How does an interior designer work? Finding this weird..

[NewHouseNewMe]

I hired an interior designer for a big room and expected a mood board or a couple of "looks" to adapt and work from.
Instead I've had links to about 10 different sofas with the expectation we pick what we want after going to sit on them. That's 3-4 shops and we frankly don't have the time which is why we hired a designer.
We also asked for a media wall which he worked on but the quote overlooks some important things and is over half the budget we have in total. I can't see how we can afford sofas, arm chairs, this very expensive media wall and other decorations.
If you've had an interior designer, how did it work as a process?

I’m a designer so maybe not the point of view you’d expect but here’s my process:
for a design only project, I’d have an initial consultation where I’d found out about you, your family, how your house works, your tastes etc. Then I would go off and come up with a concept and a mood board (or multiple, depending on size of project). When I get the right vibe that you want for the room and say “yes, that’s it”, I produce plans and specifications. I do specify exact products, with a couple of alternatives for the main items (generally similar looking stuff but different price points). I wouldn’t advise anyone to buy a sofa without sitting on it first as everyone has different ideas about what’s comfortable but I’d happily specify something else if you didn’t like the ones I’ve chosen.

For bespoke things like a media wall, I’d design that and either have a few quotes for you or leave it for you to quote, whichever one you prefer. Again, I’d only get a quote for the build once you’re happy with the design.

Not sure if it clarifies it for you? Every designer has their own processes, and the term ‘interior designer’ used by a large variety of skills, from soft furnishers to shoppers/stylists to designing designers (if it makes sense!) so it’s hard to separate them all. If you’re not happy with the service might be worth going back to him and see if he can do better, or maybe having a look at what his refund policy is.

I've never really come across anyone doing moodboards. Some will do drawings and sketches of their ideas, though. Most interior designers I know/have worked with basically have a statement look that clients want after looking at their previous projects. I can usually tell who did a room when I see their work in a magazine/website. When I used an ID in the past, they'd suggest particular large items (bed, sofas, chairs etc) from their favourite suppliers and I'd choose and buy them directly (or a cheaper replica if I could find one), so that sounds normal, especially as the ID wants to make sure you find a sofa/bed/mattress comfy, but if you dont have the time, you should expect them to buy it all for you. In our case, I bought most big items myself after consultation and inspiration, and together we agreed on a basic colourscheme, and while I managed joiners/decorators, the ID went on a big shopping spree for all the 100s of little things and put them up with an 'stylist' assistant (antique hero pieces, pictures, lamps, rugs, curtains, lampshades, cushions, plants, vases, throws, bedspreads, sculptures, side tables, log baskets, mirrors etc) ready for the reveal photo shoot (we did it for holiday lets/hotels, so needed everything ready to live in and be photographed), after we've agreed an overall budget.

In your case, it sounds as if you want someone to design joinery/furniture for you. These bespoke items are usually where it can get v expensive very quickly (never use Artichoke), but I'd always focus on bones first. If your ID can produce a design drawing for you (of course listening to your needs), and you like it, you could get different quotes from different joineries to compare, if they don'thave their own in house joiners. There should also be a discussion possible about materials and design options to bring it into budget (e.g. fewer doors, more open shelving, soft wood rather than hardwood or possibly even mdf etc etc). If it's only for your home, not for a business like a hotel, then you wouldn't need everything at once. You could focus on the essentials like joinery, sofa and curtains, and then get most of the decorative accents bit by bit over a longer time frame.

Made up job, waste f money

Most designers make their money on sourcing the furniture and other items for you. They pay trade prices and charge you retail prices, and pocket the difference. Most professional designers won’t do a “design only” job because it doesn’t pay enough. It’s always design and supply.