How to find a designer in our city. How and where to find an interior designer: a complete guide

If the application is stylish and beautiful, but not functional, it is a failure. If he clearly fulfills the assigned tasks, but is unremarkable in appearance, success awaits him.

My previous article about how people admire graphic design, forgetting about functionality (Dribbblisation of Design), sparked a serious discussion: someone supported and gave their examples, someone disagreed and put forward counter-arguments. I'd like to re-emphasize my point, explain what prompted me to write that blog post that isn't really about Dribbble at all, and what criteria we use when recruiting our team.

Misconceptions about interface design

For a long time, many people did not understand and underestimated the importance of interfaces for applications. Designers complained that their fellow developers were only asking them to come up with a visually beautiful picture for an almost finished product. They even came up with a nickname for themselves - “Photoshop monkeys”. However, they initially understood that design is not just work in a graphics editor and therefore immediately set about finding a new team.

Many have tirelessly tried to get rid of this misconception and make it clear that design is not what a product looks like, but how it works. Steve Jobs put it best:

Most people are mistaken in their belief that design is just the outer shell. Actually this is not true. This is not how the product looks or feels. Design is how it works.

Slowly but surely, app development companies realized that those who put interface design above all else were superior to the competition. Apple is the most striking and successful example.

Many vacancies for interface designers began to appear, because many companies knew and understood that without good design they risked losing their competitiveness. Since this was new to them, they were vague about their needs and turned to sources like Dribbble to find “good designers.” But the complexity of the concept of design is not revealed on Dribbble, which is where the “circle of misconceptions” lies:

The consequences of such a cycle are disastrous for the development and understanding of design, because they cultivate the myth that only the aesthetic component is important. Employers hire graphic designers, confusing them with interface designers, and imagine the product will be a runaway success, but it doesn't happen.

Graphic design doesn't work on its own

In the previous post I analyzed the following stages of creating an interface:

• Formulation of the problem.
• Determining the necessary elements and connections between them.
• Interface design.
• Graphic design.

None of these processes exists separately from the others. Graphic designers who know how to design great interfaces understand the need for all of the above steps to work together in an integrated manner. The experienced UI designers I was lucky enough to work with specialized in one or two processes and were very good at the rest. It would be a mistake to pay attention to only one stage, because working with all four together will bring the best results.

Choose a designer according to your tasks

When I'm looking to hire a designer, I look for someone who has an excellent understanding of two of the four processes above and is eager to master and learn to work with others. Recently I was looking for a designer with this profile:

Before you say: “We need a designer!”, think about what kind of specialist you want on the team. For a startup, the strategy chosen by the manager determines the criteria by which a designer will be hired for the team. If you want to hire a person who is excellent at all four processes :), you should know that such people are extremely rare:

Graphic design is closely intertwined with interface design. It is necessary to take into account animations, changes in states and data. This is not a design for printing. Appearance and functionality must be comparable. If you are a graphic designer and want to learn more about interface design, I recommend reading Dan Saffer's book Microinteractions.

Some people argue that graphic design is the most important thing because a good appearance attracts people's attention. I disagree. There is no doubt that graphic design is very important, but people are attracted to something that has value - what this product is for, what benefits it will bring, in other words, they are attracted to the fruit of the work of interface designers. From time to time we've seen the success of unassuming products (like Craigslist) and the failures of aesthetically beautiful ones (like Color). Beautiful things attract attention, but they will not be able to hold it if there is nothing worthwhile besides the graphic component. All levels of design are important.

Don't believe what they say about Dribbble, it is used for other purposes

Let's talk about Dribbble after all. My previous post was not an attack on it as a product (I would really like to hear the opinion of Dan Cederholm and his team), I focused on more general issues. It is necessary to destroy the “circle of misconceptions” about the concept of design.

The main thing for me is not what people say about Dribbble, but what they use it for. When you develop products of this nature, you cannot predict how they will be used, because as the project develops it adapts and evolves. They say that Dribbble is a place where you can create, demonstrate your work and share your impressions of it, the so-called “Twitter for designers.”

All these phrases are meaningless to me. If this is a site about the design process, then where are the sketches and rough sketches? On Dribbble, mostly perfectly executed and polished works are presented, pixel by pixel. If the main message is visual inspiration, great, but then it looks more like art than design. In this case, Dribbble is not the right place to find designers to join your team. Talented artists, good illustrators, no doubt. But not designers.

I believe Dribbble should act as a way to attract employers to a site that contains your thoughts, sketches and illustrates your work process.

Being popular on Dribbble doesn't mean you're a great designer

Of course, there are great designers on Dribbble and

If previously only people with high incomes turned to designers for help, now this work is one of the most in demand among everyone who wants to arrange their home or apartment as comfortably as possible.

Young interior designers of the Yudu website have the following necessary professional qualities:

• sociability
• artistic imagination
• spatial-imaginative thinking

The young designer will transform the interior of any room. For him, developing a project is an interesting task in which he can realize his creative impulses.

Changing the interior: stages of work for a novice specialist

Finding a designer who does his work efficiently and inexpensively will not take much time if you use the Yudu service. With it, the creation of a project will be effective, and the customer will definitely like the end result.

Before developing documentation, the specialist agrees on the following issues:

• room decoration style
• dimensions and number of floors of the object
• primary colors
• preferred materials
• preparation of documentation corresponding to the project

The main task of the young specialist is to find optimal solutions and create a project that will take into account all the customer’s requirements. He will be able to find a way out of any situation so that, if necessary, he can combine incompatible things in order to emphasize the client’s individuality.

What does a design project consist of?

The services of a beginning designer are not much different from the work of specialists with extensive experience in this field. If you hire a beginner specialist, you will receive the same package of documentation as when working with the most famous masters of architecture and design.

The documentation consists of the following sections:

• planning solutions
• technological solutions
• style solutions
• decoration
• selection of materials and equipment
• author's supervision

To find a suitable solution for decorating a room, a novice designer goes to the site, takes the necessary measurements, and also discusses all issues with the customer. Significant changes to the project are possible only at the initial stages, so it is very important to immediately determine what exactly the client wants.

How to order services from Yudu masters

Using the Yuda website, you can hire a designer who can complete the design of the project at a low cost. To order services, you must fill out an application in which you indicate the main criteria, as well as the price for the work. The advantage of the site is that the client can set his own prices.

After placing an application, available performers will begin sending their proposals. The price for creating an interior designer can vary. If desired, the application may not indicate the cost of the work so that there is an opportunity to discuss this issue in person. On the Yudu website, any interior designer is a master with specialized education and creative thinking, and a beginner also has a “fresh” look and approach to solving the task.

A beautiful interior is what every person strives for. After all, the desire to live in a beautiful and modern apartment, to relax in a house where everything is in place, is natural and understandable. That is why the demand for the services of specialists who can help with this task is increasing every day. If you are one of those who cannot cope without the help of a professional, then let's think about how and from whom order apartment interior design which will make you happy.

1. For this type of work you need a person who:

• has sufficient experience in this field;
• knowledgeable about fashion trends;
• knows how to create projects that are not familiar and standard.

In addition to all this, he must also have personal qualities, such as:

• integrity and responsibility;
• determination;
• interest in an excellent result.

Naturally, such a person exists, and therefore the main task is to find him.

2. With all these qualities and his talents, he must present his services at prices affordable to everyone. At this point everything will be difficult, because many have already become convinced that inexpensive apartment designer– this is more a myth than reality. We want to please you and tell you that such a specialist can be found. This may well be an excellent student who is just starting his career. You may also be lucky and meet someone who will not claim a large amount of money for some personal reasons. Various things happen, and therefore your main task is to search.

Where to look for an interior designer?

This is the key question of our article, so we will tell you where people most often find inexpensive interior designer and avoid lengthy searches. Currently there are many such places. The most famous of them is the Internet.

1. Online classifieds

Beginners and low-cost professionals submit information about themselves on a variety of message boards. These information certificates look different. On sites where they offer or look for work, you can also find someone who offers design, renovation and other construction services. Of course, one phone call will not be enough, so if you decide to turn to private experts in your field, then expect various difficulties. But there is no need to be sad, because this is the method that brings maximum usefulness.

2. Personal sites

It will be easier to find a professional here, but be prepared for the price to be higher. In the search engine you just need to enter your city and a lot of results will appear. We recommend that you pay attention to the portfolio, which will reveal to you the secret of how creative the person you have found is. From the photo you can easily determine whether you like his style of work.

A huge number of designers. Different prices. Various works. How to find an interior designer, your contractor for the design of an apartment or house? Why does a project cost 300 rubles per square meter in some places, and 3,000 rubles in others?

Choosing an interior designer

What should you pay special attention to when choosing a designer? Here's the one you need a list of what you should pay special attention to when choosing a designer.

1. Portfolio of the designer you have chosen:

You should like the designer's work. If viewing the work does not make you feel anything, this is not your designer. The atmosphere of your future home is in the hands of the designer. If you don’t like the works in the portfolio or they simply don’t evoke any sensations, then don’t expect them to design a better interior for you. A designer may have many awards, several diplomas, and be an excellent specialist, but if you don’t like the work, this designer is simply not suitable for you.

2. High-quality images in 3D graphics

The more realistic the 3D images (3D visualization) in the designer’s portfolio, the easier it will be for you to understand, even at the design stage, what your interior will look like. You should pay attention to the clarity of the transmitted materials and their lighting.
Compare 3D renderings of the project with photographs after renovation of the same object. This is what will show the quality of 3D visualization and the detail of the project.

3. Availability of photographs in the portfolio and video reviews

It's one thing to draw beautiful images and a completely different thing to bring your planned project to life. Ask the designer for photographs of completed projects. Ask to tell about the object in the photo. Find out what difficulties there were during implementation? What material did the designer use?



On a construction site, everything is never perfect: there are always problems, some inconsistencies, difficulties. The point is who will solve these difficulties: the customer or the designer. You definitely need to ask about this in order to understand how the designer organizes the work to implement the project.




Photos of projects are one thing. And it’s quite another thing for the designer to have videos with reviews of completed projects. With the advent of YouTube, finding specialists has become easier. Now, to look at a designer and understand how he communicates with clients and works with builders, just watch video reviews of interiors.



In general, the presence of a video with confirmation of a live already implemented
interior design is an indisputable confirmation of the results of the designer’s work. It is very difficult to fake such a video.

4. Price

As for the cost of designer services, most often it depends on how much the designer or studio frees up time for clients. A high-quality, serious project is not cheap - we won’t talk about this, since this is a constant that everyone already understands.



One of the most significant investments after purchasing a property is renovations. Therefore, the most important thing is to find out the cost of all repair work and ask the designer questions about how he plans to work with this budget. Therefore, always look at the cost of the final implementation, and this cost should be reasonable. The designer’s task is to correctly allocate the budget, and not just draw everything beautifully.



It is clear that it is possible to imagine the budget for the entire project at once quite roughly. Therefore, we recommend discussing the reality of the proposed budget with the designer, ask him to show you estimates of similar and already implemented design projects.



Based on the information received, determine how much time you will need to free up for all these processes. And, depending on how much your time is worth, you can determine for yourself the adequate composition and cost of designer services.

5. Cooperation with materials and furniture factories

In Europe, it is accepted that by turning to a designer, the client saves money during renovation, since designers work directly with furniture and materials factories. Therefore, purchasing furniture through a designer is cheaper. In Russia, there is a stereotype (and there are indeed cases) that a designer is in “conspiracy” with suppliers and increases his cost by offering a service to the client. Therefore, ask: does the designer cooperate with furniture suppliers and will you save on materials? Which factories are they?

6. Comfortable in communication

You should feel comfortable communicating with your designer. A professional designer will work with you for a long time. It also happens that the project is implemented over several years. And throughout the entire time you will tell him about your lifestyle, share your characteristics. Therefore, mutual understanding with the designer from the very beginning and from the very first contact is very important.

7. Narrow specialization should coincide with your desires

Ask the designer what he does best and what his weaknesses are. A specialist who is good at designing restaurants and residential interiors, both classic and modern, should alert you. There are no super specialists in everything. It is better for a designer to specialize in one thing and be a professional in this specialization. And your task is to find a designer whose specialization coincides with your needs.

If you are looking for a designer for a 250 m2 house, it is advisable to find a professional who has a lot of practice with such projects, rather than turning to a super specialist who does everything. A designer with your specialization will make the project better, faster, and offer the best solutions, since he constantly does similar projects. And this is obvious.

Be careful when searching for a designer, and take a responsible approach to the process of selecting a contractor. Get to the bottom of the details and essence of the designer’s presentation. Pay attention to the designer's reaction to your questions.

8. Reviews

Of course, video reviews are a very rare case. But, if there is at least one such review, this is a high indicator. Not every customer agrees to a video review, so text reviews also need to be read. There is no such thing as too perfect. Therefore, if everything is written very well, then either the designer does not post everything, or the reviews are not real. A genuine review can always be understood by the description; real emotions in the text are difficult to fake.

9. Publications in the media, speeches.

A true expert is invited everywhere: to write an article, give a comment, or speak at an event. Professionals in their field share their knowledge, since it is very difficult to keep it secret and keep it to yourself. There comes a time when the owner of skills and knowledge begins to transfer them, because he wants to share his experience.

Pay attention to publications of works, articles by the designer, speeches. But it’s important to remember our first rule: not every expert is right for you. First of all, the designer must suit you in spirit; the designer’s philosophy and approach to design must suit you. You and the designer must look in the same direction and your views on design must coincide - this is the only way to create the ideal interior for you.

Gerasimov Pavel

Today, in order to feel involved in something global and make your “contribution to history,” it is enough to provide yourself with access to the Internet. Your own online blog, portal or online store is a reason to make yourself known in the market. It doesn’t matter what exactly you own - a large corporate website or a modest business card website. The need for an individual approach and an original solution to the problem of visual design is high in any field! A good graphic design specialist is always needed! Despite the fact that the Internet is bursting with offers of cooperation, finding a competent website designer is not at all easy.

Where to find a suitable website designer?

The most convenient way to search for a designer for a website is to use one of the traditional portals, where web designers usually post information about the terms of cooperation. Also, some specialists with extensive experience in the field of graphic design have their own Internet pages on which they display examples of their work and a list of services provided. Whichever of the two options the customer uses, it is necessary to pay attention to the following:

1. Reviews from previous customers. They will tell more about the master than he himself.
2. Portfolio. This is one of the key indicators of a performer’s professional level.
3. Methods and programs used in the work. They will help to put together a complete picture of the professionalism and competence of a specialist.

Before you make a decision in favor of one specialist or another, remember about web studios - often among ordinary employees there are specialists who are ready to work privately. If successful, the cost of registration by a studio specialist in Moscow and St. Petersburg can cost from several thousand to 30 thousand rubles.

What to do if you don’t have time to independently search for a web site designer, but you need help in creating a bright design? Find a web designer with the YouDo service:

• We have a large database of private web designers who have extensive experience in graphic design!
• Our contractors will help you find a website designer with a rich portfolio and work experience in a short time!
• The price for the services of a web designer found in Yudu is generally 40% lower, since all the professionals work for themselves and do not include the cost of renting premises and equipment!

Find a website designer using our online platform quickly and at the best price! Just indicate the amount you are willing to pay for a website development by a specialist, leave a request and wait for a specialist ready to complete your order!

In general, prices on the Yudu service depend on:

• Urgency of execution and order volume
• Requirements that the customer makes
• Experience and skills of the performer