This may sound a little surprising, but scrolling through hundreds of pictures on pinterest does not mean you can do away with designers, stylists, and other home professionals. Here’s why:

They help you maximise your budget

It’s time to toss out the idea that interior decorators, stylists, and designers are for the ‘rich and famous’. Nowadays, a key skill that really defines a stylist’s or designer’s worth is how well they can help you bring your space to life with the budget you have. A good artist will guide you to the right materials you should consider, direct you on what items to prioritise, and help you plan ahead as to how you can transform your space in stages.

A creative can upcycle, restore, and repurpose

Do you have furniture but it’s old and dainty? Be it furniture you own or items found from thrift shops, charity shops, or garage sales, if allowed some freedom, a designer or stylist can turn something that initially costs €30 into your own, tailored treasure. For a real creative, all it takes is a lick of paint, an eye for design, and a proclivity for upcycling. Not all designers and stylists do this, but it’s a skill worth looking for when hiring a professional.

You save money

It might sound strange: Hiring someone to decorate your home means an additional fee. But, remember: These are people who dedicate their time looking at different markets, brands, and shops available around Malta, and thus get a very good idea of where to look for bargains, offers, and great value. On your own, you’ll have weeks or – if lucky – months of research on which to base a decision, an artist has years under their belt.

You benefit from valuable partnerships

Artists get into partnerships with specific stores and manufacturers they like, promising said stores clients in return for discounts. As a homeowner, finding the right artist to help you means finding the right places to get bargains for.

No matter the budget, you get your own unique, bespoke space.

It’s simple: Designer bedrooms in magazines look nice, but if you can find your room on a magazine cover, then it is not yours. What we mean is, there’s nothing wrong with buying a room from a showroom, but to truly bring it to life and make the space feel like home, you need to bring your own character into it. Many new homeowners spend thousands on new state-of-the-art furnishing and yet remain entirely dissatisfied with the feel of their home. An artist will help you inject artefacts that represent your history, identity, and personality.

You avoid big mistakes

Lighting, furnishing needs, proper placement for floor outlets, furniture size – these are all things that unless you have a substantial amount of experience are going to absolutely drain you of your time, energies, and even willingness to carry the project.

They’ll also make sure what you’re getting isn’t going out of fashion within 3 months.

Trends make furniture companies rich because they – by their very nature – don’t last. What’s trendy today can look dated in the span of 6 months if your interior furniture is based off what was ‘popular’ or available, rather than what truly can grow with you.

They spend years building the right contacts

Imagine hiring a tile layer, instructing them that the tiles have specific patterns, and then walking in to find that everything has been placed haphazardly. Sounds frightening and improbable, yet there have been more than one occasion in Malta where this has happened. In addition to vendor resources, designers have many home improvement industry contacts. They can save homeowners time and headaches trying to identify reliable, contractors, plumbers and electricians for their projects.

An artist can guide you towards rare finds

There’s a reason designers and stylists like to frequent garage sales, auctions, and travel around – it allows them to collect an arsenal of contacts and rare finds. They look for items that tell stories either in the way they were crafted or were designed, their owners, or the period of time in which they were relevant. A creative won’t necessarily have a treasure trove hidden in their garage (although, some do), but they will keep in contact with people and places where they can source unique or rare finds.

A Local creative can help you keep the Maltese context alive

Within our architecture you can find ingredients from many different cultures, eras, and peoples. A creative who is sensitive to Malta’s history, character, and landscape can find ways for you to integrate distinctly Maltese characteristics in the way you decorate your home’s interiors. On the other hand, if you’re inspired by elsewhere, a creative can show you how to go for something bold and a little unusual and make it work.

Tag a friend who’s a great interior designer or stylist and deserve the attention!