just what I liked, modernized oriental that wasn’t too commercial or too artsy. Her work was perfect for my taste, so I wasn’t deterred by the fact that she couldn’t show me her portfolio for interior designs and I instantly trusted her taste. She paid me a field visit to my home-to-be and we also instantly clicked, she had creative ideas that went perfectly with my taste. I went home excited about her and, again, anxiously waited for the quotation. She was not in the least bit commercial, I could see that, so I have to say I had my hopes up that I could afford her, maybe. So a few days later I received the quotation, my eyes immediately fell on LE 15,000 and I had jitters. Just as I was about to break the happy news to my skeptical husband, I scrolled down and read the total, LE 85,000 for the house design and layout. I don’t need to tell you by now that this, of course, excludes execution. So disappointed and having half a mind to study interior design and make a very wise career switch, I gave up on the idea of professional help. I respect interior designers, they definitely do a much better job than I ever would, but I am not planning on paying a small fortune for it. I am sure my husband would rather get his dream bike instead — and so do I to be honest. Instead, I dove into even more magazines, websites and books that might help me get more inspiration. So I took it upon myself to educate readers who, like myself, would rather not pay LE 100,000 for the wall, floor and bathroom designs. Watch this space for next week’s entry on my picks of interior design websites, books and magazines to help make your life a tad bit easier — and of course cheaper.