Do I Need an Interior Designer, an Architect, a Contractor—or All Three?
You've decided the house needs to change. Maybe the kitchen no longer fits how your family actually lives, or you just closed on a home in Boca Raton that's beautiful on the outside and firmly 2005 on the inside.
Then comes the question almost every homeowner asks us: Who do I call first? An architect? A contractor? An interior designer? All three?
The short answer: it depends on whether you're changing the structure of your home, the systems inside it, or the way it looks, feels, and functions. Most meaningful renovations touch all three. Here's how to tell who you need, and how to keep the project from turning into three separate conversations you have to manage yourself.
Who does what
The architect: the structure
An architect designs the bones of a home. If you're adding square footage, raising a ceiling, removing a load-bearing wall, or reconfiguring the footprint, you'll likely need an architect or structural engineer to produce sealed drawings for permitting.
Architects think in terms of structure, code, and exterior form. Most don't select finishes, furniture, or lighting fixtures, and many prefer not to.
The contractor: the build
A licensed general contractor turns plans into reality. They pull permits, schedule and manage subcontractors (electricians, plumbers, tile setters), order construction materials, and are responsible for the quality and safety of the work.
A great contractor builds exactly what's specified. The key word is specified: if a decision isn't made before demolition, it gets made on the spot, often by whoever is standing there that day.
The interior designer: how the home lives
An interior designer shapes how every space functions and feels, from the layout of a kitchen to the height of a vanity, the placement of every outlet, and the way afternoon light falls across the living room.
At Krissy Rey Design, that means space planning, custom cabinetry and millwork design, lighting plans, finish and material selection, and curated furnishings, all delivered as detailed drawings and specifications your contractor can build from. It also means someone on your side managing the timeline, the orders, and the hundreds of small decisions in between.
So which do you need?
Furnishing or refreshing a home (no construction). You need an interior designer. New furniture, window treatments, lighting, art, and styling don't require permits or trades beyond installers your designer coordinates.
Renovating within the existing footprint. A kitchen remodel, primary bath, or whole-home update where walls mostly stay put. You need an interior designer and a contractor. This is the most common project we see in Boca Raton, Parkland, Coral Springs and Delray Beach, and it's where a designer adds the most value: every cabinet, fixture, and finish is decided before a single tile comes off the wall.
Adding on or changing the structure. An addition, a new lanai, a relocated staircase, or opening a load-bearing wall. You need all three. The architect defines what's structurally possible, the designer defines how it will live, and the contractor builds it.
Building new. All three, ideally from day one. The earlier your designer sees the plans, the fewer expensive changes you'll make later.
One South Florida note: many of our communities require HOA or architectural review approval before work begins. Build that time into your schedule, and make sure whoever leads your project knows the submission process.
Why the designer belongs at the start, not the end
Many homeowners call a designer after construction, to "pick the furniture." By then, the most consequential decisions are already built in: where the outlets are, how the island is sized, whether there's blocking in the wall for the floating vanity, where the recessed lights landed.
Bringing a designer in first means:
Fewer change orders. Complete specifications give your contractor an accurate scope and a firmer bid.
A realistic investment plan. Finishes and furnishings are priced alongside construction, so there are no surprises in month four.
Decisions made once. You review cohesive selections in one presentation instead of standing in a showroom every Saturday.
One point of contact. Your designer coordinates with the architect and contractor so you aren't translating between them.
Before founding Krissy Rey Design, I spent years in multifamily real estate development, where I saw firsthand how projects succeed or stall. The ones that go well share one thing: every discipline is aligned before construction starts. As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), I bring that same discipline to every home we design.
The bottom line
If you're only refreshing, start with a designer. If you're renovating, you need a designer and a contractor. If you're moving walls or adding on, you need all three, and someone to keep them working as one team.
Not sure where your project falls? Book a consultation with Krissy Rey Design. We'll walk your home, talk through what you want to change, and tell you exactly which professionals your project needs, including the ones we can introduce you to.
Schedule your consultation · 561-877-1101
Krissy Rey Design offers full-service interior design for seasonal residents, out-of-state buyers, and busy professionals throughout South Florida, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland.
