Sometimes the work of a professional makes all the difference. Whether your home has ten bedrooms, or your apartment is 800 square feet, it can be incredibly difficult to create a cohesive look for your home that is representative of you. That's where an interior designer comes in.

What is an interior designer? A good interior designer will hone your style down to its very essence, and be able to choose a functional layout that feels natural to you. Today, an interior designer can be involved as much or as little as the client desires. Many clients who hire interior designers - particularly those who are remodeling - have a good sense of how the room should look and what product they should use. Often clients will insist that a designer use the product already present in the home. Other times, a designer will need to start from scratch - especially if this is a just-purchased or just-built home. A designer will need to figure out exactly what the client needs. This means organizing rooms, laying tile, picking carpeting and colors, and finding the perfect pieces of furniture to compliment it all.

Really do your research before meeting with an interior designer. Ask yourself what you want your space to become, and what it will be used for. Figure out the extent of what you need help with, what your must-haves are, and what your budget is. Interior design services can add up fast, so be up front with potential designers from the beginning. Also, pick a designer that fits your style. Browse through a designer's portfolio and decide if you would live in those houses. Not just if you like it - but if you can live in it. There's a big difference!

Questions to ask when you meet with an Interior Designer:

• Ask for a referral. It makes a big difference to talk to a client who's worked with them before.
• Ask to see their interior design portfolio.
• When will the project be done?
• Do you charge an hourly rate, a flat rate, cost plus method, or mixed method?

Find an Interior Designer on Houzz. Narrow your search in the Professionals section of the website to Interior Designer, then choose the metro area in which you'd like to find a Designer. You may also look through photos by style, like Traditional, Asian, Contemporary, Modern, Eclectic, Mediterranean or Tropical, to first find a room you like then contact the professional who designed it.